Neo Rauch and his discordant color world

We discussed Neo Rauch's work in our Watercolor Workshop, even though these are primarily oil paintings, because he uses color in a unique way. The concept of a color world (refer to previous post) within a painting is simple yet elusive, and in order to better understand this concept, Neo Rauch's work was offered as the counter-example.  The most classic example of cohesive color world, using a limited palette, is found in Claude Monet. 

Claude Monet: landscape with a limited palette

Neo Rauch uses clashing color worlds in his paintings, thereby offering an example of a discordant color world. This gives the painting a collaged feeling, rather than a unified atmosphere.

A contemporary artist working with color in a wonderful and surprising way is Jason Mones. His blunt and often confrontational images of masculinity are painted in pastel hues, contradicting the subject matter.

See images here http://jasonmones.com

Jason Mones

Here is some of the basic important information about this artist, lifted from Wikipedia (where else?).

"Neo Rauch (born 18 April 1960, in Leipzig, East Germany) is a German artist whose paintings mine the intersection of his personal history with the politics of industrial alienation. His work reflects the influence of socialist realism, and owes a debt to Surrealists Giorgio de Chirico and René Magritte, although Rauch hesitates to align himself with surrealism. He studied at the Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig, and he lives in Markkleeberg near Leipzig, Germany and works as the principal artist of the New Leipzig School.^[1]The artist is represented by Galerie EIGEN + ART Leipzig/Berlin and David Zwirner, New York.

Rauch's paintings suggest a narrative intent but, as art historian Charlotte Mullins explains, closer scrutiny immediately presents the viewer with enigmas: "Architectural elements peter out; men in uniform from throughout history intimidate men and women from other centuries; great struggles occur but their reason is never apparent; styles change at a whim."^[2]"

Can you tell which colors clash with the dominant color world of the painting?  What is the artist trying to say with his odd use of color?  How does this effect our reading of the image?

Watercolor Landscape with Limited Palette

Maurice Prendergast

How to paint a landscape (from a photograph) with a limited palette

We already started to learn about the power of a limited palette to create a cohesive color world in the last class. A color world within a painting ties all of the elements in the picture together in a unified sense of space and light, and even time for that matter.
To see this effect in action, look at the work of Maurice Prendergast (above).  In a separate blog post, I analyze the palette of Prendergast in depth. But for now we are going to try to understand the concept of a color world by looking at an artist who intentionally disrupts the color worlds of his paintings, with jarring results.

Take this counter-example by contemporary artist Neo Rauch:

Neo Rauch

In this painting Neo Rauch uses a break in the color world to signify a break in time. Imagery from disparate historical eras are juxtaposed by using bright pastel colors against more drab grays and browns. This results in an image that looks like a collage, even though it is all painted on one canvas.

Now look at these Haystack paintings by Impressionist painter Claude Monet. These painting present a very cohesive color world through the use of a limited palette. Also note the cool blue/ violet shadows, complimentary of the warm yellow/ orange sunlight.

Haystack in Snow by Monet

Haystack by Monet

Today we will pain a landscape from a photograph using a limited palette. Select a good quality photograph that is not too small to use as a reference.

1) First select shades of the 3 primary colors to use. Blue, red, yellow.
2) On a white piece of paper make a sample palette including mixed secondary colors. Violet, green, orange. Also mix the tertiary colors you may need. (reference color wheel below)
3) Select your composition. Will it be the full photograph or cropped? Make a light pencil sketch to block in the composition, without too much detail.
4) Begin by painting the shadows using blue-violet or blue. You will end up with a tonal image. Notice how I left the areas not in shadow as white.

Painting shadows with violet to get a tonal composition.

5) Start to add transparent layers of local color. Make sure to leave some white peaking through to give air to the painting. Notice how the water and foliage are broken up into brushstrokes rather than as a solid wash. This lets the painting breath! Important!

My palette next to the paintings and the source photo.

6) Add brighter dabs of accent color, more saturated color in certain places.

Finished painting with limited palette.

This student watercolor by Alexandre Dupuis uses a very limited palette, mostly just blue and red, to great effect! Notice how he implies detail without getting fussy!

Watercolor by former student Alexandre Dupuis

Color Wheel

Since some of the color wheels from the first class turned out a bit disorderly, here is a reference that also shows what secondary and tertiary colors are.

Spring Drawing Workshop and Watercolor Workshop start in April!!

Registration is now open for the Spring Drawing Workshop and the Spring Watercolor Workshop! 
Class size is limited, so sign up now by writing to instructor and coordinator Mira O'Brien at miraob@gmail.com. You will receive a registration form and payment instructions.

Spring Drawing Workshop: April 8 - May 13

This class introduces basic techniques in drawing, with a focus on drawing from observation. Exercises explore technique, medium and strategies in visual thinking. The class is a perfect introduction for beginners, with some new skills to be learned for the more experienced.

Each class is structured around a formal topic (contour lines, tonality, negative space...), with examples from art-history and a brief discussion. We will build technique through a series of guided exercises, followed by time for experimentation and longer drawings. We will draw from a live model and from still life creations.

We will make an excursion to draw the ready-made still-lives of Berlin’s Natural History Museum, including dinosaur bones and exotic taxidermy. This class will take the form of a "Drawing Scavenger Hunt"!

Schedule: 7 meetings. 6 x Monday 6-9 pm and one field-trip.

- Field-Trip to the Natural History Museum on Sunday, April 28, 12-3 pm.

Cost: 120 Euro
SUPPLY LIST

Spring Watercolor Workshop: April 24 - May 15

In this Workshop we will use the landscape of Berlin as a subject for learning the subtle medium of watercolor.  We will learn how to layer transparent colors to create the effect of cool shadows and warm sunlight, how to control the paint flow for fine detail as well as smooth backgrounds, and how to use the brush for different types of texture.

The Workshop will take place twice per week, first in the studio and then outdoors. The class held in Berlin Drawing Room studio will focus on technique, which can then be applied in the field. We will meet every Saturday in a new location, and paint plein-air. 

No experience required! This class is perfect for beginners as well as more advanced students who want to improve their skills or just discover interesting landscape locations with fellow painters!

Schedule: 7 meetings: 4 x on Wedneday in the studio from 6-9 pm  and 3 x on Saturday in the field from 12-3 pm.

Cost: 120 Euro
SUPPLY LIST

Life Drawing in February

CURRENT LIFE DRAING DATES HERE! AUGUST 2013!

http://berlindrawingroom.blogspot.de/2013/06/life-drawing-in-august.html
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In response to popular demand, I am glad to announce two new dates for life drawing at the Berlin Drawing Room!
Thursday, February 21 and Monday, February 25, 6-9pm

Description: Draw from a live nude model! We start out with a warm up drawing excercise, such as blind contour drawing. Then we do a series of short gestural poses - always interesting because our models are typically dancers and performers! We end the session with a few longer 20 minute poses.  The instructor will suggest themes to focus on such as "the exploratory line" or "negative space".  Personal instruction and critique will be geared to the level of each participant. These classes are suitable for beginners as well as the more advanced who want to practice drawing from a model.

The Berlin Drawing Room and instructor Mira O'Brien provide a creative and open atmosphere for learning and exploring. Mira is an American artist living in Berlin and exhibiting her work internatioilally. Her studio is right next door to the Berlin Drawing Room and you are welcome to take a peak. We always have an interesting international group of students. Tea and cookies are provided during the break.

What to bring: sketch-book/ paper minimum A3 size, some pencils, any other drawings materials you want to use such as charcoal, conte crayons, ....

Sign Up: Reserve you place in advance by contacting instructor Mira at miraob@gmail.com OR sign up at Gidsy with Paypal

Cost: 15 Euro/ per session

Please check out the listing on Gidsy to read some of the glowing reviews for Life Drawing at the Berlin Drawing Room!  https://gidsy.com/activities/berlin/10545/life-drawing-with-model/

John Singer Sargent's Mugs and Madame X

John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) made hundreds of rapidly drawn charcoal sketches of society personalities, drawings he referred to as "mugs." He made these in response to a high demand for his work. Not being able to satisfy all with oil paintings, he satiated his sitters with quick charcoal drawings.

These portraits are mostly of wealthy patrons, although sometimes he would make exceptions. But that is already a much wider pool to draw from than his biggest influence and predecessor Velázquez, who only painted royal subjects.

These "mugs," like a facebook profile picture, should be seen in a social context just as much as an art history context. Sargent not only captured a likeness of the sitter, but created a portrait of a social milieu, the decadent Edwardian high society.

I wish I could know more about some of the individuals in these drawings, and what was going on around them at the moment these drawings were made. For example, the striking portrait Vaslav Nijinsky in costume for the ballet 'Le Pavillon D'Armide' at the Ballet Russes. Nijinsky has an incredibly heartbreaking life story, despite his major talent. Read about him at this link. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaslav_Nijinsky

Portrait of Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon

Portrait of Mrs. George Swinton

Portrait of Viola Tree

Portrait of Eleonora Randolph Sears 

Here is a link to some wonderful biographical information and details of Eleonora's sitting with Sargent. In this case, Sargent requested her to to sit for a drawing because of her extraordinary personality.  http://kihm2.wordpress.com/2007/10/23/sears-by-sargent/

Portrait of Vaslav Nijinsky

One portrait we do have a sensational back story on is the infamous Madame X. Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau, did not commission this portrait. She was pursued by Sargent who wanted to create a masterpiece for the 1884 Paris Salon.

"The model was an American expatriate who married a French banker, and became notorious in Parisian high society for her beauty and rumored infidelities. She wore lavender powder and prided herself on her appearance." (Wikipedia)

Once unveiled, the portrait was met with critical hatred. Gautreau, without lending her name to the piece, was unmistakable with her strong features. The criticism was a combination of revulsion at the painting and revulsion at the perceived vulgarity of the subject. A woman who would sensationalize herself for social promotion, or so it seemed. Gautreau was disappointed and humiliated that the masterpiece she believed herself to be contributing to was such a critical disaster, and that not only the painting but her character were being criticized. Sargent tried to make amends by repainting the shoulder strap of her dress in an upright position, it was originally off the shoulder. This painting can currently be viewed at the Metropolitan Museum in New York and is now considered widely to be his greatest achievement!

Madame X (Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau), 1884

And I just had to share this image of the dancer Vaslav Nijinsky!

Vaslav Nijinsky in costume

Subtle Tones from John Ruskin to David Musgrave

 I was really struck by the similarity of these two drawings, made by artists from completely different eras. Both show a very nuanced use of tonal gradation to achieve a realistic effect, capturing the delicate texture of a leaf.

John Ruskin (1819-1900) helped to define the Victorian era as a great thinker and artist of the time. He was a Naturalist, artist, writer and social critic.

David Musgrave (b. 1973) is a contemporary conceptual artist working in London. I wonder if he was influenced by Ruskin? Looks like that is highly probable!

More information about both artists:
- Ruskin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ruskin
- Musgrave (also some great images here!!) http://www.luhringaugustine.com/artists/david-musgrave

Can you guess which drawing is by Ruskin and which by Musgrave? (answer below)

* top: Ruskin, bottom: Musgrave

Homework: tonal gradation and facial proportions

In order to fit more drawing time into the next class, please complete the following exercises at home and bring them with you on Monday. This means we can cover tonality and get an introduction to portrait drawing on the same day! Thanks class!

Reminder: Bring a mirror large enough to see your entire face at one time.

Student work: 20 minute portrait drawing 

1) Tonal Gradation
Time to get to know your pencils! H stands for hard (lighter) and B stands for black (darker), and F stands for fine point (used for detail, also a hard pencil). Higher number B means darker still, higher number H means lighter still. This all varies with brand, and most especially, with the touch of the person drawing. Press very hard with an HB (a middle-range grey) and very soft with a B, and what do you know? The HB looks darker! So what I recommend is to test this all out on your own.
- Make a rectangular box, approximately 5 cm x 20 cm.
- Use your darkest (softest B) pencil to make your blackest possible black on one side.
- The other end should remain white.
- Use all your pencils to fill in the gradation in between, making the transitions as smooth at possible.
- You might want to try this a couple more times with different pencil combinations.

2) Facial Proportions

Copy this diagram of facial proportions, measuring and correcting as you go.

• Middle of the eyes are in the middle of the head.
• Bottom of the nose is half way between eyes and bottom of chin.
• Mouth (measured from between lips) is less than half way between bottom of nose and bottom of chin.
• Head is 5 eyes wide.

Here is another useful measurement for profiles.

Placing the ear in profile. (Betty Edwards)

Human skull for reference!

Another diagram to reference for facial proportions.

Of course every individual has some slight variations in his or her facial proportions and structure, as exhibited so well here by David Hockney. He actually drew these portraits of security guards at an art museum with the aid of a Camera Lucida. 

"Twelve Portraits After Ingres" by David Hockney

And here is everybody using viewfinders during the last class! Speaking of optical devices (David Hockney and Camera Lucida), I just had to share this photo!