Chris Carter Artist
  • Home
  • About
    • Bio
    • Travel
    • Ponderings
      • Zones and Bridges
      • Working From Photographs
      • “As Is” and “Cara Elizabeth”
      • Arts in Provence, Les Bassacs, France
  • Galleries
    • Current Work – 2018
    • Archived Galleries
  • Art Blog
  • Online Courses
    • Testimonials
  • Contact

Painterly

March 12, 2015
Home » Blog » art » Painterly
Painterly

It’s been too long since I have painted in a painterly fashion.  I needed to jolt myself out of my comfort zone.  It’s unfair to push my students out of their comfort zones if I linger in my own.  To be a better teacher I need to be a better student.  One of the exercises in Veronica Lawlor’s book One Drawing a Day is to draw with a bamboo pen.  I chose to draw a vase of long-stemmed roses from Valentine’s Day that I had yet to dispose of.  They are rather dry to say the least.  The drawing was awkward.  I haven’t drawn with a bamboo pen in several years.  I thought I might improve it a bit with some watercolor washes.  It only made it worse.  Being terribly stubborn, I didn’t give up.  Out came the gouache and the magic began to happen.  I thought of my dear friend, Joanie Springer, whose license plate is “GOUACHE”.

Detail of Dried Roses - Ink, Waterclor and Gouache

Detail of Dried Roses – Ink, Watercolor and Gouache

Detail of  Dried Roses

Detail of Dried Roses

Detail of Dried Roses

Detail of Dried Roses

Such joy!  Such pleasure!  Complete dreadfulness was transformed with painterly strokes.  I’m not showing the entire piece because as a whole, it remains unresolved.  Some of the details, however, are absolutely delicious and I am reminded of why I paint.  When I see strokes, caligraphy marks, colors, textures, edges, drips and splatters working together harmoniously creating a symphony of visual richness, I am euphoric.

Dried Roses – Drawn first with bamboo pen soaked in water for an hour before using with Noodler’s Whalerman Sepia ink, followed by watercolor washes, more watercolor washes, too many watercolor washes … washed under the faucet on the left side, followed by more watercolor and finally pushed around with gouache.  Viola!

March 12, 2015 Chris Carter

About the author

Chris Carter

Chris Carter's eclectic work reflects her insatiable curiosity about the universe and its many wonders. She hones her artistic skills with a daily practice focused on realistic drawings of ordinary objects in her environment. These drawings are warm-up exercises for her live paintings of musicians and dancers during performances and her large, dramatic studio paintings that evolve intuitively without model or reference.

Related Posts

  • Upcoming Online Courses and Radio Talk Show
    Upcoming Online Courses and Radio Talk ShowFebruary 1, 2018
  • Mumbles Lifeboat Station –  influenced by Hundertwasser
    Mumbles Lifeboat Station – influenced by HundertwasserJanuary 20, 2018
  • Storytelling inspired by arbitrary shapes
    Storytelling inspired by arbitrary shapesDecember 27, 2017

Popular Posts

  • The Daughters of Tom Dunn
    The Daughters of Tom DunnFebruary 27, 2013
  • Another Direction, Another Option
    Another Direction, Another OptionApril 25, 2014
  • Draw,Draw,Draw….Paint,Paint,Paint
    Draw,Draw,Draw….Paint,Paint,PaintNovember 14, 2012

5 Responses to Painterly

  • Olga April 21, 2015

    Chris,

    You were referring to your comforat zone in painting. I assumed its your style or technique (I called that fashion as opposed to the painterly fasion you were talking about in your post) you use your work in “Nature” and “Still life”. I was wondering if there are keywords to google and read into in order to develop in that direction.

    Thanks,
    Olga

    Reply
  • Olga April 20, 2015

    Hi Chris,

    What’s the name of your comfort zone fashion of painting?

    Thanks,
    Olga

    Reply
    • Chris Carter April 20, 2015

      Olga,
      I don’t know how to answer your question.  I don’t know what a “comfort zone fashion of painting” is. If you could reword your question I will do my best to answer it.
      Chris

      Reply
      • Olga April 21, 2015

        Chris,

        You were referring to your comfort zone in your painting in this post. I was wondering if there is a name of that style or technique (I called that fashion) that you use?

        I particularly adore your style (and I thought it is your comfort zone maybe I am wrong) in your work under “Still life”, “Nature” and “Mandalas” categories. So I was wondering what keywords to google and topics to read into in order to develop in this direction.

        Olga

        Reply
        • Chris Carter April 21, 2015

          Olga,
          When I refer to Comfort Zone, I could be referring to color, line, shapes, techniques, subject, size, pen, brush, etc. I am in my Comfort Zone when I am working with familiar tools in a familiar way, a technique I have used so many times that I can apply it without being challenged, a color combination I know works well for me.  It means that I am doing something I know how to do well and I’m not challenging my skill level.  The results are fairly predictable.  I’m not sure what words to suggest to you.  My suggestion would be to experiment in any way you can to explore new territory.  I am always trying to add new tools to my toolbox, which means that I want to expand my abilities and my way of expressing life as I experience it.  I try new color combinations, new tools, new shapes, different sizes of canvas and sketchbook, new subject matter.  I hope this helps.

          Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Follow Us!

Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on FlickrFollow Us on YouTubeFollow Us on PinterestFollow Us on RSSFollow Us on TwitterFollow Us on Instagram

Blog Tags

abstract (57) art (536) blues jam (39) color (53) Color as Value Lessons (23) Color Charts (37) color exercise (39) Color Interactions (71) color mixing (45) color palettes (62) Color Scheme Game (121) color schemes (157) Color Studies (79) color value (143) color wheels (59) Daily Exercises (40) Dala Art / Mandalas (22) drawings (79) en plein air (160) figures (74) floral (24) France (32) ink (38) ink and watercolor (45) landscapes (84) limited palettes (137) musical instruments (26) musicians (49) oil paintings (57) paintings (172) painting techniques (34) pen and ink (226) portraits (26) shapes (29) sketchbook drawings. (24) sketchbooks (193) still life (89) Travel (29) travel sketches (40) trees (29) Trumpet Parts Series (35) UK (24) values (23) watercolor (408) workshops (68)

Slideshow

Oxalis
Fisherman Glove I - Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
San Francisco Neighborhood - Tetrahedron
Metro No. 2
Bitter Espresso, San Francisco, CA
Potted Succulent
Oregano - Origanum rotundifolium - Kent Beauty
Hollyhocks - Les Bassacs, Provence, France, ink & watercolor
Color Wheel Mandala No. 48
Color Wheel Mandala No. 58 Islandwood Hats on Peg

Gallery

Old London Bridge Station - London, UK Still Life on Sand Dollar Beach, Los Padres, California Zendala No. 5
  • Blog
  • Videos
twitter logoflickr logopinterest logoFollow Us on InstagramFollow Us on VimeoFollow Us on YouTube

YouTube Channel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crWqkb3zy4s&t=70s

Link:   YouTube.com/ChrisCarterArt

Online Courses

Link: ExploreWithChrisCarter.com

Online Courses

Link: Skillshare.com/ChrisCarterArt

Copyright © 2018 chriscarterart.com. All Rights Reserved