Monday, July 13, 2009

Mon. Update

well here it is a week from the accident. seems like more than that and seems like less than that. is that possible?
Jamie's resting much more comfortably and with less confusion than in the last few days, so thats a blessing.
thanks again to everybody in my blogworld for the prayers and support. i cant tell you what its meant to open up my emails and blog and see them.

thought about sketching some to pass the time but didnt, even tho' i'm bored to tears. i must absolutely hate to sketch. never have cared for it much. have always been amazed that so many painters would like to do it. its so linear and the tool is so foreign to what we do as painters. with painting you think large shapes of color and drawing a line has nothing to do with that. i wonder if its my preconceptions about it that make me not want to do it. many plein air artists draw sketches or thumbnails before starting. i never do. not to say that i should or shouldnt or that its right or wrong. i just dont. i'd rather paint small paintings.... if i dont like the composition i'll just paint another painting.
i do recommend that many of my workshop students sketch and sketch, but thats because many of them havent drawn much and it shows in their paintings. the objects arent rendered well or relationships are off. for instance the marsh shapes they draw might be too fat and dont look like they recede in space, or things are lopsided, too big, too small etc. so no matter how good their brushwork, how well they mix color or nail the values, the painting looks bad. but i also tell them if they dont like to sketch (like me) then paint everyday instead. painting IS drawing with paint!

4 comments:

Carol Schiff Daily Painting said...

Thank you Mike! You have given me permission NOT to sketch and NOT to feel guilty about it! I always feel like it should sketch, artists tell me so and everthing I read tells me I should, but I HATE IT!!!! So, thank you.

Steve said...

I've been taught do some sketching. That, along with dividing the canvas into quadrants, really helps me keep things from getting out of whack. My skill level and experience require me to do this. If someone could paint every day and had extensive experience/skill/training, I can see how this would drive them nuts. It drives me nuts now, but most times, I have to do it.

mike rooney studios said...

carol- nothing takes the place of painting for a painter. now if you dont paint very regularly then sketching is the second best thing. but long as your painting, you are drawing.
and we're at the age now where we need to feel less and less guilty about stuff right LOL!

steve
my feeling is do whatever you have to to get the result you want. some do detailed drawings. some do detailed underpaintings. and some just jump in with both feet and get some paint down. to me thats way more fun!

Aliaena said...

Hey there Mike, So glad to hear that Jamie is a bit more comfortable. Whew. Although there's a challenging road still ahead, it's great that there's some lessening of the initial difficulties. Still holding you all close from over this side of the water. Prayers and smiles sent your way on the trade winds. Aliaena