Tuesday, February 2, 2010

#12-Key West Cemetary-SOLD

All the sketching and painting of palms is starting to pay off. if youve ever done one you know how hard they are to not overwork. not enough detail and they look cartoony. you squint and paint what you see. i'm letting the temperature (more than a big value difference) show the light on the palm fronds.

ive been doing something the last several rainy days that i never do. Sketching. i've been using a fine tip marker and a sketch pad and trying to bone up on my drawing. i really think the thing that sets a great painter apart from a good painter is drawing skill. i just dont like the linear properties of sketching. but it does help you "know" the subject very well. you have to study every curve, shape, nuance of the object. in my workshops i've been stressing that you have to be able to draw to be a good painter. so i guess now i'm saying you have to really be able to draw to be a great painter. hopefully i'll stick with it till it becomes a habit.

3 comments:

Kathy Weber said...

Mike- I like this! Nice color and sunshine; the road leading in is very effective.

Linda Popple said...

Another nice painting. You've captured the light and the feeling of a wonderful, warm day in Florida.

mike rooney studios said...

kathleen and linda- thanks so much for the nice comments.
i'm loving that the trees are coming easier to me. have either of you painted a palm before? if so, you know what a hard tree they are to render. but thats why i love to do em. if you ever feel like you did a good one its so satisfying. thanks again you two!