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| Winslow Homer, The Artist’s Studio in an Afternoon Fog (1894) |
We set out today to discuss Winslow Homer’s use of the diagonal in his coastal paintings. Could there be a more lovely example than The Artist’s Studio in an Afternoon Fog(1894), which is owned by Rochester’s own Memorial Art Gallery? And yet this painting proved even more appropriate than I anticipated, for we painted through mists all day.
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| Nancy hard at work on a misty bluff. |
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| Arlene painted along the shore. |
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| Matthew among the rocks. |
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| Sue was in the pines. |
Rocks and sea are far more energetic than meadows and flowers. To organize them, one must first consider the motive power driving the composition and harness the elements to that force. But added to the constant motion of the sea are the cyclical tides. They make a value sketch invaluable. Inevitably, the painter will lose the thread of his or her composition as the tide rushes in or out or the light suddenly changes. Being able to refer back to one’s value sketch is often the only way to save a floundering painting.
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| A value study by Pamela… everyone did them. |
And look how fantastic the results were!
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| Pamela’s seascape. |
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| Sue’s seascape. |
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| Nancy’s seascape. |
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| Matt’s seascape. |
The second of my Maine workshops is half over, and we’re having a great time. August and September are sold out , but there are openings in October! Check here for more information.
