Have Some Grapes

Oil on panel 11" X 14"
Farmers' Market at Civic Center, San Francisco, CA

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Albums: SF Oils
Location: San Francisco, CA

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Comment by Dorian Aronson on May 2, 2012 at 6:36: Just looked at Tim Horn's work. Have him bookmarked. What a joy! dor:))

Comment by Stuart J. Gourlay on May 2, 2012 at 5:13: Dor, thanks. Are you ready to ROCK on the Grand Canyon workshop? Stu

Comment by Dorian Aronson on May 2, 2012 at 5:08: Stu

Your work is fantastic! dor:))

Comment by Stuart J. Gourlay on May 1, 2012 at 23:28: Annie, I think you are right. The European artists have more subdued color. I'm glad you liked Tim Horn's paintings; I would love to simplify my shapes as easily as he does. Try just leaving your cad yellow pale cad yellow lemon or whatever cool yellow you use off your palette. It works just fine. You especially willNOT need it for the Grand Canyon; actually you may want to put out some yellow ochre or yellow ochre pale and use that as your "easiest" color (see Richard's instructions). I did look at some of Hagan's work and bookmarked his website. Good stuff. Stu

Comment by Annie Cullen on May 1, 2012 at 20:11: That's interesting - funny I was thinking about that today. I was mixing an orange by adding cool yellow to a cad red all the while thinking - this isn't working the way I would like it to!!

Thankyou - just took a look at Tim Horn's work - I love his interpretation of light and colour. I think in general - North American artists use much more saturated colour than European artists - and Australians are somewhere in between - although Hagan uses very strong colour.

Comment by Stuart J. Gourlay on May 1, 2012 at 15:59: Annie, I have seen Colley Whisson's work, but not Robert Hagan's; I will look for it. One of the artists here near me whose work is terrific is Tim Horn (www.horndesign.com); I have taken several workshops from him but have been unable to simplify my shapes anywhere close to the degree he does. He did help me a lot with warming up my lighted areas; actually it was real simple--he just told me to take the cool yellow off my palette and leave it off and I only rarely use a cool yellow for anything and never put it out on my palette. Stu

Comment by Annie Cullen on May 1, 2012 at 15:50: That's so right- you have to be true to yourself and your own style. I think learning to simplify is a key - Have you seen Australian Artist - Robert Hagan's work? - his detail is amazing too - and the light is beautiful! Colley Whisson is the other Australian impressionist who works in a similar way.

Comment by Stuart J. Gourlay on May 1, 2012 at 15:00: Annie, thank you for the compliments. You can definitely have detail in an impressionistic painting. As good examples, take a look at works by Joaquin Sorolla and Jon Singer Sargeant or even Manet. The best way to control excessive detail is to paint a bit more quickly and more deliberately and use as large a brush as you can for as long as you can in your painting. I, too am a recovering detail addict with a tendency to fall off the wagon regularly. I started painting outdoors about 5 years ago and it has improved my color sense and ability to paint more loosely, but I can still get into a tight mode pretty quickly in the studio. Just keep painting; you will get there. And don't try too much to change your style; it's like your signature and unique to you. Few artists are Picassos with five completely different styles (and at least that many wives). Stu

Comment by Annie Cullen on May 1, 2012 at 14:38: I love all your rendering of people - all doing their thing. I like all the detail - you can look at it for ages and hear the story it is telling! Isn't it hard to find the balance between detail and impressionism! Maybe they are two completely different art forms and ne'er the twain shall meet?