Headland Workshop24 Updated

This is a slightly adjusted version. I worked into the cliff face on the middle left of the piece. I also photographed it without the glare on a better camera, (not my cell-phone), and in daylight.

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Albums: Workshop24, Oil painting

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Comment by Ningning Li on August 25, 2013 at 14:59: Interesting composition. Mysteriously attractive. A lot of movement.

Comment by Betsy Jenkins on August 24, 2013 at 0:55: Yes, the NGA has started a digital archive with photos of art that is copyright free, i.e., you can use it anyway you want. I got a chance to get a tour of the photo studio, behind the scenes, where they photograph the works. Very exacting process, as they try to get everything down to the fiber lint in focus. And yes, they use photoshop. Some large work are photographed in sections , to get the high level of detail, and then those images are joined in the software. The NGA has been adding pics to this databank continually, but generally, I havent seen the most famous/pics from its collection added to the copyright free group (yet).

Comment by Michael Chomse on August 23, 2013 at 19:35: Hi Betsy,

Typical Spaniards! Giving absolutely no clue in the nickname they gave to Doménikos Theotokópoulos as to his ethnic origin. Soooo confusing!!! :-)

Seriously, thanks for all the info on El Greco. I have spent time enjoying his work in illustrations, and I envy your access to seeing some of the original pieces. Look with my eyes too next time you walk through the galleries or collections.

Knowing that El Greco was trying to convey more than what he imagined, and that his 'style' was in the interest of saying more about his subject than himself, has opened my eyes to seeing his work in a new light. Thank you.

At the same time as I express my envy of your access to the real deal, I must acknowledge the way that some of the major collections are opening up their digital archives to cyber visitors like myself. My computer is building up a small collection of high-res pictures of artists I love.

I have spent hours looking at the intricacies of their brushwork, complexity of colour choice, subtle differences in values and so on. Before the digital vaults were opened, my view was limited to the overall draftsmanship, composition and impact of the whole, rather than glorying in the detail.

I am so encouraged by our interaction. My connection to art through the people on this site has just, once again, extended into a whole new area of exploration and appreciation. El Greco, the 'Father" of my style. I like that. It's good to be reminded that other artists went before us who also struggled to express themselves, just like us, through daubs of paint on canvas.

Comment by Betsy Jenkins on August 23, 2013 at 13:02: Hi, Michael,

ElGreco was actually a Greek, who lived in Spain and worked for the Spanish court. You should really look at his paintings and study his elongated figures and subdued colors. His initial training was as a byzantine icon painter on the island of Crete, painting holy figures. These saints/figures were generally deceased and they were, therefore, considered spirit. Their bodies were painted as loose and "airy" to stylize their " spirituality vs. the solidity of the human form.

Anyway, he was the "father" of your style. I work VERY PART TIME at the National Gallery of Art and we have some El Greco paintings there. You can go to nga.gov and click on search the collection and type in El Greco and you can see images of what we have.

Good luck!

Comment by Michael Chomse on August 23, 2013 at 10:29: Betsy - Thanks for the kind and encouraging comment.

I really enjoyed the journey of discovery on this painting, Funnily enough you are the 2nd person to reference a Spanish artist on this painting. Maybe I have a past history with the nation that I don't know about :-) I must say I absolutely love the language, one that I only hear in movies, as not a lot of Spanish is spoken in South Africa. I will, I hope, continue to move down this fluid path.

Comment by Betsy Jenkins on August 23, 2013 at 7:52: Hi, Michael,

The fluidity of the lines and the colors make me think of El Greco. Interesting style you have there. I like it and think you might consider pursuing it.

Comment by Michael Chomse on August 21, 2013 at 15:51: Thanks Pandalana. I appreciate your comment.

Comment by Pandalana Williams on August 21, 2013 at 13:13: I love the warm and cool colors you did! This has a wonderful calming mood to it!

Comment by Michael Chomse on August 18, 2013 at 19:45: Manneherrin, Thanks so much for your comments. I think you've hit on something with the 'undefinable' mood. I have this painting on the wall, drying, and my eye keeps getting drawn back to it. I wasn't sure why, and it's the mood.

Comment by Manneherrin on August 18, 2013 at 18:43: The mood in this one is hard to pin down and I like that. The looming storm but the cheerful yellows suggest a typical Georgia storm. Sunny in the front yard and storming in the back yard. The non mechanical, simple movement, nothing to crazy composition is peaceful.