Blog

Continuing my series of the miniature vintage Barbie, here is the latest.  I had just finished reading a great art book by Thomas Buechner, titled "How I Paint - Secrets of  Sunday Painter"  He recently passed away in October 2010, but his works hang in the Metropolitan and Smithsonian Museums of Art.  I tried his skillful new techniques and came up with this partly impressionism, partly realism work that I truly like for portraits.   He was beyond excellent at portraits.  I like the philosophy of Thomas Buechner, he learned from the master artists and studied in museums for years.  He grew up in New York City, I am from upstate New York and lived very close to his final living place in Corning, New York.    I have visited museums all my life and have learned many ideas and techniques from old masters just be peering at their works and asking myself, "How did they do that?"  I would try to dissect the painting with my eyes, see the bottom layer and how they built it up to the top layer.  Thomas talks all about this and how he paints in a succession of strokes.  Strokes are just as important as the composition.  I recommend his book, it is on Amazon.com and other resale book sites.  I found mine in a library book store and felt like a great gift had landed in my lap.  It has permanently changed the direction of my painting approach.  I probably say this with every great art instruction/inspiration book I read.  But reading does provoke change, that is if one applies it.   For instance, Thomas suggested that one should leave a little of the underpainting to bring out more flecks of color.  I use an underpainting that is a well executed drawing in a hand blended burnt sienna or English Red.  You can see bits of it in this close-up of her temples and hairline.  It adds variety and warmth to the cool fleshtones in the shadows.   It is even visible in the thin application of the black tones in the hair, also giving a rich variation.  I believe in the thin painting of the darkest colors first to form the shape and not to reflect a glare off a too thickly painted black.  Thin paint also shows a luminous affect that is highly desirable.  I built the Barbie face in layers and finally added some spontaneous strokes and highlights in the end.  What was so important was to make her face look three dimensional and rich in skin tone while keeping the eyes, nose, brows and mouth in proportion and in correct values/hues.  Her facial expression is the focus, so I purposely softened all edges of everything else, she appears from a misty background.   She is a dreamy doll, so I made her dreamy and sultry looking. 

As far as Thomas Buechner`s landscapes, I will be using his philosophy, techniques and suggestions towards those, look for new changes to my landscapes for the better.  I have already painted one landscape using his appproach, I will post it on my website shortly and maybe blog about that progression.  That is what I strive for, always improving, trying to better myself with each painting.  

Two of my recent art works will be included in one of my first gallery shows of the year 2011.  The exhibition is called the Best of the Best, it is at the SOCALPAPA Art Gallery in Newport Beach, CA.  SOCALPAPA stands for the Southern California Plein Air Painter`s Association.  

The show opens tomorrow, Wednesday January 5, 2011.  Opening reception is Saturday, January 8th 4pm-6pm.   Refreshments will be served.  The show runs through February 27th, 2011.  Hours of the gallery are Wednesday -Sunday, 1pm-5pm, some Thursdays 1pm-7pm.    I hope to be in attendance for the reception, Jan 8th.  Since this is an association gallery, we have sitting times to volunteer in the gallery.  My sitting times are January 27th, 1-7pm and February 9th, 1-5pm.  Stop by to meet with me if you have the time and are in the area.  The gallery is located within the compounds of the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum, it faces the water along the boardwalk of the Fun Zone, just to the right of the carousel.   The address is 600 East Bay Ave.  Balboa Fun Zone, Newport Beach, CA 92660.     The link takes you to the Google Map for directions. 

My paintings in the show are as follows:

Rhythmic Tide - Crystal Cove Tidepools, 14"W x 11"H, oil on linen panel.  $450.  Click on the above image will take you to my website to see a description of the painting.   Below is an image of it framed:

Yesteryear Ranch Hand - Baker Canyon, 16"W x 12"H, oil on linen panel.  $500. Update, this won an honorable mention!  Click on the above image will take you to my website to see a description of the painting.  Below is an image of it framed:

The Best of the Best show features all the SOCALAPA artists who volunteered to help at art exhibitions in the association in 2010.

To see more of my works of art, go to my website at www.estherjwilliams.com