Although, I have written about this subject before, I wanted to now share a video clip from a recent Zoom Art Class Session on negative shape painting.
This is really a valuable skill that anyone wishing to paint or who wishes to improve their drawing skills needs to practice. To learn this skill and more, please contact me to join one of my Zoom art sessions. We meet twice each month. The Fee is $80 for the two, two hour classes.
In this post, I’d like to share the difference between photographic resources and painting from such. As an artist the photo can be an invaluable resource in recording information. However, it never sees what your own eye sees and to paint exactly what is seen in a photo can diminish the impact of what could otherwise be a wonderful painting. The light and dark values and colors in a photo are not true. The following will illustrate.
Autumn is a wonderful time for gathering photo material. I just wished it lasted longer. However, in the photos below you will see my own photos of 3 scenes that became paintings.
Photos provide the necessary information, but you have to learn to use your artistic eyes to make it into a painting.
This scene had potential. The country road and the trees were pleasing, but it lacked enough color.
Here’s the painting based on the photo above. It’s called Return of Autumn, an 18×24 $3500.00 under by William Hagerman Signature work. (it’s for sale via eBay.)
Return of Autumn 18×24 oil by William Hagerman $3500 copyright 2020
So what do you think in this Painting vs Photo? A painting allows for artistic expression and provide more color than any photo.
In this example I was drawn to the color of the tree and the effect of light and shadow.
However, the scene needed to be tweaked. Just because something is in a photo, doesn’t mean you have to include it. Think about your composition. So what do you think in the painting vs photo?
Autumn Light and Shadow 8×10 Byron Signature oil painting copyright 2020
And finally another recent photograph. I liked the cluster of trees and the slight slope of the land on the right. Again, there’s potential, but it needed more.
In the painting below the coloration in the trees were enhanced and more vegetation in the grasses were added for interest.
So, what do you like best; photo or painting? Hopefully this comparison will help you realize that photos are only good for reference, not to copy verbatim. Choose the best parts of your photos and make it your own. Hope you liked this little Painting vs Photos usage tip.
By the way these paintings are currently on eBay as either an auction or fixed price. You can access all via my user profile.
Thank you and take care!
Just wanted to share a brief announcement regarding Zoom Art Classes.
Due to the ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic, in person art classes pose too much a risk and I care about my art student’s health and well being. With that in mind I’ve started offering online Zoom Art Classes using the popular Zoom conference app.
The art class sessions are kept small and are only 2 hours in length. They consist of live demonstration, screen sharing of content and the occasional color chart (cheat sheet) and other emailed documents, depending on the particular lesson.
It also affords critiques of your work and areas where you can improve. Group and private sessions are available. If interested, please contact me as times may vary.
You can read more in this newsletter.
How would you like to paint a scene that goes from this…
to this?
If so, then I encourage you to join my Zoom Art Class. The above painting was developed over 4 separate Zoom sessions. Each class includes a detailed image that is emailed to you for that session along with a “cheat sheet” of color mixes used via a painted and labeled chart that is also photographed and sent to you. The class also includes live demo and instruction on technique. Two sessions are held each month. Each 2 hour session is $40. Contact me today for info and how you too can join us and learn to paint from the safety of your home!
Thought I’d share my latest small 8×10 oil painting up for eBay auction of a landscape oil painting of bluebonnets at sunset. The sky in this piece was inspired by a view out the front window of our car. By way of paint, the sky was easily transported to the Texas Hill Country! Or onto my canvas. 🙂
Click the image for a larger view.
The eBay auction will begin Sunday June 21, 2020 at 8 pm Central US Time.
To bid, after logging into your eBay account all items for sale can be accessed from my profile page.
The bidding begins at $59.00
Happy Bidding!
Introducing my latest new landscape oil painting with old barns and donkeys. This scene had a natural composition except the donkeys or burros were added. They were some my brother-in-law had which I photographed. By way of paint tin on the old barn was repaired some. The actual tin on much of the barn looked as if some huge monster tried to eat it. There’s a point where the nostalgia of an old barn moves past that and becomes too junky looking.
Feeling rather glad to finish this painting after not being to paint for a time due to a fall from a ladder and fracturing several ribs. But, thankfully they’re mostly healed and getting back to the easel is now possible.
The title of this painting is “Lunchtime” and is painted on linen canvas under my William Hagerman Signature. 20×30 in size. $4900 (Click image to view larger)
Lunchtime 20×30 oil by William Hagerman copyright 2020
It’s available direct. If interested contact me and we can discuss.
Hoping that all of my readers and visitors to my blog have been able to weather the storm of this Cornavirus Pandemic. It’s certainly has effected all of us in one way or the other. Best wishes to you during these difficult times.
Painting Better Landscapes. Now there’s a topic I’ve always been interested in and if you’re here reading this, perhaps you are too.
Early on in my art development I was always on the search for books to help with painting better landscapes and the art of oil painting in general. However, when faced with so many choices a statement made thousands of years ago by a wise king came to mind, who said: “To the making of many books there is no end, and much devotion to them is wearisome to the flesh.” Agreed.
As time passed, some of those collected art books ended up in garage sales. Others have survive
d having been deemed worthy of keeping. So I’m sharing one in particular that has survived all these years and one that I still refer to from time to time. The book can still be found on Amazon.
The title is: Painting Better Landscapes: Specific Ways to Improve Your Oils written by Margaret Kessler. You can see it on Amazon here. This is not an affiliate link. Simply sharing where you can find it. The image shown is the back of the book and highlights some of the contents it contains. Hope you benefit from this same book as I have. There’s a few more and perhaps those will be shared in another post.
Do you have a favorite art book on landscape paintings? Please share by commenting. 🙂
Well, I’ve started running out the gate for 2020 and have 5 new eBay artwork auction pieces that need a new home!
You can access the auction pieces from my profile page or here.
Here’s a preview of theses gems! I also do commission pieces!
It’s hard to believe that the year 2020 is now here. So here’s my 2019 year in review.
The biggest change was moving from West Texas to North East Texas and being without a studio for a time. Although I now have a dedicated space it’s still unfinished. Some art stuff is still boxed up. At least the basic necessities to paint are out, which goes to show you don’t always have to have the perfect paint set up to work. It just needs to be functional.
Looking back 2019 was the year for my Byron Signature work doing small 8×10’s. Well, looking back I did 52 of them! I think only one from 2019 is still up for auction on eBay along with 4 new Byron works. You can see what’s available on my profile.
I thought you might enjoy seeing all 52 artworks in this 2019 year in review of these little gems.
One of my first paintings although not bluebonnets at sunrise was still a bluebonnet painting nonetheless and over the years I’ve never tired of painting them. If practice makes perfects, then I’ve had a lot of practice. A gallery owner who has specialized in selling theses favored blue Texas flowers told me I was one of the best bluebonnet painters living. I appreciate that.
With such a subject that has been painted frequently not only by me and other artists, it can be a challenge to represent them differently. After all they grow in a region known for oak trees and hills, so there’s going to be repetition.
So, here’s a scene with a slightly different color scheme than some I’ve painted even though the elements of oak trees, hills and bluebonnets are the same. I hope you enjoy the glowing sun casting it’s first rays as the day begins to awake from its sleep upon a field of azure notes.
“Bluebonnets at Sunrise” can be purchased through my eBay auction that will begin Sunday October 6th, 2019 6pm pacific time and ends October 13th. When live, you can access the auction by logging into your eBay account and then visiting this page to view active items. Hope you win!
So when does art become priceless? Recently a combination including one of my paintings, tropical storm Imelda and a comment from a client gave added meaning and answer to the question.
First, when you think of something as being priceless it generally means you can’t put a monetary value on the item under consideration. In art, you might call to mind something purchased for X millions of dollars by some museum or extremely wealthy individual and let’s face it, puts something like that out of reach for most of us. Thus, you might consider it a priceless work of art. On the other hand it could be something of insignificant monetary value, but priceless to you. Perhaps a masterpiece drawing done by your child given to you as a gift. You treasure it and would never think of discarding or parting with it even if it looked like a Picasso that was done while blindfolded.
A very touching scenario came about when one of my eBay clients won a recent painting. It so happened that it coincided that the painting was shipped and en route when tropical storm Imelda hit the South East Texas area inundating the region with torrential amounts of rain. Concerned for his welfare and family, I sent a message. My client’s reply was touching and gave a new perspective on the piece he purchased. The following is an excerpt.
“Thanks my friend. It has been a tough 24 hrs. I live on a hill in between the border of Labelle and Fannett TX. Fannett registered 32” of rain. All my neighbors were flooded except 2, they share the same hill that we are on. My sons friend who lives on the other side of the road, (name withheld) was killed this morning, trying to rescue some horses. A downed power line got him. It’s been a real sad time with all this. I have a neighbor that has throat cancer, we got him out, he is real fragile, it took about 7 hrs, but he is safe now in LA. (Louisiana) I did take some time, and had a reflection on that painting. I keep a screen shot of my favorite paintings. This one that I won is my all time favorite, because it’s like the area I grew up in, by Enchanted Rock, very similar to scenery on Crabapple Road in Gillespie County. I found a slice of solace looking at the photograph of the painting. Thanks, that is what your art is capable of doing.”
Once mail delivery was able to be resumed and the painting arrived he said: ” I received your painting today. It was unbelievable as expected. Today was the first day we received mail since the storm. It was a great surprise. Thanks for everything and look forward to seeing more of your painting in the future.”
This is the painting we are talking about called “Sky Drama.”
It would seem that in this instance my art brought something you can’t put a price tag on. I so much appreciated his sharing his feelings. I’m honored.