Follow the light: a technical tip
Added 2022-11-11 14:05:16 +0000 UTCOne concept that I briefly skimmed over during the last session on A Natural Approach, which you may have missed because it was slipped in during the mixing of the ambient light falling on the woman's face... Anyway, the idea was if you are aware of the light source and try your hardest to visualize how the light is acting (an artist can study the physics to move beyond mere guessing) then you can paint anything you conceive in your mind. By relying heavily on nature as your guide; truthful expression stems from nature, then you will combine your understanding with the emotional reaction to what is occurring, or has occurred at some point in time.
We can study this P.S. Kroyer piece called Osteria in Ravello; 1890.
If you look at the color harmony and brushwork it is very clear that he is thinking first of what the light is doing, then mixing the paint and applying the brushstroke. This sounds simple but often times students will, look-mix-look again-remix-then guess/try + repeat. This is not a criticism but a reminder that the more an artist is in control of the picture the better, or more masterful the end result is.
