BobBlast #255
"You're So Negative! A Quick, Simple Guide how to See It."
Welcome back to another BobBlast!
Apparently, the concept of negative shape painting is new for so many - the subject is a hot one on Facebook! Books and painting workshops on this subject are available everywhere. A very good painter and teacher, my friend Linda Kemp is a master teacher of this popular artist workshop. Go to her website to find out more!
But right now - I am about to help you with a simplified version of this subject - for all of us who can't quite get this approach to painting.
From a black and white grey scale, we start with only three values:
Black - the darkest dark
White - the lightest light
Middle Grey - the mid tone
Two demos - the first with cut out paper to see the concept... We put together a figure, placing three shapes together, forming a flat graphic image of a human form.
The negative shape comes from the Rembrandt-style lighting technique of dark to light (from top to bottom) and light to dark (from bottom to top).
Seeing the "negative painting" in this way, now comes the second demo - this time with paint. I repeat the some human figure with the mid tone being the paper itself (Strathmore gray paper) along with black and white acrylic paint. To really learn this process of seeing, soon becomes muscle memory the more you practice. And practice and practice.. Robert Motherwell referred to this daily repeated painting routine as Automatism.
The more you practice daily painting... the more you get it!
Below is a list of featured workshops - but did you know that I also offer private sessions in my studio? Perfect for beginners who want a crash course in watercolor or acrylic or for artists who are designing an exhibit and want to bounce ideas for content and techniques. I devote 100% of my studio time to you! Designed for 1 to 3 people - if you are interested or have questions, email kate@robertburridge.com
Some of our subscribers have asked about the "behind the scenes" people who make the weekly BobBlast possible - so we want to give a shout out and thank Bo von Hohenlohe for editing the BobBlast videos. Bo also produces websites and helps authors self-publish books. Please visit his website at www.bvhprods.com
Thanks again for watching and telling your friends! All my BobBlasts are archived on my website and my KZfaq Channel. We post new studio tips weekly that offer real content, substance and useful techniques that work for me. And they're free! We appreciate your interest, questions, comments and support!