PAINT TALK: Why I DON'T like TIGHT painting as much as LOOSE painting

Рет қаралды 110,008

3 жыл бұрын

In this weeks Paint Talk I discuss why I like loose painting more than tight painting and give advice on how to loosen up your painting.
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Hi, I am the son of two artists and began painting in my hometown of Richmond, Virginia before I could walk. I was a rare combination of artist and athlete so I moved to Los Angeles in 2008 to play football for USC. I left the team my sophomore year to focus on painting and filmmaking, applying the same focus and discipline from my football career to my art. I primarily work in oils, and spend most free days painting "en plein air" in my new home of Sarasota Florida.
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www.chrisfornataro.com

Пікірлер: 225

@samuelmuiga3101 3 жыл бұрын

When I see hyper realistic paintings I think "wow! you mean that's a painting?" when I see a great loose painting I think "wow! What a show stopper!" I prefer to acknowledge a great painting than questioning if it's one.

@123agidee_2 3 жыл бұрын

The fewer marks on a painting, the more perfect each one has to be.

@jacobl6714 2 жыл бұрын

true true

@ScilexGuitar 2 жыл бұрын

Reminds me of pixel art, where you are limited to a few pixels, each one has more importance

@amysbees6686 3 жыл бұрын

Absolute right about seeing loose painting in person! When I first saw a Monet, Van Gogh and a Rembrandt I was completely blown away! Seeing them up CLOSE is literally life-changing!

@123agidee_2 3 жыл бұрын

I think Rembrandt is the greatest portraitist of all time

@nidhimoda605 2 жыл бұрын

@@123agidee_2 Yep, Rembrant's portraits are epic and ahead of their time. And Van Gogh is such a great Impressionist. The thick impasto strokes . . .

@danikaiser6508 3 жыл бұрын

These paint talk videos are so helpful. Starting too early with detail and a small brush is perhaps my biggest problem.

@hijodelaisla275 2 жыл бұрын

I agree. There's something magical about how a loosely-painted canvas comes together when you step back. Photo-realist painting certainly demonstrates a skill, but it's a skill that can be matched and surpassed by a photograph. Both have their place. A painter friend once said, paintings should be of ordinary things; it's the study of those subjects that elevates them. Photographs should be records of extraordinary things, a moment captured. There are exceptions, of course, but I think it's a pretty good guide.

@Insomnia_tic Жыл бұрын

I think thats arbitrary. No offense, but with art you should do what you want, when you want.

@hijodelaisla275 Жыл бұрын

@@Insomnia_tic I wasn't stating a rule; I thought I made that clear. So your "arbitrary" criticism is for something I didn't say. The only restriction to art is who gets to experience it.

@stevechmilar1215 3 жыл бұрын

There is one major quandary within the distinction between "tight" and "loose". With subject matter that is already known to the viewer, a painter can get away with a very loose interpretation of the subject matter. The eye of the viewer fills in the missing information. If the artist is creative enough to invent something that no one has ever seen before, they must render it accurately enough to communicate to the viewer what it is that they are seeing. Keep in mind also, that our perception of "tight" and "loose" depends on how closely we view a painting. Many pieces that appear "tight" can reveal a great deal of interesting painterly abstraction when viewed up close.

@donjohn8668 Жыл бұрын

Y3s stev3, I totally agree. Because you see, a painting is best appreciated from a distance🤌

@seanfaherty 7 күн бұрын

I dunno Nobody had ever seen a Van Gogh before but they filled in the details just fine

@sylviapaints 3 жыл бұрын

What you said about viewing art on screen - Yes 😭 I get so sad thinking about how few people have actually saw my paintings bc they’ve only saw them on screens. It is honestly not the same. Also thank you, this video was super helpful!

@connielouu 3 жыл бұрын

This made me excited to explore loose painting styles!

@roxykcny Ай бұрын

Now I know why I like your work so much. Your paintings remind me of Fairfield Porter.

@burak5601 3 жыл бұрын

Chris you’re really one of the greatest oil painting teacher I’ve seen so far. Great lessons with perfect teaching methods, tips and answers. I want to thank you a lot once again for the time and energy you’re putting into this, really appreciate it :)

@TheChristineLindsay 8 ай бұрын

Brilliant. I thank you so much, for not only giving a spoken tutorial, but a visual one at the same time. You are right; I get so tired of watching videos when all I see is the artist's face. I'm following you now.

@michaeltar9978 3 жыл бұрын

Great video man just so much great information 👍🏼👍🏼 hearing your confident casual confirmation of so many things that float through my doubting mind makes my game way stronger.Thanks ~

@catherinestotesbery9509 3 жыл бұрын

So many good tips in such a short time ! Thank you!

@msmlfreeman 3 жыл бұрын

Just found your channel and am excited! Your tips are awesome and timely. You addressed a couple of issues that I had tried many times to address...without total success. Some improvement, yes, but I wanted more and you gave me that. Thank you.

@brendaword9010 3 жыл бұрын

This was one of the most helpful videos I have listen to. So many tips and ideas for improvement!

@surftheride 3 жыл бұрын

Great format of listening with the painting happening in the background! Love it! Please do it every time!!!

@elsombrero105 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for such a great explanation of the most valuable things to paint loose. I've found this really helpful!

@susannehawthorne4423 3 жыл бұрын

I love your videos! Watching you paint while listening to your advice and instruction was awesome! (But we still got to see you talking in there too! Not just a voice from the beyond!) This was wonderful. Thank you!!!

@hsc3247 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! I am/was so lost about a few of these things and you are so right on. Every beginner issue you mentioned is exactly my problem. This is a great video. Much appreciated.

@michaelbone5177 3 жыл бұрын

nice call on the timelapse. i usually listen while painting but this is more visually engaging. i also love the loose style! just getting into a rhythm with my landscapes. thanks!!

@georgesaccoccio6923 3 жыл бұрын

Chris, I’ve always learned something valuable from your channel, this video, however, is among your very best. The time lapse is most helpful in learning to see the large underlying shapes of your subject.

@relevant_nebula 3 жыл бұрын

I like your tips and talks. I have not started oil painting yet but you're inspiring me

@paintcoach 3 жыл бұрын

You can do it! Paint something and tag me on IG

@crystalh6570 3 жыл бұрын

Same here!

@jmotiondance8944 5 күн бұрын

Amazing! Glad I found you here. Thank you. So much to learn from you.

@enderwiggin8947 Жыл бұрын

Wow! that was brilliant. The painting and the talk. I have never painted anything in my life and I'm now inspired. I"m 50.

@MYRIAMLATEUR 3 жыл бұрын

One of your tutorials teach me more than eight hours of academy training... Love you for that! Thanks a huge lot!

@user-rx3ph3ox4i 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you, Chris, for this tutorial. It is very helpful for me.

@bradad2026 3 жыл бұрын

Appreciate watching you painting, even in time-lapse, because not only does it highlight what you said about shapes but it also demonstrated the need to add any essential details at the end of the painting process. Too many times I have found that putting any detail in too early really restricts looseness.

@lisengel2498 2 жыл бұрын

Like you I love loose painting styles - they seem to catch a free rhythm and to somehow express the pulse and movement of an image - and painting has the possibility of expressing experience from a synkinaesthetic perspective - not just visual, but tactile, kinetic, etc - you can feel it in a multidimensional way -

@laurieyork5186 9 ай бұрын

Right on Chris! You sum up the painting process so concisely and so well. What a terrific teacher you are. Thank you!

@patrickcharles7190 3 жыл бұрын

Great advice. Everything was spot on and helpful and doesn't appear that your only motivation is to sell a product...like other channels....which usually means the meaningful stuff is intentionally left out. I've been painting for 30 years and your advice is sincere. I always tell people to NOT learn how to paint on youtube. This is a channel I will recommend. A natural teacher.....Coach.

@eiacollantes5731 3 жыл бұрын

thanks for this! really enjoyed watching this

@jonathano.7109 2 жыл бұрын

Good down-to-earth practical advice - and a great painting!

@frankovitchgrimowski4950 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks coach, nice lessen today. (Liked and watched all the ads!) and thanks for showing the pallet.

@paintcoach 3 жыл бұрын

I appreciate it!

@howardhill3395 2 жыл бұрын

Spontaneous enjoyment & interpretation by the painter comes thru in the looser brush strokes. This is more interesting to me than precise detail which can be conveyed by a photo.

@annmurphy677 Жыл бұрын

Helpful tips. Thank you-I’m going to utilize your block in technique-excellent!

@mazsroy9 2 жыл бұрын

You explain very well. Glad I came across you. Subscribed and hope to watch you as much as possible. Thank you.

@helentretyakova7888 3 жыл бұрын

I prefer loose paintings as well and love this video. Your oil for beginners video convinced me to go get the supplies 2 days ago and start. I was scared to transfer from acrylic and now I'm so in love this is what I've been wanting my paintings to have (more feeling to them) and that's what the oil did. So I just want to say thank you!

@Randaakarim 3 жыл бұрын

the karate hands cracked me up! thank you so much for this, I actually wrote down your tips to keep them as a reminder

@hollylong2511 3 жыл бұрын

This was full of great tips! Thanks!

@kerryheller1754 3 жыл бұрын

Just watched one of your videos. Thanks. Looking forward to following you.

@grinderinthelid Жыл бұрын

Thanks for this video! I’ve been longing for bigger faster brush strokes. After watching this I tried some paintings without my contacts in … and I am BLIND! 🤣 I was amazed what it did for the color and the brush strokes. Looking forward to watching more of your videos!

@RealityRisingArt Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for this video, it was very helpful. I would also like to thank you for saying that this comes down to personal taste instead of saying "realism isn't art" like so many others. I draw with coloured pencils and I've always been obsessed with realism and hyper realism because I genuinely love it. I've recently tried oil painting and I love them! I'm trying to try out different styles of oil painting 😊

@evelynbrogli830 2 жыл бұрын

I like the new format.

@lylebranch6660 3 жыл бұрын

Love love love this video. I'm a recently retired pharmacist & have painted off & on for decades. I've always appreciated & started many of my paintings with the intent of using as you say "loose painting". Thinking because decades of a profession where I had to focus on details it became a part of my paintings to always end up with great tight detail. This program gave me fresh techniques that I believe will help me overcome this tight detailed style. Thanks.

@PaulMartin-fu5qg 7 ай бұрын

Brilliant tips well done!

@jessica5497 Жыл бұрын

Yeah, I love to see the brush strokes

@JeffreyWilliamStewart 3 жыл бұрын

Another helpful vid from the man!!

@stevecarbone9759 3 жыл бұрын

You explain the process very well . Thankyou

@iCharlesT 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! Your tips are very helpful!

@purelovepaintings5075 3 жыл бұрын

you seriously should have a million viewers

@ronm9428 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for all the great tips on painting loose. I've been painting almost a year and this is a big hurdle...I have the tendency to lean close to the canvas instead of getting arm's length away.

@antiquitesiletaitunboismeu9284 2 жыл бұрын

You are crazy! I like all your explanations. It is clear, sometimes funny and very enlightening...

@kidneycarecoaching3766 3 жыл бұрын

This is so helpful and actually common sense when you think about it

@lisa-gayle9939 3 жыл бұрын

This is, honestly, the most helpful video I’ve ever seen (for me) since painting loosely is probably my hardest thing to achieve! I’ll start out loose and gradually start tightening up. It’s frustrating! Thanks for this great information! Gonna go paint now...hopefully loosely! 🥴

@paintcoach 3 жыл бұрын

I'm so glad you got something out of the video!

@tubeyou126226 3 жыл бұрын

I have the same problem! My natural tendency and comfort zone is to try and paint what I see as accurately as possible, that being the challenge. BUT it can be painstaking, at times, and not at all as creative and free as trying to loosely capture the true "essence" of the subject being portrayed. I'm still working on getting "loose."

@lindischoltz1146 3 жыл бұрын

Fantastic advise!!!

@PaintingtheLight 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much!! You are a great teacher!

@weekendatbernies2265 3 жыл бұрын

Really picking up Amazing tips and going to get busy! Thanks for inspiring me! Also Love the Lucy drawing tool commercials 😂

@charmcrumrine8750 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you this helped a lot!

@powermom74 3 жыл бұрын

This is such great advice. Thanks

@ruthmoore2246 2 жыл бұрын

I. Really like what are you doing. Great job. I like your style talk and show how do you really paint. I love it..

@ghost21501 Жыл бұрын

I'm working on a very detailed painting of lake Como from a photo I took when I was on vacation there. I will try my best to loosen things up and keep yor advice in mind.

@susiesunshine1969 3 жыл бұрын

Awesome talk. I'm still learning the value and drawing basics but I really get what you're saying about an economy of strokes. I tend to try to "fix" my painting with more details. Keep the talks coming!

@paintcoach 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks! Will do!

@Alucard33592 3 жыл бұрын

I have that problem when I use pencils makes my drawings look flat with painting I get around it by using a thicker brush then I can really use for detail lol

@jamestierney7123 3 жыл бұрын

Great stuff love the block in. New format is super seeing you painting. ? No sign up for your newsletter, I want to know when you year end program comes out 👍🏻

@goosecouple 3 жыл бұрын

Good points. This is video I need.

@markahearn1 3 жыл бұрын

I have heard all of this advice before but it is nice to hear it again once in a while till it becomes second nature.

@jaym3064 3 жыл бұрын

Solid fundamental advice!

@yolandalobban3015 3 жыл бұрын

Very informative! Thanks you!

@aprilkurtz1589 2 жыл бұрын

Discovered this channel and really enjoy it! I love to watch skilled oil painters paint, because I am not one of those. My personal favorite is watercolor, which I have been doing a long time. I took an oil painting class once. I had to gesso and sand the canvas three times. Then I did a drawing of the still life I was presented, which took hours. Then I had to paint over my drawing with this brown stuff that totally obliterated the drawing I spent a long time on, so I had to guess where everything was, and it looked like a splotchy, badly drawn, unblended mess. I was really discouraged.

@hmmmph3578 3 жыл бұрын

By the way... You and just two other channels on youtube I consider to be the BEST channels to watch to learn to paint.

@senseofwonder0 3 жыл бұрын

What are the other two? :>

@julienielsen3746 2 жыл бұрын

I've been painting with acrylics since 1969. Finally I'm getting my paintings to look the way I want. I've wanted to paint loose but not messy. Now I've started to block in the colors loosely and not flat like I've always done. That has helped me get more texture and looser look. Plus letting some undercoat color show through a little around the edges. Then I start adding details, but not too tight. I'm working on 8X10 boards right now. Doing still life paintings with birds added. Very happy with how they're turning out. I'm working from photos, but not adding every little detail.

@hydrusc 3 жыл бұрын

thank you this is super helpful!

@yonigreenberg2183 10 күн бұрын

Most of the stuff you're teaching applies beyond oil painting. I use acrylic paint. I've learned a lot from you. Thanks.

@paintcoach 10 күн бұрын

Love to hear this! I have been experimenting with acrylics lately to help teach and bridge the gap with oils.

@demej00 2 жыл бұрын

Big shapes. Values. I just did a study and it looked awful. Then found your video, went back and painted better values over the large shapes and wow, it helped a lot. Still a stinker, but much much better. Thanks.

@atroutflycrazy8057 3 ай бұрын

Thanks Chris , it's not easy finding a balance between loose individual expressive marks and tight smooth highly detailed paintings. I think both have advantages and disadvantages. But a great piece of art is great regardless. John sargent painted loose on paintings and vermeer paintings were extremely tight but personally i think sargent found a right balance between the two for my taste. I think a painting that gives you all the story in full detail aren't always the most interesting.

@regandanielle 3 жыл бұрын

I appreciate your videos so much. You are so to the point, it’s great. Do you have any tips for painting small faces loosely?

@kimbreawhaleywhaley6767 2 жыл бұрын

I love it Love the painting im getting lots of tips

@Twenty9point97 2 жыл бұрын

I've been painting for a little while and I always get bogged down in the details EVERY TIME. Appreciate the tips on keeping things loose 🤙

@ddk2797 3 жыл бұрын

I have always felt just the opposite, it was the photo quality of paintings that I found interesting. The more realistic and detail, the better. I paint about as tight as you can, always have. But it is not fun. To have fun at painting you just have to loosen up a bit. We should enjoy painting, it should not be pain ting! Your great advice will help me I'm sure. Thanks.

@buddybrown1713 2 жыл бұрын

Great lesson

@briantownsley2718 2 жыл бұрын

this is exactly my problem... . putting in too much detail right off and not filling in the whole painting first. good video. and I have cut down the size of my canvas from 16x20 to 11x14.

@2broger 2 жыл бұрын

Outstanding.

@mikeg3660 2 жыл бұрын

Really helpful… thanks.

@lankabhumi1114 2 жыл бұрын

Good coach!

@Chronomatrix 2 жыл бұрын

I struggle a lot with this and somehow always end up trying to place things as accurately as possible, to the smallest shadow. It's crazy how it's way more difficult to paint loosely than "realistically".

@patriciastraube4981 Жыл бұрын

I don’t agree with you. Painting realistically is such a talent and gift; not to say loose painting isn’t. When it’s so realistic that you can’t tell the difference between a painting and photo, imagine the skill involved. There were many master painters who painted in realism style. I wouldn’t say the style is better, I think it is just a preference. Personally I prefer Realism but I also love the loose painting style.

@MindaugasKuzminskas966 3 жыл бұрын

really helpful tips thank you

@BJBreukelman 3 жыл бұрын

I'll be honest here, Chris. I prefer tighter paintings. My own goal as an artist is to eventually achieve a level of realism... where even up close, observers go "wow that looks like a dang photo! " But that said, I'm still working on some of you're coaching at least in the block in. If I can be accurate with drawing and values in block in, then that informs and supports subsequent layers... it takes some of the brain work out of things later in the painting. But here's something I do struggle with... when you're photo reference doesn't match the aspect ratio of your canvas. So it means you have to fill in things that may be cropped out of the photo... In that, maintaining values, continuity of texture and light source without redundancies. Any tips there? Thank you for the videos as always!

@kylebalmer3396 3 жыл бұрын

What a pointless waste of time, just use a camera if that's what you want

@BJBreukelman 3 жыл бұрын

@@kylebalmer3396 can't take a photo of something... or somewhere I am creating myself . What a judgmental and short sided comment.

@kylebalmer3396 3 жыл бұрын

@@BJBreukelman you're not creating anything at all if you're just copying

@BJBreukelman 3 жыл бұрын

@@kylebalmer3396 well, good morning, sir. My composition is usually my own. Admittedly, a few are direct from photo. But I always use photo reference to capture textured, lighting, and environment as best I can. And capturing a photo realistic look still takes all the skill and practice of an impressionistic artist. (Which, btw, I'm not even close yet. I need a lot more practice. ) No matter what, at the end of the day... even copying can teach. The artist can still enjoy the process. An observer can still enjoy the finished work. The artist can still say that the finished painting wasn't made by a machine (camera). They did it with their own hand. Sure, the idea in the painting is copied, but not the work itself. There's art out there that I don't understand either. There's this thing out there now where the whole painting is literally a single solid color. And it sells!!! But I'm not going to judge the artist, call what they enjoy a waste of their time. You don't like my kind of art. Fine, sir. No judgment whatsoever. But that's all you had to say if you felt you had to say something. Artist get a bad rap already. Within the artist community, can we at least treat each other with a bit more dignity? With current events in our country, do we not have enough negativity already.

@BJBreukelman 3 жыл бұрын

@@kylebalmer3396 I've just watched a few of your videos. And honestly, I'm surprised your comment came from you. Your clearly a talented artist. You can verbalize and teach your techniques, and you seem like a pretty cool person... so why the lash out at me??? One of your videos is specifically about capturing realistic skin. This is all I was tasking about in my original comment... realistic even up close vs the looser impressionistic look. Communicating form, texture, light source(es) shadows. Can we get off on a better foot here ?

@JGORE188 3 жыл бұрын

awesome mate

@edwardpittar648 3 жыл бұрын

Chris, really like your new format of videos.

@paintcoach 3 жыл бұрын

Glad you like them!

@creativesolutions902 3 жыл бұрын

I love using water brushes with ink in them because they create such a loose watercolor a style or the board line. But every time I take a picture of it with my iPhone, it just looks like crap! LOL it over corrects, and puts it in HD, and takes away all the flow and flattens it out. LoveThis video

@EdgarKohl Жыл бұрын

In a fast paced environment it it's very tempting to fall into the entrapment or working loosely all the way, in my case I'd prefer to combine tight methods on up close subjects but leave the loose parts for background work.

@zenoist2101 2 жыл бұрын

I like abstract painting and do it because I like it. Theres no right way to do it and its always good fun and experimental and see what happens. I do draw portraits to keep my hand in at realistic though .

@artsbyimee 3 жыл бұрын

You are a gifted artist ‼️ I like your work ‼️ you have a new fan here ‼️👍😄🎨🌺

@paintcoach 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much 😀

@anastasiahertrich4745 3 жыл бұрын

Great video for painters overly concerned with detail!

@abigaillimdelacruz7039 3 жыл бұрын

Recent new subscriber here, love your lessons! It really makes me want to go back to oil painting. Also I just want to ask if you have any recommended sites to get good photo references to paint?