And what do they all have in common? They are all done with
acrylic painting techniques.
Peter Drake's Mother
W/Out is an unusual but fairly uncomplicated composition that makes the
viewer question if the figure is real or a figment. The way the artist has
diluted the paint near the back of the head and along the edges of the dress
give the figure almost transparent edges. The paint loses body and becomes
lighter in some areas, and maintains its density toward the core of the
figure's body.
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Mother W/Out by Peter Drake, 2004, acrylic painting
on canvas, 30 x 29. |
|
A Bigger Splash is
an iconic image from David Hockney, and one that shows the typical
characteristics of acrylic paint with its flat slabs of lively color. Enough
said!
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A Bigger Splash by David Hockney,
1967, acrylic painting. |
|
Take any work of Jose Manuel Ballester and you will feel so
much in spite of yourself. The works are starkly monochromatic and almost plain
in their lack of any kind of ornamentation, but there is so much energy there. In
Untitled, notice how deft the artist
is when it comes to painting with acrylics, as the surface of the painting is
both built up and almost wash-like in different passages.
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| Untitled by Jose Manuel Ballester, acrylic painting on glued paper on board, 1995. |
In Naomi Campbell's Those
Little Understood, the artist started painting with acrylics and added water-soluble
oils that allowed her to layer quick brushstrokes over her ground without
disturbing its surface. Although more of a sketch than anything else, the
painting has a good grasp on muted colors without being dull or boring.
 |
Those Little Understood by Naomi Campbell, 2011,
acrylic painting with water-soluble oils. |
What intrigued me about all of these paintings is that while
they may have all been created with one type of paint, that is where the unity
ends. There is such a diversity in these artists' methods that the only way to
really understand them is to steep myself in all kinds of painting
techniques--not just one kind. And that is where the special issue publication, The Complete Painter's Handbook, comes in.
From watermedia to pastels to oil paints and more, the technical painting know-how is there and if you are seeking insights into
painting essentials, this is a "must" for you. Enjoy!
