Highlights Magazine

Portait & Figure Painting Highlights

Brian Riley — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 11:00:00 GMT

On the Cover:
Anna (detail, reversed)
by Wende Caporale, 2002, pastel, 24 x 18.
Collection the Abernethy family.

FEATURES

Painting Figures With Purpose
by Arthur Egeli
After completing a rigorous program of art education, I was adept at capturing a person’s likeness but still struggling to express an idea.

Sweden’s Sargent
by Bob Bahr
We went in search of Anders Zorn (1860–1920) in his homeland and discovered a personality large enough to encompass numerous contradictions—and a natural ability to paint in both oil and watercolor.

The Similarities Between Painting Portraits in Oil and Pastel
by M. Stephen doherty
One of the top artists specializing in children’s portraits offers workshops for both oil and pastel painters. Although some of Wende Caporale’s specific instructions relate to one medium or the other, her general discussions about the importance of drawing, value and temperature judgments, and dark-to-light progressions are relevant to both.

Portrait Sketches That Guide Artists and Their Clients
by M. Stephen Doherty
Brian Neher paints two small oil sketches of his portraits subjects to help set a direction for the finished portrait that satisfies him and his clients.

Drybrush, Drawing, and Watercolor
by Lynne Bahr
Although best known for his pastels, Mario Robinson is exploring watercolor, combining washes with drybrushed lines to expand his artistic repertoire and paint important people from his life.

Alla Prima Figure Painting
by M. Stephen Doherty
Justin Wiest developed an approach to oil painting by synthesizing what he learned from some of the most outstanding realist artists today.

Capturing Emotion by Concentrating on the Movement of Light
by Allison Malafronte
Ron Hicks is known for his moody figurative and interior work that evokes emotion and conveys atmosphere. He achieves his style by breaking the subject down into shapes and capturing the gradations of light in each.

Seeing Forms, Not Formulas
by M. Stephen Doherty
During a workshop in New York, Max Ginsburg showed students how to respond to the specific lighting effects they observed rather than use premixed colors and repetitive procedures.

Averaging Values & Colors From the Start
by M. Stephen Doherty
During a workshop in Arizona, Utah artist Michael Malm simplified the painting process so that students would be better able to judge relative values, color temperatures, and edges. The participants marveled at how the resulting posterlike image could become the basis of an accurate, characteristic portrait of the model.

Still Life Painting Higlights

Brian Riley — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 11:00:00 GMT

On the Cover:
Persian Bittersweet (detail)
by Claudia Seymour, 2003, oil on linen,
20 x 16. Collection the artist.

Artists Featured:
Assael, Steven
Bergt, Michael
Bermingham, Debra
Deichler, Deborah
Evans, Rob
Fraser, Scott
Frisella, Robin
Gordon, Patrick
Grasso, Carlos
Gyurcsak, Joe
Hess, F. Scott
Jackson, Phillip R
Jackson, Robert C.
Lattimore, Andrew
Legg, Jeffrey
Lyon, Susan
Monafo, Janet
Moran, Heidi
Royston, Scott
Seymour, Claudia
Sienna, Pamela
Sprick, Daniel
Steinworth, Skip
Switzer, Nancy
Uffelman, Jeff
Washor, Joyce
Wilson, Will

FEATURES

15 Artists, 5 Objects, 30 Paintings That Demonstrate Ways to Establish Your Own Style
by M. Stephen Doherty

Painting Classical Floral Still Lifes With Skill and Understanding
by Scott Royston

Creating Movement in a Still Life
by Linda S. Price

Best Professional Practices for Dynamic Still Lifes
by Bob Bahr

Summarizing What You See and What Matters Most to Your Painting
by M. Stephen Doherty

How to Enjoy the Process Now and The Product Later
by M. Stephen Doherty

Still Lifes on a Small Scale
by Tina Tammaro

Choice Morsels
by John A. Parks

Using Materials, Techniques, Inspiration, and Intuition to Paint Well
by M. Stephen Doherty

Arranging Unexpected Combinations of Objects
by James A. Metcalfe

Painting Large-Scale Floral Arrangements From Photographs
by M. Stephen Doherty

Still Lifes That Connect Memories
by M. Stephen Doherty

Painting Still Lifes Alla Prima
by M. Stephen Doherty

Painting Instruction Highlights from Master Teachers, Fall 2009

Brian Riley — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:00:00 GMT

On the Cover:
Jeffrey R. Watts instructing a student
during a workshop held in
Nicolai Fechin’s studio.

Featured Teachers:
Meredith Brooks Abbott
Thomas S. Buechner
Nancy Bush
Ismael Checo
Thomas Gardner
Al Gury
Johnnie Liliedahl
Joseph McGurl
Martin Poole
Jeffrey Reed
Scott Royston
William A. Schneider
Jeffrey R. Watts
Mary Whyte

FEATURES

Painting the Mouth
by William A. Schneider

Jeffrey Reed: Introducing the Basics of Painting

by M. Stephen Doherty

Al Gury: Teaching Fundamentals in a Historic Studio
by M. Stephen Doherty

How to Create Your Best Paintings Ever
by Mary Whyte

3 Views of the Same Scene
by Bob Bahr

Johnnie Liliedahl: Using the Old Master Grisaille Method to Manage Values and Opacity
by M. Stephen Doherty

Ismael Checo: Color, Richness, and Light
by John A. Parks

Seeing Nature With Fresh Eyes
by Molly Siple

Painting Classical Floral Still Lifes With Skill and Understanding
by Scott Royston

Using Subtle Tones to Express Deep Emotions
by M. Stephen Doherty

Joseph McGurl: Developing a Critical Advantage
by M. Stephen Doherty

Jeffrey R. Watts: Learning the Structure & Discipline of Painting “Controlled Chaos”
by M. Stephen Doherty

Highlights: Painting Instruction From Master Teachers

Brian Riley — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 12:30:00 GMT

On the Cover:
John Phillip Osborne painting at the
Ridgewood Art Institute in Ridgewood,
New Jersey. Photo: Murray Smith.

Featured Teachers:
Joni Falk
William Hook
Ted Seth Jacobs
John Morra
John Phillip Osborne
Nelson Shanks
Matt Smith
James Sulkowski
Carol Swinney
Sam Vokey
Dawn Whitelaw

FEATURES

Six Ways to Get Dynamic Action in Floral Painting, With James Sulkowski
by James Sulkowski

Improve Rapidly by Making Many Starts, With Nelson Shanks
by M. Stephen Doherty

Getting Accurate Light in Your Landscapes, With Matt Smith   by M. Stephen Doherty

Paint Vibrant Portraits With a Three-Color Oil Palette, With Dawn Whitelaw
by M. Stephen Doherty

Get Pure Colors From a Palette Knife, With Carol Swinney
by Linda Morton

Mastering Edges, Light, and Color Harmony in Still Lifes, With Joni Falk
by M. Stephen Doherty

Make Acrylic Landscapes Come Alive From Photographs, With William Hook
by Bob Bahr

First, Master the Figure, With Ted Seth Jacobs
by A’Dora Phillips

Harnessing Tradition and Design, With Sam Vokey
by Linda S. Price

Today’s Still Life, With John Morra
by John A. Parks

Make Accurate Color Choices Using a Prismatic Palette, With John Phillip Osborne
by Mark G. Mitchell