In the December 2007 issue of American Artist, Joseph Gyurcsak used the work of Giorgio Morandi and Paul Cézanne to help illustrate lessons on developing paintings. Here, we present a step by step demonstration of his painting Subtle Grays.
| The Setup |
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| Gyurcsak began this demonstration by setting up his easel, palette, and still life arrangement under the same light so that his color mixing would be more accurate. Notice how his easel is positioned approximately three feet from the subject, a perfect distance for the sight-size method. |
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Step 1
The artist next did a preliminary drawing—using a combination of Venetian red and ultramarine blue—to work out his proportional and compositional concerns before beginning to add color. |
Step 2
Focusing on the largest sections of color in each object, Gyurcsak next mixed appropriate color mixtures using a limited palette. The artist explains that using a limited palette helps him maintain color harmony and unity throughout the painting. |
Step 3
Gyurcsak continued to work the entire painting by intensifying color in the background and foreground, always evaluating and comparing color by its value, temperature, and intensity. |
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Step 4
Once he had established an overall feel of the colors throughout the painting, Gyurcsak worked on his lighter tones, avoiding the use of white until the end. |
Step 5
As he massed in his light, middle, and dark values, the forms of the objects began to turn and take shape. |
Step 6
Bringing the painting to completion, Gyurcsak worked on his edges, added highlights, and finished details, making sure he did not add unnecessary color or brushstrokes that might ruin the fluidity of the painting. |