Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Trusting your emotional responses


About a week ago Michael Newberry asked me to do some simple tissue studies in pastel for my oil painting and he told me to keep going until I felt delighted with one. He said trust your emotional responses and just the thought made think I wasn't going to be able to. I remembered his advice about bouncing light directed to a colored piece of paper that would reflect on my tissue. I did just that with some orange paper but also had the purple and blue shawls from my peach set up behind the tissue. The colors were magical on the tissue, I had never seen so many different colors on a piece of white paper and that was enough to get me going and finally finish a study I was very satisfied with.

17 comments:

Stacy said...

Mary, you should be delighted with this. It is lovely! And I know what you mean about not being sure you'll be able to do what Michael requests. He sure makes me stretch, but that's good!

Mary said...

Thank you Stacy! I agree a lot of Michael's requests are challenging but he always gives us the information needed to try and make it successful. It is an incredible learning experience.

Robyn Sinclair said...

What a challenge! And beautifully realised, Mary. I love following your studies with Michael.

Billie Crain said...

Mary, you're certainly getting the hang of this. this latest piece is amazing!

Mary said...

Robyn thank you for your comment. I am now on my way to start with color so I hope to be posting the steps.

Billie, thank you! I have enjoyed doing tissue studies in pastel very much!

Anonymous said...

Just catching up with your last 7 posts Mary ... what lovely, lovely work (and gorgeous littel grand-daughter!). You are working so hard and its really paying off big time! xxx

Mary said...

Lesley thank you, it is great to hear from you!

Anita said...

The tissue paper is lovely! Don't you find that all these studies take an enormous amount of concentration and focus?

Mary said...

Thank you Anita, yes they do take a lot of concentration but they help enormously when you get down to the painting.

Unknown said...

Beautiful work, Mary!

Mary said...

Thank you for your visit, Jessica!

C. Robin Janning said...

Mary,

This is exquisite.

Robin

Mary said...

Thank you Robin, for your comment!

Pilan said...

Beautifully done. It has style and movement.

P

Anita said...

I'm just back Mary to tell you - You've been tagged! See my blog!

vivien said...

this is gorgeous! the tissue paper is lovely, beautifully lit and the fragility is clear :)

Sue Johnson said...

Hello Mary, Its lovely catching up with your world, seeing the pictures of your granddaughter and the absolutely lovely pastel. Michael does challenge us in the very best of ways. Keep up the wonderful work.