Glass palette with grayscale

I haven’t really been in the mood to paint this week, so I figured a few upgrades to the work station just might be the thing to get me going next week. I’ve been wanting a glass palette with a grayscale built in for some time now so I decided to make one. I got some scrap wood that I had left over from another project {3/4 plywood 12" x15"and some 1" strips of oak for the sides} , a 11"x14" glass from an old picture in the attic, a sheet of gray palette paper and a grayscale to go under the glass. ( I cut the grayscale from the back of a gray paper palette I ordered on line). Well there you have it a simple and inexpensive glass palette made from left over materials. I promise it won’t be this clean next week.

Art Quote of the Day

There may be a great fire in our hearts, yet no one ever comes to warm himself at it, and the passers-by see only a wisp of smoke.

Vincent Van Gogh

Van Gogh by Pierre Cabanne

I would love to paint like Van Gogh, all that thick paint with loose brush strokes. The man was brilliant. The funny thing is I didn’t really know much about him. Well accept that he cut his ear off for some strange reason..... and then there’s that old Don Mclean tune Starry Starry Night. Other then that I couldn’t tell you much about the guy, So I got a few books and started reading about the man his life and his passion for art. I just finished the first book by Pierre Cabanne and I’m now looking forward to going back to the Met. to observe his work with some insight into his thoughts and struggles.

a keener eye for observation

I’m still working on this guy on his horse, adding more detail while correcting some drawing errors as I go along. I’ve noticed that the more I analyze the reference picture the more I ‘m amazed at Frank Frazetta’s imagination and attention to detail. There is much more detail in his work then I initially noticed when I started this painting. If I come out of this painting learning anything it will be a keener eye for observation.

Personal still life’s.

Ray Horner suggested painting his shirt, as he hung it up ever so artistically on the corner of a green louvered door in class. Personal items make for good subject matter and it’s an intimate way for an artist to put a part of his life and soul onto the canvas. So as I took on the challenge of painting all those fabric folds of Rays shirt, I started thinking about the many personal items of my own that I’ve been meaning to paint but just haven’t gotten around to. Hopefully I can keep up the momentum and continue on with some more personal still life’s.