YIPPEE

Just received confirmation that "Lemons Basking" was accepted for exhibition in the Annual International Open Exhibition for the Northwest Watercolor Society's upcoming exhibit, April 29 through July 11, 2019 at the Shoreline City Hall lobby, Shoreline WA.  I am truly excited by this and will definitely be in attendance at the opening on April 29, assuming around 630 to 7 pm start.

Keep painting. Ron K

Seeking the Light

It is amazing that after years of painting and teaching that i am still pursuing the elusive "light". Understanding a principle is not the same as being able to execute it. In Lemons Basking i am closer and feel like a made progress. i have "the big apple" in process and am again working on the light pattern so let us hope...also, i am trying to balance the desire to have interesting and complex brush strokes with an uncomplicated technique. Confusing? yes. I want energy in the brush strokes but a few of my studies were way over-worked. so now going back to the shadow shapes as starting point and balancing simplicity with some complexity. hope to have something to show by weeks end.
Keep painting. Ron K

For those interested painters, here are a few key principles that i used in approaching "Lemons basking"; i hope it helps beginning painters:

1. i wanted to focus on the light and the light reflected on the fruit (onions and lemons) as that reflectivity is the heart and drama of the composition;
2. i used a simple yellow/purple color compliment (opposite on the color wheel);
3. i wanted a lot of brush stroke characteristic in every object of the painting, using a lot of color integration and mixing on the paper not in the palette.

Essentially that was the approach plus using some late glazing techniques to unite areas of the painting.
Hope this helps. Ron K

well i actually stopped procrastinating and engaged a painting. i initially thought this would be a large study. as it progressed (and i left it for a day), i came back to it on sunday last and made an effort to pull it out. the deadline for the nwws exhibition turned out to be 6pm that sunday and at 230 pm i decided i would give it a shot and submit after playing with painting for a couple of hours. i photographed it still wet and pulled what hair remains as i tried to download the file and find it. first camera was not cooperating and finally image was found in a file folder. i submitted it at 330 pm successfully.

i do think it is a bit overworked, thus my hesitancy in submitting it but as i studied it even more, the various glazing layers of burnt madder, purple and yellow began to give it some harmony and punch. you be the judge. lesson learned: dont give up, learn by the painting and complete the work whether or not it is "successful" as their is a learning merit in every effort.

here is "Lemons basking"

keep painting and have fun--and comments are always welcome, ron k

Here is the Cioppino image from the exhibit: tried to keep it loose and illusionary.

Hi to all interested painters, it has been awhile.

I have just submitted a new book to publisher (Taylor Francis NY/Routledge UK) entitled "Urban Design: the composition of complexity", actually an 80% revision of the same book from 2011. mostly new material and expansion of "Theoretical Considerations (or not)" chapter.

so, ...............................am picking up the paint brush again and starting to explore ideas, subjects and new approaches. I look back on my older work and a lot of it is safe, not vibrant so i hope to change that. i also have been reproducing works on metal and it is a very popular format.

i did have a painting, "Cioppino Cluster" accepted in the last Northwest Watercolor Society Exhibition last fall. Somebody appreciates my efforts.

for this next series of paintings, i am focusing on less realism and more illustion and strong composition and contrasts or value differences. i will keep you informed and publish some images and thoughts as soon as i can.

Happy painting. Ron K