D. Cheifetz Newsletter | 3.27.18 | Hammerhead & Vanguard
Sent: 3/27/2018 9:57:30 AM

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Dear Subscribers,

Greetings!

First up, a new miniature painting. These smaller ones tend to go quickly, which is a nice shift from the larger pieces. Here's the setup. In reality, not too exciting. But I'm already imagining how I want to exaggerate the refracted red light within the glass and bring out the textures and colors of the hammer:

First stage. I block in the shapes of darks with umber paint:

Next stage. Into color. For this painting I'm using Winsor & Newton Griffin (their fast-drying alkyd line):

Next stage:

The easel is an Edge Pro Gear Paintbook. Great portable easel:

Refining. I pump up the refracted red light. I start adding blue/green notes to help set off the red:

And the finished mini painting, "Hammerhead" (6x6, $1100):

Next. I just finished the following still life. It was painted completely from imagination, which is an interesting challenge. It really makes me think about what I do or don't know--or think I know--about light and shapes and materials. I'm going to start doing this more often. It will remind me to more keenly observe (and remember these observations) when I'm painting from a real setup.

First stage. Block in with umber. My primary goal is to create focus on an interesting dark vessel against light background. I establish a consistent light source angle with my shadows and highlights.

Next stage. I start painting directly with the knife, covering ground quickly to get a feel for the primary relationship of dark against light:

Next stage. I'm creating different grays with a balance of ultramarine blue, raw umber, ivory black, titanium white:

Next stage. I am most concerned with color in the focal vessel, and so for the time being I am ignoring the potential colors in the supporting elements:

Next stage. Now that the panel is totally covered with paint, I'm starting to get a feel for the composition:

Next stage. I've pushed the cool colors in the vessel, so I begin to place restrained complimentary warm colors as a common thread in the fruit:

Next stage:

Next stage. The freedom of painting from imagination. I want a heavy, solid, and interesting base for the objects. I begin to explore this, adding some interest and balance to the painting:

Next stage. Refining and adding details:

And the finished small painting, "Vanguard" (8x10, $1600):

For access to the full high-res image, go here.

Details:

JUST SOLD:

Hammerhead

Thank you for reading! See you in a month-ish. -David

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