Starfish Egg Tempera Painting

This week I finished an egg tempera painting of a starfish. I used a photo taken by Tony in the Maldives as reference. The painting is 7 x 9.5 inches.


Probably due to my lack of expertise in photography and setting up the correct lighting I'm never able to reproduce the full vibrancy of the colors when I photograph the paintings. Try as I might I have failed with every single photo I've taken to show the paintings on the site. Below is a photo taken with a different camera; this one is a lot darker, but it shows some of the richness of the reds and greens that occur in the original painting.

Unfortunately I'm never able to combine the richness of the colors with the brightness of the painting - one is always sacrificed for the other. Here are the two photos side by side, if you can extrapolate between the two, then, combined, they convey the overall impression.












Do you have any suggestions on how to manage both aspects in one photograph?

'Snail At Night' Egg Tempera Painting

I've just finished another egg tempera painting! The painting is officially called 'Snail At Night', but I think of him as 'Mr. Snaily'.

It has been raining here every day for quite some days and looks like it'll continue to do so for at least another week. This is great news for me because less laundry is being hung out and more windows in the nearby apartments are being kept closed, with the result that there is a lower density of cleaning chemicals wafting into the apartment. I've also been spending several hours each day out in the fresh air and this is helping to make me more resilient during the time I am at home. This means I'm able to continue painting. For a better explanation of this rather strange paragraph see the last post: 'Breathing One Breath At A Time'.

One rather wet evening late last Fall we decided to go for a walk around the block - and Jazzy (Jasmine, our African Grey parrot) came with us in her travel cage. It was dusk. We came upon a snail out on the town; well, he was on top of a cement post and was heading somewhere. Luckily we had the camera with us and 'Mr. Snaily' turned out to be very photogenic. He inspired the following painting:

The painting is done in egg tempera and is 12 x 8 inches.

Sugar Cube Art

The weather has been warm enough for us to sit outside the market cafe again.

We noticed that the sugar cubes have changed. You can see the cute cartoon wrappers from last year in 'Sugar Cube Cartoon'.

I was delighted to find that the wrappers now show portions of the Bayeaux Tapestry. The Bayeaux Tapestry is a 20 inch by 230 ft long embroidered cloth depicting in pictures the events leading up to the Norman Invasion of England in 1066. It also includes comments in latin around the illustrations. (As usual, click on photos to see larger image).The tapestry is embroidered in wool yarn on a woven linen cloth. It's a fascinating work of art, and illustration of history.
Of course, Jazzy was at the market too, looking a little cowboyish (a new slant on Dr. Seuss's 'Cat in the Hat'). She was still wondering why she has a hat over her cage, but soon came to appreciate the shade and continued eating.




If you've seen any interesting sugar cube designs I'd love to hear about them, and if you'd like to send a photo, it'd be fun to post more fancy sugar cubes on DweezelJazz blog.

'River of Tulips' Egg Tempera Painting

Here's the latest painting: 'River of Tulips', 16 x 10" egg tempera.


The flowerbeds in Spring in Geneva, Switzerland are amazing. This painting shows a cascade of tulips one Spring at the Parc des Eaux-Vives. There were many more tulips than these, and in many brilliant colors.

There are all sorts of arrangements and flowers. Stay tuned for a display of some of these in a future post on DweezelJazz blog.

Fisherman's Bastion Egg Tempera Painting

There are many grand and beautiful buildings in Budapest, Hungary. We visited for a short time so I didn't see them all, but I was very taken by the Fisherman's Bastion. Here is an 18 x 14 inch egg tempera painting of it that I completed a couple of days ago.
I love its rounded contours, simple elegance and the warmth of its light-colored stone. It was built around 1900 and was named after the location on which it is situated: the medieval ramparts of the city walls above the Fisherman's Town. During the Middle Ages, this was the section of the city that the fishermen defended.

You can see photos of Heroe's Square, Budapest in a previous post "Heroes' Square At Night, Budapest, Hungary". And soon there will be another post showing some more of the Fisherman's Bastion and views of the city.

I dropped my laptop mid-December. I had headphones on, and my feet got caught in the lead. Next thing I knew, the computer had landed, screen corner first, on the floor with a resounding crash. Fortunately, it was completely insured for accidents. Unfortunately, it's still with the repair shop. I hope to have it back soon, and then I'll get back to posting regularly and visiting all my blog friends frequently as I used to. I look forward to it. Cheers!
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Maldives Palm Tree Egg Tempera Painting

Here is an egg tempera painting of a palm tree in the Maldives. I finished it about an hour ago. It's 18 x 13 inches.


The photo I used as a reference was taken by Tony. I love the oranges and yellows and the contrast they make with the deep reds and greens. I think this painting is my favorite so far.
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Egg Tempera Painting of Mirihi

The sun is shining for the first time in quite a while! I've been waiting to have enough light to photograph the egg tempera painting of Mirihi that I finished just over a week ago. Here it is, the painting is 20 x 15 inches:


Mirihi is an island in the Maldives, Asia. I have never been, but my husband loves it there. I used one of his beautiful photographs as a reference for this painting. Something about this scene caught my attention. What a lovely place to eat, in the fresh air, sharing a fantastic view with good company.

Egg Tempera Painting Of Sweet Williams

This is the egg tempera painting of Sweet Williams that I completed last week. It's approximately 12 x 5 inches.


Egg tempera paint dries almost as soon as it's applied, so many short paintbrush strokes are needed to make up the picture. In addition, if it is left too thick, egg cracks when it dries, which means that the paint must be applied in thin layers to avoid cracking of the painting.

Egg is transparent, allowing light to enter the different layers of paint and be reflected back again, giving the painting greater depth and sparkle. Almost like a jewel, the picture becomes more brilliant as more layers are added, giving it more facets for light to play on. This does mean that painting with egg tempera is a time-consuming process, making larger ones that much more challenging - but it's well worth it.I'm working on a beach scene now, which is 20 x 15 inches.

Egg Tempera Painting of L'Aiguille du Midi, Chamonix Mountains

Here's the painting I finished early this week. It's a 24" x 7" egg tempera painting of l'Aiguille du Midi in the Chamonix mountains, France.


The Aiguille du Midi is the sharp pinnacle at the top of the glacier. Here you can see a close-up photo of it. A few years ago we took the cable car up to the peak in the summertime, and even though it was hot down in the valley, it was freezing up there!






The reference photo for the painting was taken a couple of years ago from the mountain range across the valley.





We were sitting out at the restaurant at Le Brevent having a fantastic chocolate cake.









Behind the l'Aiguille du Midi is Mt. Blanc, and as a result of our memorable cake we now happily, and shamelessly, refer to it as Mt. Gateau.

Lighted Windows Egg Tempera Painting

Here is my latest egg tempera painting, which I completed last week. It's 17" x 9". Norton Down Methodist Church is a small building approximately 10 miles south of Bath, in England, and is just round the corner from a pub called "The White Post". We were driving by, after going to The White Post, and I took a quick shot from the car as we passed. The warm light from the window caught my eye, making this a very appealing subject.

Butterfly Egg Tempera Painting

Here's the finished Butterfly 10"x7" painting.


It's based on a photograph I took on a walk in the Jura foothills in the Spring. It was a beautiful day, with bright blue sky and the fields were full of brilliantly red poppies. This butterfly was out enjoying the day too, and this is where we met.

Over a period of a few weeks after completion, the egg tempera paintings continue to become brighter and more distinct in color. This is because the egg yolk, which is used as a base for the pigment, initially tints the colors in the painting. The yellow of the egg yolk disappears completely when exposed to daylight. See previous post, Egg Tempera Painting, for more about this type of painting.



It turned out that the last two photos of the Geneva Lighthouse painting were taken in different lighting and so the photos aren't really possible to compare. But here it is after it has had time for the egg yolk color to vanish.

Lighthouse Painting

The egg tempera painting of the lighthouse in Geneva is done. Here it is.


I'm now working on a painting of a butterfly, which I hope to finish today. This is the photo I'm working from.

It was a beautiful day back in spring and we went for a walk out in the fields. Jasmine was there too. I'll post a photo of the finished painting soon.

Revisiting DweezelJazz Blog

This is the 70th post. A small landmark. It seems a fitting time for me to stop and take a look at DweezelJazz blog. I started writing for it back on May 14th.

I've written about all sorts of things. Many of the posts I wrote directly for my benefit as I was working through things that I wanted to learn how to do better, such as communication, how to get things done, setting goals....

It has been great and I've made some friends and am very grateful to be part of a community sharing ideas and thoughts on the Internet. I read a fair number of blogs now. Before I threw myself into the world of blogging I didn't know anything about it. I'm utterly blown away by the fabulous quality of blogs that are being written. I really enjoy them.

As you may have noticed, I have artwork on my web site: DweezelJazz Art. None of the artwork is priced because I haven't started selling it yet. I hope to start my art business within a year to a year and a half from now. In the meantime, I'll work to build up a portfolio and a set of paintings for sale.

Now that we've moved into our new apartment, the art priorities are calling loudly to me. Here is a new painting in progress in egg tempera that I started recently of a lighthouse in Geneva on the Lac Leman.

I've struggled with some anguish in the recent weeks, having to make a choice about the frequency of posting to the blog and dedicating more time to artwork. Time constraints are forcing me to opt for a reduced number of posts.

There are many serious things in life, but I prefer to concentrate on fun, cheerful topics with lots of bright colorful pictures. I'm a beginner in art and have no formal training. My photographs are those of a novice. But I love and enjoy how doing these things, and talking about them, makes me think and see so much more the beauty around me.

From now on, I plan to concentrate on lighthearted, creative topics in DweezelJazz blog. The one exception to this is that I may continue now and then to post information about chemical sensitivity. It's surprising how much more information is being published lately in mainstream newspapers and magazines on this topic. I have acute chemical sensitivities and it has a huge effect on my life. I hope that in sharing information about it, it may be helpful in some way to you.

I'd love to hear from you if you have any suggestions for the blog or increasing artistic creativity, or anything else. Thanks.

Cheers,
Nat Wildish

What Makes Something Art?

In whatever form we take to express ourselves, if we include in it something unique about the way we see the world, it's an art. There are all types of art and countless mediums of expression for it.

Two things are vital to creating something that will be especially appreciated and valued:

1. some knowledge and mastery of the medium in which the expression is being made
2. instilling within that medium something unique to the way we interpret or see the world

A painter may distinguish himself or herself by perfect execution of painting technique and if it's exceptional it may win significant popularity based on that alone. But, if it contains something of its creator, it's more likely that a work of art will achieve greater meaning even if the technique used is mediocre. To be truly successful, a painting or drawing must be infused with a style particular to the individual.

This is also true, and perhaps even more obvious, for a writer. If a person writes very well, this will most definitely help to convey meaning in a more effective manner, but the meat of the art is in the message and how its delivery enhances that message. For that to be of interest to others it needs to contain some element, even if only a small one, that makes it new and appealing.

A photographer presses a button on a device that records a scene. Everyone can do that. Some can perhaps manipulate the camera technically better than others. But once a certain level of technique is achieved, the distinguishing characteristic becomes style, topics chosen, angle and emphasis.

Dancing and ballet are also extremely involved in technique and the importance of learned execution, but what makes one dancer stand out among others is what that person brings to the dancing. Acting is another example, where learning is extremely important, but the overall effect that the actor provides for the audience is very individual and entirely dependent on their ability to portray their character roles in a novel way.

It's very convenient that each one of us is unique. We may have many characteristics that are similar to others, but the mix and proportions of those elements make us who we are, and they belong to us alone. If we can hear and know that person who is us, and allow ourselves to freely draw on that essence, we all have art within us waiting to be expressed.

Egg Tempera Painting

Egg Tempera is an old painting method. It was used by the ancient Egyptians and Greeks, and also in the Byzantine Empire. During the Italian Renaissance before 1500 AD almost every painter used egg tempera, including Michelangelo.


The egg tempera technique uses egg yolk to bind the pigments for painting. As can be all too clear when it comes time to do the dishes, egg yolk dries quickly and if left for some time, is very hard to remove. This property is used to the painter's advantage by mixing colors with it to make paint.



Egg yolk cracks when left to dry in a thick droplet. To avoid cracks in a painting it's necessary to apply it in thin layers. In order to achieve this, only a small amount of egg tempera paint can be applied to the paintbrush. As the egg yolk dries very quickly in these quantities it is therefore essential to this technique that small amounts of paint are applied in short brush strokes. Almost immediately after applying the paint it's dry enough to apply more straight on top of it without lifting what's already there.


It's clear that the characteristic features of egg yolk, and how it dries, largely define the egg tempera technique. The paint is applied in short brush strokes, one thin layer over another until there are many layers. Different colors with varying levels of opacity can be applied in the different layers. To achieve a smooth appearance the brush strokes can be applied in all different directions so that no one direction is given preference. And any number of textures can be created, for example by making the strokes cross-hatched, or by having them all flow in the same direction.

Egg yolk dries as a crystalline substance, and on its own, allows light to pass through it and also to be reflected back up through it. It acts almost as a jewel, bouncing, diffusing and reflecting the light that enters it. With pigments present in the egg yolk, the light will act differently according to the absorbing properties of the pigments and their opacity.

Light entering the painting is scattered from each layer, and brush stroke, in an infinite variety of ways. Some of the light is scattered and reflected back before it reaches the bottom surface of the painting, some is bounced back from the base of the painting. If a bright white surface is used as the base of the painting this can reflect up into the painting, giving it an almost back-lit feeling. The result is a light-filled, almost luminescent, bright work of art.

As you might gather from this description, painting with egg tempera is a slow and very painstaking process. It requires meticulous attention not only to the detail of the subject matter but also to how the medium should be applied. An advantage of this technique is that it allows the artist to create paintings of incredible detail and accuracy.

There are many other binding agents used to make paints, including gum arabic (used in watercolor paints because it dissolves easily in water), oil, egg white, and casein (a milk protein). Around 1500, the use of oil paints largely replaced egg tempera. Oil paint can be applied in thicker and larger amounts allowing for much faster application, and therefore oil paintings often have a much deeper color saturation.

One great advantage egg tempera paintings have is that once they're set, egg tempera paintings don't change. Oil paints darken, yellow and become transparent with age. Egg tempera paintings don't fade or change color; they're permanent. Examples from the first few centuries AD still exist. Here's one of my (yes certainly more recent than centuries ago!) paintings. If you'd like to see more you can go to DweezelJazz Art.com.

Patterns and Textures In Composition

Patterns and texture used in isolation to create a composition can give rise to an almost abstract image. It can even be difficult for the viewer to decipher what the subject is. This can lead to an atmospheric piece in which many ideas come to mind, producing for the person more of a superposition of feelings when looking at the image.

For example, the photograph here might be a number of things. The mind can search for what seems most likely, and in doing so, it's almost as if the image becomes all of them at the same time. This might fascinate the observer and render the composition more interesting.

Another effect is that the variation in color throughout the composition has increased importance. It can become almost like observing a fire in which the variations in flame color can intrigue an observer for long periods of time.





The selection and focus on texture to enhance the appeal of a subject is also very effective.










Focusing on patterns in nature can draw greater awareness and appreciation for the intricacies that we may not have time to stop outdoors for long enough to study closely.



Trees and their bark can be fascinating subjects.








This tree trunk seems to have a character of its own. Letting the imagination run, it can almost seem that there's a horse and a person hidden in its folds.







The soft, slightly varied repetition of the pattern of flower bunches in this image give it a gentle, soothing radiance. The cascade in the tree branch is fun to follow.

The pattern generates a direction of movement from the upper left to lower right of the image.



The movement generated by patterns can be consciously used in a composition to attract and guide an observer's eye.

Shapes that don't follow an exact, repetitive geometrical rule can create a scene that's relaxing to look at.The next image is somehow haunting, and what might seem at first to be a dull rendition, keeps pulling the eyes back to it to look some more.


Even though the background is a similar color to the flower, the texture of the background throws the flower into unexpected relief, where every detail on the flower is important.











The window light falling on the floor stones creates a very mellow, earthy feeling.




The sky is a source of an infinite variety of changing patterns and textures.
Whether your art is photography, painting, or even graphic design, the directed use of patterns and textures in a composition is extremely important for creating a desired impact.

Color, Vision, and Our Perception of Art

There was an article in The Times about Claude Monet's loss of color vision due to the development of cataracts in his eyes. He told a friend: "I no longer saw colors with the same intensity. The reds seemed muddy to me, the pinks insipid and the intermediate colors and lower tones escaped me completely." The style that he developed at this time in his life appears to have been largely influenced by this change, according to recent studies illustrating how he most likely would have seen. This incites discussion as to whether Monet really intended to paint in a more abstract manner, bringing an innovative style of painting to the world, or if this style was mainly a product of the deterioration of his sight.
In addition to our visual ability, what we feel about a color also influences how we perceive that color. Children are more attracted by color than form, and childhood memories are often flavored with color, and even when we're not aware of it, these associated feelings about specific colors affect how we perceive them in adulthood.

Our cultural backgrounds and upbringing may also affect our response to colors. For example, the color of mourning in China is white, while in many other cultures it is black; although in recent times these particular stereotypes have become less predominant. Culture, popular fads, and trends can dictate or suggest symbolic meanings to us.

Approximately twenty percent of the visual signals leaving the eye go to the pituitary gland; this is an endocrine gland that secretes hormones regulating homeostasis (the maintenance of a stable, constant condition of the body's internal environment), and also hormones for sexual drive. The color red is a very good example of the direct influence of color; a chemical message is sent to the adrenal medulla, releasing the hormone epinephrine. This causes an alteration in body chemistry, causing more rapid breathing, increase in blood pressure, pulse rate, heartbeat, flow of adrenaline and perspiration. This is a physiological effect on the body, resulting in the persuasion of the human mind to associate the color red with excitement and high energy.

The blend of all these factors is unique to each individual, and it is interesting to consider just how this affects a person's reaction to a work of art. Perception of color can be almost instantaneous in its conveyance of meaning and feeling. If the color of a work of art is appealing to an individual it may influence them to like it, with less importance being placed on its form or subject. Likewise, if the color is unappealing, no matter how well executed a work of art might be, it may still be considered unattractive by the viewer. These differences in perception, happily, allow for great variety in the world of art and its popularity.

Expression

Sometimes thoughts don't flow easily, or can't express the full scope of perception. Colors and textures in images often convey feeling that can only be partially described in words. Impressions can be even more lasting and influential than accurate detail.

Textures can give rise to memories of similar objects or experiences which may provide a stimulus to our imaginations and even trigger sensations of smell, touch and sounds in our minds.

Using repetitive patterns and colors can produce a very atmospheric and abstract effect, giving rise to a greater response in mood than intellectual judgement.

Playing with shapes and perspectives can give some fun angles on things.



In combination with a soft diffuse light and pastel colors, repetitive patterns and textures can give an impression of gentle tranquility and warmth.

Capture

Capturing just the right shot to use as a photo reference for artwork is tonnes of fun. A friend and I often go places and take many photographs while we're enjoying the scenery. We also usually find it necessary to investigate the local culinary offerings for much needed sustenance along the way. On my friend's most recent visit we took over 700 photos in two weeks. Digital cameras have set us free to explore without worrying about the expense of having to print negatives in order to see how our experimentation worked.

One very nice place to visit that inspired me to do a number of paintings is the small, very old town of Yvoire along the Lac Leman in France. There is a walled entrance into the town.
A couple of views taken from the lakefront show some of the town profile and also the large castle that sits right at the tip of land that juts out into the lake.






Choosing the angle just right to catch the light and deciding which elements to include in the view are extremely important to the artistic appeal of a scene. I often find that once the images are displayed on a computer screen and are cropped in different ways, the alternate cuts can give completely different visual impacts. Taking photographs with these facets in mind and then experimenting with the images on the computer gives invaluable experience; this knowledge then further contributes to knowing what to look for when taking a photograph.

Sometimes things can get a bit twisted up and the photography doesn't go so well for a bit!

When everything gets back to normal more candidates for artwork are found. This is one of my watercolor paintings that was inspired by a photo-taking session in Yvoire.