There's So Much Beauty Round Us for Just Two Eyes to See. . .
I'm pretty old to be just learning, but I am. I haven't painted for years, because the chemicals used in artists' paints (solvents, actually) make me dizzy. Which can be an interesting experience, as long as you don't need to do something that requires large or fine motor skills. Like painting. I'm kind of a control freak when it comes to my cognitive process, so I probably don't get as much benefit from dizziness as some people do.
I recently started re-introcucing myself to paint, slowly, using only the sorts of paint you can assemble yourself from inert or so-safe-they're-edible
ingredients. I began painting furniture with milk paint, until I got a feel for how natural, fresh paint works. Then I jumped into something I really love: people as subjects.
I started by painting a portrait of a friend of mine, Rich Mullins. You can see it here.
I'd rather see him in person, and if you know who he is, I'll bet you would too. I will see him again someday. But I guess I'll be around a few years longer, and as long as I'm here, the best thing I can think of to do is paint. A long time ago when I was in Bible College, I wanted to illustrate Bible stories. I think some of the greatest paintings our culture has produced illustrate spritual themes.
Who knows? Maybe it's time to revisit my dream.
I'm starting out the way a lot of students do: by making a copy of a detail of a famous painting. I chose to work on Caravaggio's Head of Christ from the Calling of Matthew.
Caravaggio has it all: light, dark, color, gesture, emotion, design, story-telling. He's a like a force of nature. You cannot see a painting by Caravaggio and not be moved.
I recently started re-introcucing myself to paint, slowly, using only the sorts of paint you can assemble yourself from inert or so-safe-they're-edible
ingredients. I began painting furniture with milk paint, until I got a feel for how natural, fresh paint works. Then I jumped into something I really love: people as subjects.
I started by painting a portrait of a friend of mine, Rich Mullins. You can see it here.
I'd rather see him in person, and if you know who he is, I'll bet you would too. I will see him again someday. But I guess I'll be around a few years longer, and as long as I'm here, the best thing I can think of to do is paint. A long time ago when I was in Bible College, I wanted to illustrate Bible stories. I think some of the greatest paintings our culture has produced illustrate spritual themes.
Who knows? Maybe it's time to revisit my dream.
I'm starting out the way a lot of students do: by making a copy of a detail of a famous painting. I chose to work on Caravaggio's Head of Christ from the Calling of Matthew.
Caravaggio has it all: light, dark, color, gesture, emotion, design, story-telling. He's a like a force of nature. You cannot see a painting by Caravaggio and not be moved.
Head of Christ by Caravaggio: Process
Click on an image below for an explanation of the process
