Tony Pro's Demo Part 2. Methodology.

Tony Pro's style is lush, rich and rooted in classical tradition and many influences (as it should be). He is a master of "alla prima" and his demo was in that style.

The basis of his method during the workshop was to start with the average of the main blocks of color and work towards the lights and darks. His canvas was primed in a neutral grey.

A preliminary drawing is necessary. Through comparative measurement and shape relatedness, the basic angles and key lines are rendered, a map of the main features.


The likeness of a model, says Tony, really hinges 85% on the triangle formed by the eyes and the nose tip. How far, big or wide the eyes are with respect to the nose. The way this triangle rests on the remaining head structure determines 15% of the recognition of a character. Of course this is just theoretical but hints at where likeness can derail easily.


Once the preliminary drawing is enough to map the features of the model, we proceed to block the main areas of color with a careful assessment of the light temperature and how its relative tone and chroma might affect the final result.

Squinting provides the necessary abstraction of shape and color to start blocking in the shapes. The main planes of the head are covered paying special attention at the tone and color. No hurrying here, no fireworks, the foundation of the whole portrait needs to be solid.

As reference, Tony pointed to Assaro's head to get some clues as to where the primary planes fall. Observe how he just blocked in the eyes as reddish shadows, and the cylinder containing the muzzle as a basic shape, no lips or eyelashes . We will "sneak in" into these details at a later stage, when we are sure the main and secondary planes are properly featured.





The main areas of color, including the background needs to be placed to get an accurate idea of the relative value of all colors. For example, the model's pale skin looked dark until it was compared to the deeper blacks of the background. Ditto for the color temperature on both sides of the face.

Most areas will remain simple, most of the modeling and work will occur where the warm light meets the edge of the cool area.

No mysteries here, no magic brush, the modeling and chiseling of the face proceeds in the same manner, always looking for the simplest shapes. No hesitation to wipe them out and revert to simplicity when things get out of hand.

It is easy to get "muddy" in a hurry by overworking details and adding information that adds nothing. That is why it helps to have the main areas "solved" before moving on. You get the idea. Down here I post the final or almost done result.

The issue of large scale.

So I've finally taken the plunge and did my first large scale painting, 36"x24". That is pretty large for a guy like me used to do little 8"x10" plain air pieces. I am not entirely happy with it and I am anxious to try it again. But a lot of unexpected challenges came simply from the painting's size. This are some lessons I hope I learnt:

1) A previous study can save a lot of time and pain. In fact, it helps if the study is not just a try-out but a real blueprint in scale, color and mood. I did a study but then changes the ratio in the painting with the result that I had to address perspective issues very soon. The dog, for example, had to be repainted closer to the girl in order to avoid making it look like a chihuahua.

This was the study.

2) Drawing and perspective problems will be more acute by the fact that we need to encompass more surface. Pull back often and follow your study with care. I now have a deeper appreciation of the careful underpainting old masters used to build a canvas.

3) Using larger brushes and more paint is not just an obvious choice for larger scale paintings. If we desire to maintain a certain "freshness" of stroke , we should treat the surface with the precision and textural interest of a smaller piece, not hiding mediocre brushwork in the large area or getting lost in parcels of messy work.

4) In small alla prima paintings, color harmony is almost guaranteed since the palette we use to start is the same as the one we finish with. Not so with a large painting, it behooves me to "plan" the palette carefully.

5) A schedule of work is very useful to hammer out a larger piece. Since it is painted in stages, it is essential to maintain a rhythm.

So this is my final piece. I see so much room for improvement I am almost giddy with impatience to put this lessons to work in my next painting.

Sean Cheetham Workshop. Day 2

During the second day of the workshop. Sean entered into some detail about his supports and his approach to alla prima painting. His "pieces de resistance" use wood as a support. He uses MDO wood or some panels form a provider which already come framed in the back to avoid bending.

1) He then applies an acrylic sealant that he lets cure for at least a week.

2) He applies several layers of gesso allowing drying between them and some texture to occur. No sanding. Chemicals from acrylic materials easily get in the air and can be dangerous.

3) The last step pictured here is using a big trowel to smooth a last layer of molding paste which gives the surface very smooth but absorbent.

The process takes minutes in every layer but it takes two to three weeks to complete as the layers have to dry and cure completely.

He then uses graphite rubbed on a paper to transfer the drawing onto the board. The graphite in this stage is loose so he will wash it very lightly with acrylic paints. he will recreate the whole painting using acrylics almost as if they were watercolors in very very transparent layers but with accurate local colors.


We then moved on to the "interactive" part of his demonstration. Painting from a live model he demonstrated that even in a larger format, the same principles can be applied. He used a Fredrix support with Belgian linen onto which he applied a wash mostly consistent of Burnt Siena. He then established as tight a drawing with his brushes as one could hope for and moved onto the darker areas of the subject with a mix of burnt Siena, Alizarin and Olive green.Right after this stage, he mixed his fluorescent light Manganese Blue+ White mix (something ,by the way, that also Jeremy Lipking is fond of doing) and his "main" tone. From then on, he systematically built the face form the darker to the lighter areas with some balancing in between. The result was "sorollesque" and loose. Never or very rarely did he go over trodden territory. I won't post my attempt at the same subject because I made a mess of it.

Sean Cheetham Workshop . Day 1 (a)

I decided to take this workshop an hour before it was about to begin. Kind of in the "spur of the moment". Sean Cheetham is an artist I've admired for a while even though his style is quite different to mine. He paints in a realistic fashion with a very high emphasis on the drawing. His main influences are Michael Hussar and Antonio Lopez among living artists and anywhere from Holbein, Alma-Tadema, Waterhouse, Dagnan-Bouvert, etc... among old masters.

During the first day, he decided to paint a portrait of a sculptor friend in the manner that he usually approaches most of his "finished" work. He brought several non-glossy prints and a support which he had previously primed and already had the drawing of the subject. His palette is not unusual but there a couple of more "acid" colors that seem to go well with his subject matter and lighting of choice.

Cadmium red
Cadmium Green light
Burnt Siena
Scarlet lake
Yellow Ocher Pale
Indian yellow (transp.)
Titanium White
Manganese Blue (semi-transp.)
Cobalt Blue
Windsor Violet
Alizarin Crimson Permanent
Olive Green (dark, from W&N)
Burnt Umber
Ultramarine Blue

and a warm Grey from Rembrandt to neutralize.


He goes over the whole painting first with a light wash of acrylic. Very light so as not to create a layer of plastic between the oil and the support. He usually starts laying the darks first, very precisely and deliberately. He uses cheap University W&N nylon brushes of sizes 4 to 6 which tend not to last but fare well in the level of precision he requires. No big brushes here. He works with a tremendous amount of detail and focus. No rushing here. That's how you go quickly actually, by not making mistakes or adding random garbage.

Here is a picture of the painting after all the darks have been placed.

And here is a picture of the original print. Sean says he prefers to work directly from the monitor to judge color and is not against any technique to accomplish accuracy. Of course, he draws *really* well.



It is worth observing how organized he is in his palette construction. During the dark building process he mixes enough of a pool of dark. he also mixes the tone of the fluorescent lighting with manganese blue for posterior use. Like any good painter, his colors will remain almost miraculously clean throughout.

The moroccan boy

From the fifteen or so studies I did in Scottsdale (and I did swipe quite a few) , for some reason this is my favorite. I did it in Clayton's class . I always pick a "launching" piece when I think I have achieved something different or new . I do not sell that. It serves as a turning point of sorts, a stage below which I am not allowed to slip. There are a couple of other pieces that are also interesting and new to me but I chose this one for the strength of the statement, the lack of detailed distractions and the amount of departure from previous "ways" of mine.

Clayton Beck's workshop

My second week in Scottsdale, AZ, I took a workshop with Clayton Beck. The maestro has absorbed a lot of Richard Schmid's alla prima skills and I was interested even though Ted Nutall was also teaching that week at the same school. My choice was rewarded handsomely as Clayton is a phenomenal teacher. His method is quite different from Sherri's but somehow their respective instruction complemented each other beautifully. Clayton also rejects the "formula" approach but pushed for a "statement" which reminded me of the "concept" from Sherri. As a practical way of bringing the point home , he used exercises in adaptability by encouraging his class to start every painting differently according to whether this was a color study, a tonal study, an anatomical exercise or a drawing.
He droned concepts continuously and arranged for the sessions to constantly change forcing us to reevaluate every brushtroke carefully instead of racing for the finish. I finally took care of m "mass production" tendencies of which I speak in a previous note.
He emphasized good habits of reflection and observation and even about brush care and lighting. He almost paralyzed most of us into a complete overhaul. No one person in the class left shaken and as a result, everybody gained immense insights constantly surprising ourselves.
He was able to read your thinking in every brushstroke. What can I say, my thinking was fuzzy until I endured his scrutiny. From edge finding to squinting to tone and temperature, this was a class to remember .Clayton Beck III figure demo. Reproduced with no explicit permission for education purposes only. All rights belong to Clayton Beck III.

Sherri McGraw workshop (3)

These pictures are reproduced without explicit permission of the author for educational purposes only and are not to be used or reproduced commercially in any way.

Preparing for Scottsdale Artists School.

I am going to Scottsdale Artists School for the second time. This time I will take two classes. Both figure painting. One with Sherri Mc Graw (who i hope is in no way related to Dr. Phil!) and another with Clayton Beck III (I think those dynastic numerals are kind of suspect but I will let it pass until I meet the guy.)

Last year I enjoyed Andrew Peters class quite a lot so I decided to repeat the experience and double the commitment.

As I mentioned before, the materials list from Mrs. McGraw was outrageously expensive and not the most health conscious. But I did prepare the canvases in the way she suggested by using a knife and a mix of maroger and white flake (poisonous white lead in both ingredients, let's not kid ourselves) . These are the same materials her teacher Mr. David Leffel uses and he is 74 years old and cancer free as far as I can tell. So the point is that I will try this mix once and see if my painting takes off like a rocket or just flutter ambiguously close to where I was before. Mr. Beck's material list was a lot more accessible and I suspect that it will do just fine. I specially liked the traditional artists panels he recommended and that I tinted with burn umber and ultramarine blue.
I also received today my silver filberts so I am all ready and trying to keep my judgemental nature in check . An open mind is 50% of a class requirement. The other 50% is showing up, to paraphrase Woody Allen. Apparently there was another hidden 200% in pricey utensils!