Blog

This is the third painting in the Painted Etude Series.


"Westcliffe Barns" (Etude #3), by Keith Bond, 4 x 5, oil on board, $150

This painting was an exercise in seeing abstract shapes and colors.  To avoid being caught up in the 'things', I turned a photo upside down and just began paing the shapes as I saw them.  This is one of my favorite exercises to do.  I was delighted with the results when the painting was turned right side up. 

"Creekside" Etude #2, by Keith Bond, oil on linen on board, $150 unframed

This etude was an exercise in memory painting.  By developing memory work, the most important elements of a scene are painted, while the superficial details are forgotten.  I studied a photo for 5 minutes and then put it away.  I then painted the work entirely from memory (no, I didn't cheat and take a peek). 

The resulting painting is filled with the overall essence of the scene.  Only the most important impressions were captured.  This also enabled me to put more emotion into the painting, because I was not caught up in the details.  The painting feels like the location even though it turned out quite different from the photo. 

Request information about this painting.

Follow this series and other Blog posts by clicking the RSS feed icon.
Receive Keith Bond Fine Art Newsletter for free. 

What is the value of color? This is actually a play on words. To most people, this question would trigger thoughts on how color influences mood or creates harmonies. However, there is an underlying value to color that, to me, is much more important. That is its value in terms of grayscale. 

‘Value’ is a word used to describe how light or dark a color is.  So the restated question would be ‘how dark or light is the color?’

Looking at paintings in black and white is quite revealing. You can determine very quickly how strong or weak the composition is. Color can often be distracting, inhibiting your ability to see some of the more important underlying compositional elements.

For an artist, the grayscale is divided into 9 steps from black to white. However, if every value of the grayscale were used in a given painting, that painting would lack strength. A strong or dynamic composition is limited to 3 or 4 values. No more. They should not be found in equal proportion. One value should dominate with a secondary, and tertiary, etc. 

This is closely tied to composition or design, because the abstract shapes which make up the underlying design are nothing more than an interesting arrangement of pieces of varying size, shape, and values. These shapes fit together like a jigsaw puzzle.

"Aspen Interior" by Keith Bond, 24 x 36, oil on linen

Study the black and white and full color images of this painting.  You will notice that the dominant value is found in the foliage of the distant trees and in the core shadow of the aspen trunks.  This value is also found in the cast shadows on the ground plane.  The secondary value is the sunlit ground plane and the small spots of light on the foliage.  Next comes the value of the sky which is also found in the highlights on the edges of the aspen trunks.  Lastly there are just a few dark accents which make the entire painting work.

The three main values create a strong composition and hold the work together.  Notice that the blue mountain and golden foliage have the same value.  It is a difference in the color and color temperature which creates the depth.  Also notice that differences in color temperature are what make the aspen trunks turn.  It gives volume or dimention to the work.  But that is another topic for another time.

Remember, strong compositions are limited to 3 or 4 main values of varying dominance. 

Sincerely,
Keith Bond

I suffer from a condition which I call the “Grass is Greener Syndrome”. The symptoms include assuming that something better lies just ahead. While searching for subjects to paint, sometimes I pass something up that inspires me because I wonder, “What is just around the bend?” So after pausing for a moment, I keep moving, lured by the “what if something better is waiting for me just ahead”.

Sometimes, I am fortunate and my patience rewards me with great subject matter. Sometimes I feel regret having missed the opportunity a few miles back. Fortunately, I have found an anecdote that helps to alleviate the symptoms of my condition: the handy dandy sketch book. When I can get myself to actually stop for a few minutes, I pull out my sketch book and do 4 or 5 thumbnails. Usually, when I do this, I become excited by the possibilities. I look deeper into the subject and myself. Most often, I find that I do want to paint the scene. If, after 4 or 5 thumbnails sketches, I am not excited, I then continue with my quest for the perfect scene.

Earlier this spring was one of many occasions when my sketchbook helped me overcome this trait. I was on the westerns side of Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. I was driving down the narrow valley following the headwaters of the Colorado River. The beauty was spectacular. This was my first visit to this area of the park and I was wide-eyed taking it all in. I thought several times, “I should stop to paint that.” But the lure of the undiscovered urged me on around bend after bend. Finally I convinced myself to stop. My daughter, who joined me on this trip, and I walked out into the open meadow and followed the river for a few hundred yards. Elk were resting and grazing nearby. Anglers were testing their luck in the frigid waters. The sun was quickly giving way to afternoon rainclouds and the winds began to pick up. 

I chose a spot and did some thumbnail sketches. I became more excited as I saw the possibilities. Soon I was setting up my easel and painting the scene. It did begin to rain lightly and the wind was chilly. I love the effect that I was able to capture in the painting. Forcing myself out of the truck was the first step. Then doing the thumbnails was the clincher. As a result, I had to paint the scene. Had I remained in the truck, the rains would have deterred me and I would have passed up yet another splendid opportunity.

 
Sketch for "Light Spring Rain" by Keith Bond

 
"Light Spring Rain" by Keith Bond, 8 x 10, oil on linen board
Painted on location, Colorado River, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado