Standing on the stern of a small fishing boat 30 or 40 miles off shore, watching the fishermen going about their job of setting a trawl line, is a wonderful experience. What a gamble this life is!-2 miles of line with baited hooks 6 feet apart being dropped overboard, disappearing into the black ink of the ocean, taking a chance that the line will lie on the bottom in its proper position, wondering if the fish are there, always hoping that the winds and the ocean will remain calm so that the lines may be retrieved. Well into the night this work goes on. Strange that when these men are working at night few words are said. Each man with his own thoughts does his work with sureness and steady pace, to the rhythm of the ocean beneath the craft.
How fortunate to be an artist, and observe the seeds of incalculable numbers of paintings unfolding before your eyes. All men of deep emotion experience these feelings. The portrait painter looks into the depths of the faces of his sitters. The landscape painter wanders among his giants of the forest, shimmering lakes and tumbling rivers, feeling fresh-fallen snow crunch beneath his feet. The still-life painter observes the wonderful light that breathes life into his subject. Time passes so fast as one stands alone deep in thought! Read the rest of this entry »
Painting reflections is a lot easier than you think. It is basically a distorted version of the environment of the reflector. If you are painting the three dimensional world then you must first determine the perspective of the reflector. You must first determine if the reflected surface is a smooth surface or a rough surface. The more rough the surface the more distorted the reflection. In the case of the painting to the right the reflection is slightly distorted. This means it is representing a calm surface of water on the beach. The painting to the left is also a water reflection but the water reflection is more rough, so the reflection is more distorted. It is that simple when it comes to water. 