Redefining Realsime by--Allison Allison Malafronte (senior editor of American Artist)

http://www.artistdaily.com/

Attempting to define realism or to clarify the various styles of representational painting can be a challenging task.  When writing about today's painters, I always hesitate to use words like "classical," "realist," "contemporary," "traditional," or "modern" because they do not always fully capture what I'm trying to describe. For example, a word like "classical" by definition refers to Greco-Roman or Renaissance ideals, but by connotation has come to mean an art form that embodies a certain timelessness and order. "Contemporary" undoubtedly means anything taking place in our time, so by that definition any painter alive is contemporary. But critically speaking, I would not call all painters today contemporary--I'm more apt to use that distinction when a painting has a more modern or conceptual feel.

The Desperate Man by Gustave Courbet, 1844-1845, oil painting, 17 3/4 x 21 5/8.

Artists themselves have felt the confusion and in an attempt to bring clarity have adopted such labels as new realists, figurative realists, classical realists, contemporary realists, and so on. These phrases have found their meaning in a Post-Modern context, which generally defines what it is by comparing itself to what it is not. The New Realists of the early 1960s, for example, made it clear that they were not your grandmother's realists reveling in Caravaggio and Jacques Louis David but rather were trying to bring elements of representation to the Abstract Expressionist aesthetic. The Classical Realists of the early 1980s led by Richard Lack were differentiating their brand of realism from other forms of representational art of the time, even though they knew that within the context of art history "classical realism" was a contradiction in terms.

Realism can mean different things to different people and has changed meaning over time, which is another reason why it's difficult to define. Most would agree that realist painters are recognized by their choice of subject matter. Like Gustave Courbet--by most accounts considered the first Realist--or any of the Russian painters throughout history, a realist paints the real world and finds beauty and interest in everyday people, places, and things that the rest of society might find mundane. The realist is also defined by his or her technical execution, which aims for an accurate, truthful representation of the subject. The stylistic differentiation gets tricky among artists, however, because many realists who work from life do not want to be put in the same category as realists who work from photographs or in a  photorealistic manner. This confusion translates to the public, who will often comment that a painting looks like a photograph, as if that were the highest compliment one could pay an artist.

As you can see, the parameters surrounding realism are rather ambiguous. I think this is because realism is redefining itself as we speak and also because a new movement is on the horizon. I believe that movement will embody a language that is not yet in our artistic vocabulary, forcing us to find new words and a new criterion.

--Allison

Susan Lyon and Scott Burdick at WIFAS

Two fantastic painters at WIFAS this past week
Susan and Scotts, draftsmanship and color are superb and they are able to convey their knowledge very well also!
Every morning brought a new demonstration, 3 days of Susan and 3 days of Scott, they were brilliant!!

Outstanding instructors,great studio space,serious students,organized monitor,dedicated director,friendly people,delicious food-the perfect workshop experience

Joe 

 Cary painting with Susan and Scott after the workshop! Lucky her!!

 Beautiful Lady with a nice apron!!

 

 Student / Instructor dinner

ONE OF SCOTTS DEMO'S

MORE SCOTTS DEMOS:

STUDENTS WORK:

Imparting Knowledge

Deuteronomy Rabbah once said, “In vain have you acquired knowledge if you have not imparted it to others.”

Fortunately for Whidbey Island Fine Art Studio, we have many artists who are willing to impart their knowledge of excellent technique and style to artists who are willing to learn. One such artist, Henry Yan, teaches art full-time. His students report that Yan has a huge wealth of knowledge that he is willing to share.

Whidbey Island Fine Art Studio is excited to have Henry return to teach a class on Drawing and Painting theCostumed Figure in January 2014. The workshop will focus on drawing techniques with charcoal (or red chalk) on newsprint, drawing paper and toned paper. Painting will be done the last two days of class for those who are interested.

Henry has much knowledge to share about paintings. A few of his tips include:

• Be especially careful when using light yellow and white so you keep it clean.
• Don't show brushwork everywhere because you need some areas more finished
• Always have a portion of your painting that is mysterious.
• Subtlety is power: make clear, lose, but with some areas really loud.
• The juncture between two shapes looks more natural if you paint the first shape larger than necessary, and then overlap slightly with the second shape.
• Distinguishing between cast (hard edge) and core (soft edge) shadows will enable a 3-diminsional look right away; often need to sharpen cast shadows.
• Be careful about the light source on your canvas and palette. If it’s too yellow you will paint a yellow painting. 

 

Henry also has some advice for new painters:

• Follow the rules when you’re learning.
• Copy master paintings.
• Pastels are very helpful for getting used to oil painting with color.
• Students tend to make everything clear—need to move beyond that stage.

Artist Henry Yan describes himself this way: “I teach drawing, I teach painting and I teach anything that my students like to share with me. Many years I have taught, and still I am teaching. My shoulder hurts, my throat's sore—because I paint and I teach.”

Other than teaching techniques, Henry will encourage students to find their own way of seeking beautifully designed compositions from each pose and interpret what they found with a personal artistic approach rather than simply copying what they see.

 

If you are not able to attend our workshop with Henry next year, but want to learn more from his wealth of knowledge, Henry has written a book to help you. His book, Henry Yan’s Figure Drawing: Techniques andTips, can be found on highest recommendation lists by many popular art book sellers and used as text book by instructors and students of art schools. 

An Artist's Perspective

We recently asked a couple artists who have taken workshops at Whidbey Island Fine Art Studio (WIFAS) to answer a few questions for us about our classes. Pam Leiper jumped at the chance to tell us how she has benefitted from her WIFAS art instruction experiences. You can read what she has to share about our classes and her resulting growth as an artist in the interview below. 

Q: Which workshop at WIFAS have you recently attended? 

A: I have taken two workshops at Whidbey, a figure drawing workshop with Henry Yan in 2012, and an oil painting workshop with Dreama Perry in 2013. 

Q: What did you find most helpful about the art instruction you received at the workshop? 

A: My first passion is figures, so my workshop with Henry Yan was inspirational. It was five days of heaven. I tend to labor over my figures, and Henry can capture the pose even with the quickest sketches. He has exceptional control using his razor sharp charcoal pencils, and he demonstrated beautiful techniques to soften shadow shapes. I would take his class again and again until I achieve the same skill in my own life drawings. 

Q: Did you learn any new techniques or were you reminded of old ones in a new way in the workshop? 

A: I do enjoy painting in oils, however I tend to make 'mud' with color. Dreama's palette is always fresh and she has lovely brush work, so I thought her workshop would help me with my own oils. She provided a very fun three day experience, as fun, nourishing and colorful as she is. She demonstrated her technique of laying down transparent color first, then covering with colorful opaques and controlled but bold brushwork. This has been useful for me, and I've been practicing this technique since the workshop.

Q: What did you appreciate most about the setup or structure of the workshop? 

A: Cary Jurriaans always does a great job organizing the WIFAS studio space. There was ample room to paint, easel space is allotted democratically, and she always has lovely refreshments on hand. 

Q: Were you inspired to paint a particular image during or after the workshop? 

 A: Since Henry's workshop, I continue to work on figures. I haven't mastered his technique… but will keep trying. Since Dreama's, I have tried a few oils. 

Q: Could you share a highlight from your experience at WIFAS— either from the workshop or your time on Whidbey Island? 

A: The WIFAS studio is located in the very picturesque village of Langley on Whidbey Island. It is such a tranquil and gorgeous setting— how can an artist not be inspired? My husband and wee dog accompanied me this last time. We splurged and stayed at the dog-friendly Langley Inn. I would return to WIFAS again and again just to visit the Island. 

Q: Are you planning on attending any other workshops with WIFAS in the near future? 

A: I will definitely return. I'll just keep an eye on the upcoming calendar!