Saturday, February 06, 2016

The Storyteller

 The Storyteller
20" x 20"  
oil on canvas
 “Tell me the facts and I’ll learn. Tell me the truth and I’ll believe. 
But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever.” An old Native American proverb

I love weathered, rugged wooden boats.  There's always a dozen stories at least in the chipped paint, the barnacles and rust.  A modern fibreglass boat, while often elegant and streamlined, never is quite the storyteller that a well-worn vessel is.

This piece is just about finished.  I let a piece sit on an old easel in the far corner of the studio where it catches my eye for a week or two and lets me know if any changes are required.  Sometimes a touch up of a line or a colour enhancement take place, but rarely major changes.

While standing back from a painting every 20 minutes or so is very useful, give yourself even more space to really see a piece.  Standing back further from a painting, depending on its size and situation gives a different impression of the piece than the "nose to painting" view.  I know everyone (mostly artists) usually leans in closer to see detail, but especially in looser paintings, the detail is very abstract and only when you are at a distance will things jump into focus.

6 comments:

Christiane Kingsley said...

I really like this painting, Jeanette: the colours and the textures of the boat are wonderful.

Jeanette Jobson said...

Thanks Christiane. I love texture in boats. New modern boats don't elicit the same response in me to paint them. Unfortunately there aren't as many old wooden boats around anymore.

Jennifer Rose said...

great texture and colours :)

we have a really long living room so usually end up propping art on one end and looking at it from the other lol

Jeanette Jobson said...

I love that old wood! Yes, I wish my studio was the length of a bowling alley some days so I could really stand back from a painting. As is, its about 12 feet away instead. :)

zoka said...
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Jane of Impression EMEDIA said...

Cool! wish I can do this as well.. Great job Sir!