notes notes

The Painted Chair with Carnations; casein tempera on board; 8" x 10"

Lois Griffel wrote Painting the Impressionist Landscape wherein she explains a method of painting (as passed down from Charles Hawthorne) using color notes.  The first notes, or patches of paint applied to the panel, are as bright and as pure as possible - expressing lightness and darkness more than local color.  They are an exaggeration of the large simple shapes that make up the picture plane.  The second notes are different from the first.  They aim to bring us closer to the local color and therefore must maintain the same values as the first notes upon which they rest.  The third and final notes provide the finish necessary to tell the story - to tell the truth of what we see.  Local color will be suggested with the final notes rather than overtly stated.  The end result, if done well, is a perfect balance between finish and freshness - an impressionistic dance of color bits that delight and fascinate.

Number 99 of my 100-painting Reboot