I just started to lsy down some part on a 12 x 9 panel of my dog Spot. He 4 now. I am getting old. This is about 25 minute of drawing with a brush.
About 4 and a half hours of painting later… This has to set a bit to dry. Needs some major and minor corex. Maybe anonother couple of hours +??
While I’ve been painting I’ve been printing these guy on my Bambu Printer. The rack is 6 piece that print flat. They can be broken down for travel. size is 6.5” x 7.5” x 3.25”.
I haven’t been selling them and don’t think I will. I’ve been giving them away a workshops and to friends.
Drop a comment if you want one for free. Post would about 4 or 5 buck. US only.
I have 3 of these up at all times. One at the easel. One at brush washing station. One for drying wet brushes.
I designed this in CAD a few tears ago. I had the CAD file on an online service under the Creative Commons license. Somebody swiped the file and was selling them on a craft service. I contacted the service and they took it down. That was discouraging.
Now I only give them away. I might make a dozen or less a month.
I set a challenge for myself to make a painting using only the semi neutral and neutral color from the Dudeen Palette. Think of them as metaphors for the full intensity primaries. I would this onion that U had photographed from last fall. I set up a small are on my palette (see below) and mixed up some colors I had semi neutral blue, yellow and red.
Wipe those tears from your eyes. 6x6 oil on panel ‘25
Sort of a messy looking palette in the end. For the onion I used only the Blue, Yellow and red neutrals with white and a ver small tint of Cad Yellow. The bag rounds are mixed from Neutral Blue and Red with some Ulyramrine Violet and Alizarin Crimson.
I took about 4 hours over 3 days. It only needs a few days to setup and a tiny bit of Glazing.
I have had health issue that have slowed my painting down a lot over the past couple of years. Recently I attended one of Peter Fiore’s painting workshops to see if I could fix a couple of major hitches I had developed. I found them and fixed ‘em.
Here is one of the paintings I’m working on now. I will be pushing this to finish over the next few days.
Finish
A lobsterman’ tender filled with ice in the snow at Pine Point, Maine
Oil on canvas 13.25 x 18 inches
The colors were all based on a set of idealized Primaries.
All of these colors were made from the 3 primaries. There were synthesized in adobe Illustrator to match an Idealized set of R,B and Y primaries. The Illustrator color space is set to CMYK. CMYK is the same as the subtractive color mixing process as mixing color pigments. It’sot perfect at all but pretty damn close. I use this technique for oils and watermedia.
For contrast I asked ChatGPT how many colors of oil paint does Old Holland sell, ChatGPT answered “Old Holland makes 168 colors in their Classic Oil Colours line”.
There are 252 ‘colors’ represented here. Not really a fair comparison be you get the picture.
The mothod of mixing is as follows;
I find the color in the 2 neutral palettes by mixing the tertiaries. To find the metaphoric primaries of Semi Neutral you ix the 2 adjacent tertiary to the primaryies. Yellow Orange and Yellow Green make the Metaphoric Yellow of there semi Neutral. Red Orange and Red Violet make the Metaphoric Red. Blue Violet and Blue Green make the Metaphoric Semi Blue primary..
The Full Intensity 12 color spectrum palette
The Semi Neutral 12 color Spectrum Palette. Note how these colors are not darker, just more subdued.
The Hue or Neutral 12 color Spectrum Palette Note how thees colors are even more subdued.
The Primary Complimentary Pairs. Pretty powerful colors in themselves.
The Primary secondary complimentary pairs add amazing color possibilities
If you’ve noticed thee colors get very interesting when the Tertiaries are involved
Metaphoric Primaries? Are You Nuts?
Next Time
Where to start?
I use a basic set of paints which have evolved since I learned to them up from a Walter Foster book on painting clowns when I was 14. Art school taught me about Albers and color theory. We worked with acrylics, watercolors, or gouache. My palettes still had primary and secondary colors, but they weren’t very organized. Eventually, I started using colors in a more organized way.sometime in the 1980s. Usually in limited watercolor or acrylic palettes. Each painting demanding its own mix.
About 14 years ago I stated with oils as my primary medium and quickly created a more standard though shorthand set up. I did a few good painting that still hold up today. I started painting from models with a small group of artists. All way better that me. After I while I picked up some tricks from them. The one in particular that fits my brain is the 12 color spectrum palette. And in particular the making that set from just the three primaries of red, blue and yellow. Miraculous! I learn this from Judith Reeve.
I have documented this process in s sort of schematic manner, After all I was a data visualization art for a long time.
Here are a few frames from it. The color is idaelized. This document was made in Adobe Illustrator using a CMYK profile. Subtractive color the same as mixing oil paints.
This triangle represents the 12 color spectrum mixed from the primaries. Making The secondary, and tertiary groupings. More on this later.
This shows the outer color in therir full intensity. Along with 2 inner triangle the are mixed a metaphoric way to neutralize the ‘parent’ triangles. A lot more later.
This is the basic mixing of the parent 12 color spectrum.
There’ll be a lot more on this when I get the time. I will be glad to answer any questions - jkingston@mac.com. It is fishing season so it may take a bit if time
A lot of charting goin’ on. Note the wave going on here.
Back in late September I had a heart attack. I wouldn’t recommend it. Since then I’ve been working hard at Cardio Rehab. Almost done. I haven’t been able to paint much. I tried doing Peter’s workshop back in January. I had to cut it short.
I’m loosing some weight and had gotten my sugar under control. I’ve lost connection with people and my woek. The joys of getting old I guess.
I am starting on a piece started back last June-ish. Our model Cathering showed up for about a month. I can’t tell you how much fun it was to paint in Johan’s studio again. The wonderful natural light! We started 2 paintings then she disappeared to Burning Man.
I took the small painted sketch, scanned it up and printed it on canvas. I’ve done this in the past and it works great..
The print is stapled to a heavy foam core. I started a little bit last week. The photo of the pose is on the right. I shocked myself with how well I grabbed the pose in just an hour and a half.
We hadn’t painted together since March of 2020. I hadn’t painted since early summer of 2024. And before that spring of 2023 after conking myself into a concussion.
I’ll keep you pasted
When I was younger I did what today seems like a million different things at once. Working during the day in an Ad Agency, doing freelance editorial illustration at night until the wee hours. And somewhere in-between teaching myself to program computers in a couple of different languages.
Today I don’t have to actually do anything. For 2 reasons. 1. I’m an old fart living off my pension's. 2. AI is displacing much of what I used to do.
I play with 2 AIs mostly. Chat GTP and Midjourney. In Chat GPT I can write just about anything from elaborate posts to programing functions in a variety of computer languages. In Midjourney I can create images from straight up realism to amazing imaginations in countless graphic styles.
Let’s imagine i’m in my late 30’s and sober. I have a client that is opening a couple of small bars catering to an upscale younger crowd…
Fist I ask GPT for a name… We select this name Pour & Pair. Then I ask MJ for a logo…. we pick this one.
… and a photo… made in 3 minutes in Midjourney
A headline will be nice. I ask Chat GPT… we choose
Flavors and Friends. The New Age of Wine and Dine
…and some ad copy.
At Pour and Pair, we blend the allure of fine wines with gourmet bites in a setting that's both chic and welcoming. Perfect for after-work relaxation or weekend gatherings, we offer a curated selection of wines paired with artisanal, locally-sourced dishes. Our lively atmosphere, designed for the young and young at heart, invites you to unwind, socialize, and indulge in a sensory journey. Join us and make your moments memorable
In about 20 minutes my fat arthitic fingers, feeble mind and failing eyes created a framework for said ad.
I had a variety of clients back in the late 70s doing just this sort of thing. But I had to draw up layouts or several layouts. Take some photos, or have them taken. Maybe draw a humorous illustration. Then on approval make final mechanical. Send the mechanical and images to a engraver where the mechanical and images were made into films for reproduction for every magazine the ad was to run in.
If we’re not completely looking for immediate result and do more detailing over a little more time today’s way may be better than the old way. Way Cheaper.
MY droftboat a Callicoon ‘ramp 2024
A beautiful spot on the Delaware.
This is a local ramp. If you could call it that. WE put in here and row up into the big pool at Callicoon. It can be excellent trout fishing. I done a couple of paintings from the spot over the years.
It gets harder every year. Getting old is not for the faint of heart.
maybe finished ??
WIP prog 2
WIP once frozen
I haven’t been painting on any regular basis since sometime last fall. A concussion and other health problem got in the way. But slowly I am coming back from netherworld. This still life of 4 2023 apples and a brick from the foundation of the house that once stood on my property. Sort of incongruous subject matter but fun to paint. I can’t paint for long sessions. Maybe 4 hours a day of less. It’s about half way there where-ever there is. I’ll update this post with progress.
Johan, Judith and myself have also started painting from live models again. What a joy. We stopped abruptly in April 2020. Can you guess why? It has taken us this long because finding models out here in the hinterlands has been more difficult the before the pandemic
The thing I hate the most about painting is cleaning brushes. That hasn’t changed
Midjourney has developed a method for creating consistent styles. They've got it down to a science. Their method ensures that every piece produced with the style code is consistent.
I've mentioned here in the past that if I were art directing a magazine today I'd be leaning heavily on generative AI images and software.
Here is a sampling of a loose gauche style that I might use for public figures. Here are a few that I've created. The style is a loose flat brush technique in a Zorn(ish) color palette.
Alas I'm bit long in the tooth to be handling the intense deadline pressures of such a job.
A AI color palette exploration. AI image created in Midjourey
A classic Blue orange and secondary palette
I'm diving into the world of art and technology as seen through the eyes of a working artist with 55 years of practical experience. In this blog post, I'll explore how I've harnessed a small bit the power of Generative AI art and the top four ways it has enhanced my creative process.
1. Inspiration:
I, like many artists, have moments when inspiration seems to elude me. With the introduction of AI inspiration has found a new avenue of flow. AI-generated art serves as a boundless well of fresh and innovative ideas. It's like having a muse that never sleeps, always ready to offer a unique new perspective.
2. Reference for Studies:
Artists are eternal students of their craft, and I am no exception. AI-generated art has become an invaluable resource for studying different styles and techniques. With AI-generated pieces at my fingure tips, I can explore the imaginations of the hive of artist knowledge accumulated the various AI models available. Whether it's delving into the brushwork of the Impressionists or dissecting the intricate details of hyper-realism, AI art serves as an encyclopedia of artistic knowledge. My art education continues to evolve with each AI-assisted study.
3. Discovery: Making Brand New Styles:
Artists often yearn for the thrill of discovery and innovation. AI has opened up a whole new frontier for me by enabling me to create brand new styles and artistic expressions. Experimentation is the key here, as I explore uncharted territories, guided by the algorithms and data-driven creativity of AI. This fusion of human intuition and computational artistry has given rise to unique and unprecedented works. Think of it as a journey into unexplored realms of imagination. It's a testament to the endless possibilities that emerge when tradition meets technology.
4. Affirmation of Traditional Compositional and Color Theories:
In an age of technological advancements, it's easy to wonder if the traditional principles of art still hold their ground. For me, the answer is a resounding yes. AI-generated art serves as a powerful affirmation of traditional compositional and color theories, especially in the realm of realism. It's a reminder that, beneath the layers of algorithms and data, the fundamentals of art endure. When I compares My own work to AI-generated realism, I often find that the core principles of composition, color theory, and perspective remain constant. This reaffirms the timeless beauty and relevance of these foundational elements in the world of art.
In conclusion, my journey as a professional artist for over five decades has been enriched by the incorporation of AI into my artistic process. AI serves as a wellspring of inspiration, a reference library for studies, a tool for discovery, and a reaffirmation of traditional artistic principles. This fusion of art and technology has propelled my curiosity to new heights.
Next time you find yourself wondering about the potential of AI in the creative world, remember my story. It's a testament to the ever-evolving nature of art and the limitless horizons that artists can explore with the aid of technology.
An apple painted for the sixes fundraiser show at the ;cal arts association.
No title - Oil on panel 6 x 6 2023
