January Challenge

Happy New Year Everyone!

Let's loosen up and have some fun to start off the year. For this challenge we're going to look to the Post-Impressionists for inspiration.
From Wikipedia:
Post-Impressionists extended Impressionism while rejecting its limitations: they continued using vivid colours, thick application of paint, distinctive brush strokes, and real-life subject matter, but they were more inclined to emphasize geometric forms, to distort form for expressive effect, and to use unnatural or arbitrary colour.

To read more about Post-Impressionism and other art movements of the time (the Fauvists and Cubists for example), the rest of the article (with images) is here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-Impressionism

And here is a sampling of artwork from the Post-Imp. era -
Clockwise: Cezanne, Serusier, Matisse, another Matisse,
Gaugin, Signac and Bernard:


So, here's your challenge - Start with one of the photos below and create your own Post-Impressionist style painting. You may do just one, or more than one, or all of them!
Some ideas: Forget perspective and use colors to give a sense of foreground/background; Or don't worry about accurate color - see the Matisse portrait above; Maybe concentrate on lines and shapes - as in the Serusier above; Use a palette knife and thick slabs of paint; Or try a little Pointilism - see Signac above. The point is to try something different from your usual style... loosen up and experiment! The photograph is just your starting place - see how far you can take your painting - Don't be a slave to the photo.

Post your paintings in this thread, and please share your work-in-progress. Include some info; size, support and description of your technique/method.

See the next post for the photo references......

Tajikistan Woman by Steve Evans on Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/babasteve/1594066020/sizes/o/


Ginger by Steve Evans on Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/babasteve/518527225/sizes/o/


Red Flowers by Jonicdao on Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonicdao/2767742910/sizes/o/


Apples by Macinate on Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/macinate/2042796139/sizes/l/


Jon Sullivan/PD Photo - http://www.pdphoto.org/PictureDetail.php?mat=&pg=5163

Great challange Callie! Thank you! I'm off to study the portrait and the Post-Impressionism paintings to get some ideas.

I bet you do all of these before I even finish one!
Get creative and have some fun with it, this is the time to experiment and try something new.

Great Challenge Callie.

I've never used a palette knife so this might be a good time to try. Of course, I'm partial to cats and landscapes so I'll see what i can do with those.
Judy

Callie, I guess you know my marathon painting ways.

I went and found a panel and sketched something out right away when I saw you had already checked in here -I'm not getting left behind!
I think I'm going to try to do my first painting alla-prima - no fussing with layers/glazes, so maybe I'll do more than one this time.

I'm thinking of doing the lily pond, but don't be surprised if i use my own reference photo - I've got a few good ones of lily ponds. Hope that's ok.

What a wonderful challenge, I am thinking about the portrait its been years since I did any and then it was mostly with pencil but then again the cat would be fun.... oh the decisions....

So Who's going to be first Janet or Callie orrrrrr will someone else sneak in ahead of them? Not me, I can assure you, but I'll get there.

Judy

Callie is ahead so far I haven't even sketched anything yet. I'll need get to work at my painting tomorrow. Stupid swatches keep diverting my attention.

This is the lily pond photo I'll be using. Next step is to find a canvas. I've only got a 20x20 sq canvas left, but I don't want to wait two weeks till I get back from my trip to Calgary, and my art supply shopping spree. I do have an 11x14 painting due to go down the drain, so I could prep that canvas for this painting and make it my first for 2010, besides my mini daily paintings, of course.

Sofie , just as long as you stick to the theme of the challenge, the photo should be OK, especially since we're not going to be concerned with copying so much as putting our own "post-impressionist" spin on the subjects.

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

I'm finished the portrait. Canvas Paper 9X12. Sorry I'm a wee bit rusty.

Hey Sofie,

How about you share the other painting in Down The Drain before you cover it up for this one.

You've made me curious and I'm others, also.

Judy

OOp's I see Janet gets the prize for the first one...Only kidding

Janet!!!
Did you take your inspiration from Cezanne? Love the "chunky" paint, and her expression, too.

Guess I better quit experimenting with mine and get some paint on it!

Judy, I really wasn't expecting to be first this month. It felt great to paint again. It has been a while.

Callie, Thank you! I kinda reminds of Cezanne just he has better variation in color. One of the things I have to work on.

I really liked working on the canvas paper and I think I'll be sticking to that for a while. It certainly doesn't take up as much room as canvas.

What's there to be sorry about Janet? Your painting is beautiful. I love the expression you've caught in the girl's face.

Good idea, Judy.

Congrats Janet. I love the impressionistic feel.

I lightly sanded the painting, then wiped it with a damp cloth. This canvas was nice and toothy and I didn't want to lose that. I've done a magenta wash for my underpainting. The original shows through a bit, but that won't bother me. Hopefully I'll have time to start on the lily pond tomorrow.

Thank you Sofie and Dale!

Sofie, I'm looking forward to seeing your next update! That's an interesting color to start with.

Here's my first go at this - 11 x 14 in. on gesso-board:





I like the way a lot of Cezanne's subjects have dark outlines, so used that,
then emphasized the lines from the cardboard box and carton under the apples then went a little overboard with the color.
I might try this one again but with a different background/foreground.

Sofie - can't wait to see how the magenta works under your painting!

Callie, I love it! You really captured the Cezanne look and I think you improved on his style.

Callie,
Interesting approach. I'm still trying to figure what to do but I'll get there.
Judy

Callie - I like your use of design and colour!