Dogme 95

In my first painting, I did a preliminary sketch and then in the painting, saved the whites, and worked with light layers of a limited palette. All that painstaking planning led to a very mediocre painting. I think I know why. Later, I was walking with a fellow painter to lunch, and she said she doesn't do value studies because they don't help her. I told her I always do a value study. Then I found myself thinking that when they work, they work, and the painting works. When they don't work, I will sometimes do the painting anyway.
!
Why? I don't know. I feel it'll be ok, and ignore the message the little thumbnail is giving me. I have almost never done a series of thumbnails to work something out. That's what they say you should do, that thye don't take long, they are quick and avoid potential problems. I give it a first shot - good or bad - and then attack my painting. That is what happened today. The value study had the same problems the painting does. Note to self: do a minimum of 4 value studies or thumbnail sketches. If the first one is meant to be the best, it will still be the best after the other 3 are done.
After that first painting, I had limited time before lunch, so didn't want to pack up and find a new spot. So, I turned my chair around and saw a stunning view - a path of water running alongside docked boats. Skipping the value study, I picked up the largest brush, told myself I would paint bold and just go for it. Lots of constraints led to no time to feel any pressure or be painstaking. Here it is.

I like how it sits dynamically and diagonally on the paper. The same limited palette as the first painting (not shown) was used, but applied boldly, it has a completely different effect.

The title Dogme 95 refers to a film movement in 1995 in Denmark called Dogme 95 in which a set of parameters were imposed, with the theory that with these constraints, creativity would flourish.



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Connected shadows

Faith vs. belief, and inspiration

Reversing the routine