 Featured Paintings Archive
Featured Paintings from 2005
Welcome to our Featured Paintings Archive. Clicking on any featured painting will take you to a selected high quality art instruction video workshop on DVD available for that artist.
“Contemplating an Egg 3” by Polly Hammett, Watercolor, 23” x 30”
Special thanks to Polly Hammett AWS DF, NWS. Her Creative Catalyst Productions' art instrucion video workshop is “Design With The Figure”
This is part of a series of art instruction videos in which the models were seated with a chair.
In this painting I (Lynn) liked the circle made by the face and upper arm that left 5 small angular negative shapes enclosed at the top of the page.
"For a strong design I disregard the local (actual) colors and values of my subject. I also ignore the light source - I want the lights and darks in my design to be where I choose to put them, rather than where they actually occur. If I am bound by the actual values and colors of my subject matter I'm unable to design effectively. By changing them I am able to design interesting and larger shapes.” by Polly Hammett, Watercolor, 23” x 30”
Lakers by Cheng-Khee Chee, AWS DF NWS, Watercolor, 22x30”, 1998
This painting by internationally acclaimed watercolor artist Cheng-Khee Chee, AWS DF, NWS (Professor Emeritus University of Minnesota, Deluth) is executed in his “traditional” watercolor style. In this Creative Catalyst Productions' art instruction video workshop Chee defines the traditional style as one in which the intention, or end result, is somewhat know. In other words, one works from a study or sketch.
Chee has developed a technique fitting the complicated subject matter. After an initial sketch and moistening his paper with water, Chee begins his painting with emotion, risk taking and intuition. He applies color rather quickly, blocking in large areas first and working toward detail.
The second half of the process involves his ‘rational side’. Chee evaluates and adjusts his painting using design principles and years of experience to arrive at a strong and result.
The amazing adjustments can be made due to Chee’s technique of applying color to moist paper during the first half of the process. The Traditional Watercolor Approach is the subject of Chee’s second Creative Catalyst Productions' art instruction video workshop of that same name.
More about Cheng-Khee.
“Koi” by Cheng-Khee Chee, AWS DF NWS
KOI 2004 No. 1 by Cheng-Khee Chee was painted using the saturated wet technique (the subject of Chee’s third Creative Catalyst Productions' art instruction video workshop). This technique is used with subjects that are generally light on a dark background and have soft edges. When painting fish, Chee strives to make the fish appear to be IN the water.
Cheng-Khee's process begins by moistening 300 pound cold-pressed watercolor paper with water. He then waits until the sheen is off and proceeds to apply pigments that have already been diluted to a creamy consistency. He uses his knowledge of design to balance the colors (warm vs cool) on the page. He then rocks his paper to softly blend the colors. He is careful to place non-staining colors under staining colors so the staining colors are more easily lifted later.
At this point Chee analyses his painting and decides on the placement of his subject. His thorough knowledge of Koi allows him great flexibility. Also, timing is critical. Chee waits until conditions are right to begin lifting out the fish shapes. If it is too moist, colors run. If it is too dry, edges become hard.
He then adds additional color to create a sense of depth and form. He finally adds detail using direct painting techniques and/or stencils.
The end result is a painting with movement, a sense of life and quiet activity. Clearly Cheng-Khee Chee has a deep affinity with his subject.
More information regarding Chee's technique may be found in his film and the small booklet The Work of Cheng-Khee Chee AWS DF NWS.
You can sign up for email notification as new films come out. Go to our home page and click "Newsletter Sign Up" to the right.
More about Cheng-Khee's new art instruction videos on DVD.
"Communion”, Oil pastel, 11" x 14"
Stephanie Neely
www.stephanieneely.com/
FIRST PLACE WINNER
Creative Catalyst Summer Art Show '05
Here's what Juror, Jan Kunz said about this painting:
This is a simple yet powerful painting. The artist is clearly at ease with flower forms, and at home handling the media (oil pastel). The dark and light patterns have been simplified to create a sense of strength and unity … and the silhoutte of the flowers to background is very satisfying. I especially enjoy the bold luscious color and frosty wet vases. They combine to evoke a strong, almost sensual response. There are problem areas (I sense that the bottom edge of the vase on the right should be a bit lower), but when you are in love it is easy to overlook small imperfections!
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Creative Catalyst Productions Inc.
