I love it when people think Sargent is the GOAT. He is really the GOAT. GOAT of the GOATs. Absolute GOAT. I'd never thought I'd be fanatic for a painter.
Nah, I think Rambrandt was the best tbh. Although it’s difficult to say a “best” I feel like Rembrandts spanned the whole of all techniques and new the medium through and through, while being a genius and thoughtful painter.
Hi Ogulcan, I agree with you either a 33% or a 100% depending how you look at it. I have a trilogy of favorite painters, Sargent, Velazquez and Sorolla. Sure, I’m bias to Spanish painters, however the three painters are interconnected and there are elements connecting them. Velazquez, the first one with this style, both Sargent and Sorolla drew from him, a painter 250 years ahead of his time. Sargent knew and advised Sorolla. I would recommend, if you want to check the artwork of these other 2 painters. Thank you.
That turned out really nice. I especially love the eyes, and the hair line. It is as you stated, Sargent teaches us what is necessary and what not. This is very visible in his watercolour paintings, like white ships. His portraits are incredibly realistic, but the watercolour paintings are so minimalistic. He didn't paint it all, he used brush and paper to tell our perception what he intended to show us. This is the magic that I love about John Singer Sargent.
When you use the term “drawing’ you are meaning putting in outlines with your brush and oils as you proceed, yes? I didn’t see a preliminary sketch on the canvas before you began applying paint. I’ve seen painters do this, but it almost seems like a super-power to me 🙂 . I got that you were checking periodically using a snap and photoshop, but to get proportions and placement so well is rather incredible. You painted this beautifully, and I basically agree in your sentiments about John Singer Sargent. Great master study.
Precisely! I use 'drawing' to mean the lines and shapes I put down on the canvas, and in what arrangement proportion to achieve accuracy relative to my subject. I just happen to be 'drawing' with the paint. :)
Agreed. These aren’t really tutorials so much as ‘hey, watch me paint’ videos. Her talent is marvelous but not really something that is meant to be picked up by the casual painter
Chelsea, you are amazing! I’ve been an artist for many years, selling my first painting in 1974 for $250. My work now sells for thousands, yet you are so much better Artist than me, it’s embarrassing to me. Thank you for your videos! I’ve learned so much from you! Ever since I visited the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, I’ve been totally obsessed with wanting to paint like John Sargent. You are helping me loosen up, relax and paint much better. You’re the best!……and I mean that literally! ❤
Sargent, a very good painter indeed, very close to Sorolla or Madrazo. I would have been a worthy student of them, being able to get rid of the corseting and rigidity typical of British and American culture. It's a shame that, having been to Spain and France, I didn't make it.
You are a very gifted painter! John Singer Sargent is a relative of mine. That was mind blowing. On my grandmothers side. We just found out last month. I love how you structure your work. Very, very nice painting.
@@georgebyron468 Yes, if you are a painter and someone tells you that "you have a gift", it's insulting. I ask, if I know the answer already, "did you "get a gift" to become a computer programmer or software engineer, or did it take a lot of study, practice, and hard work to become proficient at your craft"? ;D
I've been to the museum of fine arts in Boston, just to see Sargeant up close. Your video lecture was amazing. Some of my many takeaways, in no particular order 1) Noticing the transparent parts 2) Getting the drawing right and how to check 3) Freedom to focus on brushwork, edges and transitional nuances 4) Sergeant's understated style and understanding of how we process visual information 5) The importance of master studies 6) He did not glaze over his underpainting 7) Once you have the drawing, leave it alone (the hardest part for me) 8) Moving from starting out with simple linear brushstrokes to more organic strokes 9) Plan your painting PS - I loved seeing 'The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit' in Boston up close; it is huge. Could you perhaps talk about his palette in one of your videos and what sort of brushes, media he may have used with his paint if this is known. I hope to take your course in the Fall. How long did it take to do this study and did you take a break or do it all in one shot? Thanks very much.
Sargent is one of my favorites and always love watching master studies. Frederic Remington is also one of my favorites, especially his nocturnes. Nice work! Thanks for sharing.
I've enjoyed your video on style and techniques in alla prima oil painting. Thank you for your story and exceptional suggestions which I found delightful, as well as helpful. Thank You.
When I was teaching myself how to digital paint (Which I still don't use undo, reshape, etc.) There were two ways I tried painting. 1. Detailed drawing and painting in the sections 2. Starting with shapes and slowly getting the painting. The second one resonated with me so much. I felt free and alive. I didn't care about how close the likeness was. I was hitting 70% likeness, then 85%, then 88%. (I don't use undo, or reshape it to the likeness. I use strokes over it to correct it. Like an actual painter. I only use my eyes.). I once did get up to 91% likeness, but the mental toll and time it took on me, I'll revisit that later. The higher on likeness one tries to obtain, it becomes exponentially harder to do so. (Nobody in the world can achieve 100% likeness) You have to make compromises with your brain. Yes you have to have an inner dialogue to it and reason with your brain. First one has to make sure they have a great brush-brain connection before doing so to remove that problem from the equation. The last thing usually causing the inaccurate work is your brain wanting to take in the data and simplifying it in a way you don't want to. So while you are painting you must constantly intercept the brains natural ability to simplify the data it is receiving then interpreted yourself consciously. Then paint it on the canvas. If not you'll be painting the brains simplified representation of it. It is why I switch my eyes back and forth quickly from the subject to the canvas. It allows me to stream in the data constantly, giving me time to intercept it and not let the brain take it and process it. Every time your eyes stare at the canvas for more than 4 seconds, you are letting the brains simplified version be painted on to it. Many master artists know about the brains ability to trick them. So to combat this they learn/use many tools like anatomy, projectors, photoshop, paint multiple studies on things, etc. Constantly intercepting the data and interpreting it before the brain simplifies it is mentally taxing. Once these multiple tools are fleshed out, they reassure us about how things should be and allows us to let the brain super simplify the data. Only intercepting the most critical pieces of data. Then they later modify it with the knowledge we have. "I know that there are muscles here that link like this.", "The nose should have these structures here". I won't lie to you when I started painting landscapes and cityscapes, it was mentally taxing as I didn't know what was causing the 3D effect. The paintings came out great but it was mentally taxing and grueling. Then I started to learn about perspective. Everything now made sense. Horizon line/eye level, vanishing points, 1,2,3 point perspectives, etc. I didn't have to intercept the data from the brain and interpret it on the spot. Now I knew how to make a rough sketch of the 3D world and knew what to add and leave out to sell the feel of 3D. So what I think would be optimal is learn enough skills so that we know what to let the brain simplify and later modify with our knowledge. (Which we will do for most of the painting as it's not mentally taxing) Then knowing what data in the critical parts of the painting we need to intercept from the brain that should not be filtered. (I usually do this at the beginning to get the right form and proportions of the shapes. Then near the ending of the painting for the details) Hmm...I wanted to say what I wanted below but this thing about seeing what's truly in front of us and not a brain simplification took over. You can stop here if you ant lol. This type of painting style sargent has is easy to understand and the steps to getting to it. We all have done so and have the ability in us. So for some reason I remembered what I did to recognize people or things when I don't have my glasses on. People's faces are a blur to me after like 3 ft away and just alien even further away. However there was lights and shadows. I realized that everything without my glasses were objects and the way light reacted to those objects. They are not trees, people, books, tables, just alien objects that surround me. I put back on my glasses and went back thinking I was painting alien objects. I stopped drawing before painting. I use shapes to place features proportions etc. like how I saw it without my glasses. I use like two dark shapes for the eye sockets a dark shape for the nose and mouth. Mid tones of course. Then other shapes for the jawline, forehead, hair, etc. Once I get those right, All I have to do is put down strokes on top that form. Then slightly smaller strokes. Then even more smaller strokes. At a certain point the shapes start to become something that I recognize as a thing in life. THAT'S when I know it's time to start adding the details like eyes, nose, mouth, etc. Just know, I am placing shapes on the painting that is at the place and around the eyes, nose and mouth, etc. For example, The eye area, I place the upper lash shape, then a lower lash shape, then the side nose shape, then smaller shapes on those. Then I put the white(actually a grey) of the eye to give me some context later. I always do the eyes almost last. I put down shapes on an alien object until the whole thing is something or someone I recognize. If it's not, I just keep going down to smaller shapes. Then I barely have to do any type of drawing lol. I put the details in the areas that matter most. Like the eyes. I like doing this over placing a detailed drawing and painting into it. The reason is because it feels like I am pulling things into existence. Using my brains ability to pull up the bare minimum to make things recognizable. When painting like this, I can ignore areas that are not the focal point and it makes it look like it's out of focus. Then put the details in the areas of focus. It's a byproduct that gives it a certain feel to it that I can't explain. I am nowhere near sergent. I place down 50 strokes compared to his one that shouldn't even be needed because of my inexperience. I still linger around 85% likeness. However I do see and know how he lowered his stroke amount and why he made those strokes. I don't have the experience yet to do that. The likeness is won or lost at the very beginning of the painting when I make the foundation/(raw form) of the alien object in front of me. Also thinking about things as an alien object helped me get good at color matching as well. Now I have to develop my overall art skills to reduce my stroke amount. Once I know how things should be. Boy I hope that made sense. I know probably 2 people will read this but hopefully it gives them some sort of insight.
I am your first person, this is a great read man! It resonates so much with they way I think about painting, (my ideas heavily revolved around the actual human perception, not only on a visual level I hope). Can we get in touch?>
@@rumenplamenov733 Thanks for reading. Unfortunately, I am still on the start of my art journey and am still learning the fundamentals. I haven't given myself into it yet. To make it into a career. So I probably wouldn't be of help. However, there are other artists who also have came to similar conclusions. They even have been doing art for years and have a far solid foundation on the fundamentals. They could probably help you grow fast. I am still trying to stabilize myself. I write these as I continue to learn and make breakthroughs. So that people who are also on their art journey have a different perspective to see things. They can try it out and if it works, keep it, but if it doesn't move on.
Both ways of approaching painting are good. And the conclusions you arrived at (the other one was about perception and our brain: fighting brain's perception and tendency to form particular shapes in our mind, and sticking to such "pre made" ideas which stop us from being really analytic: this is why painters often do a horizontal flip of the canvas (constantly!) or use the zoom to see as a tiny thumbnail, in digital, or in traditional, just get far from the picture to see it from far, often, or even put the physical canvas upside down (can't horizontal flip, but u can use a mirror!!) , as all that helps the brain to catch the errors, to which the brain was sticking to. Getting up and making some tea or going for a walk (even better, tho not excluding, can do both) also helps -- enormously, and is good for your eyes and overall health-- to disconnect, and come back with fresh eyes which will help you to spot many if not all the mistakes. Indeed, you'll review this picture in one month, and will even catch new mistakes. That's totally normal, and will be a sign also that your art and perception is improving, so never be sad of catching errors! People get sad, while should be happy! It means your perception and ability are improving. About one thing you mentioned : while anatomy and perspective studies (AND PRACTICE) will help to combat the brain's bad habits, these are (while absolutely essential) only helpers: you still will always have to be vigilant in training the brain to analyze and compare everything with everything. Even having very solid anatomy and perspective, it does not avoid that need of being vigilant and analytic. It all (what you said) coincides with established techniques that work well (so, kudos! as it seems you discovered the path on your own). IMO, it is overall essential to *GO FROM GENERAL TO SPECIFIC* (I make it bold and all caps as is the most important thing at least in the art of drawing, probably the most important take in my whole comment), never start detailing , in drawing and painting, this is an universal truth and almost no way around it, whatever the technique you use. Students fall for this in every case, almost. But... You can go with any of these two ways... : starting with a previous drawing that after some rough basic volumes you go detailed, and only quite later on start painting, or, instead, just putting in your big paint strokes/masses for a start. I'd say the first is better for people not having a ton of control already in composition, drawing, anatomy and perspective. Building with big masses of paint directly (with no previous drawing), or (drawing) laying generic enough drawing lines (not starting to detail an eye before all is place in their main volumes and perspective) is equally good. But it is also important to realize that if we use even grayscale masses in our painting (indeed, helps to see the values easier than if starting directly with color, but again, is not one or the other , both ways are also good. A bunch of people can establish well the values just going direct to color) , this can help tremendously with getting from the first moment the scene lighting and feel, the vibe, also the contrast and range of values, and the composition, all of this being *very* important to get already at the beginning. Due to this, my very personal opinion is that it is a very good technique to start with a detailed drawing but also just after that, with a large masses of paint in grayscale mode. Non excluding between them, so : I most often start with a very detailed drawing (first doing only very simple rough shapes and volumes, details must be added progressively, a bit at a time in all areas, not focus in one part (like the head, etc) and leave all the rest in "level zero", as that will cause many errors and bad habits). And once my drawing is solid, not leaving stuff to be drawn, then I create a new a layer (yep! you can use layers, and undo! it will not diminish your painting capabilities once you go back to traditional (trust me on this), like other things like tracing photos or only mindlessly copying other people's art would do. Undo and layers only speed up your work, but are not slowing your progress as a painter) , layer which I place over the drawing layer, to paint big masses of grayscale values. I want to set there my highest bright areas and lights (often is not pure white), and my very darkest tones (rarely pitch black, as well, but don't be shy: you need BIG contrast: don't be afraid to use very dark tones and quite bright areas, it will indeed help you greatly), so that I know what range of tones I do have in the middle and establish entirely the lighting on the scene, and which tones do I have to deal with in the whole scene, often great when looking for a dramatic or effective lighting (which is super frequent, in painting). It also helps enormously with overall scene composition and contrast. After that, even often just for speed's sake (but could do just in the same gray scale layer) I start painting color in a third layer. And from there is, just paint and paint. :) This all is particularly good when inventing a scene (which is one of the best ways of improving, although drawing is all about observation of references, to be able to later on "draw from memory"), rather than copying from a painting or a photo. And it might not seem so, but this is not that different to how a traditional painter works (I was one, a big part of my life). But... this is not the be all and end all way. It is one way more. Just a very good one which works very well for me, but I sometimes just start painting big masses of color without any drawing (often not a good idea, some scene planning at least is needed) , and other times I just do a detailed drawing and start later on with color, skipping the gray scale masses stage. These are though, tried and proved methods. The grayscale masses thing is sth used often by concept artists to generate fast thumbnails of painted work (specially landscapes, backgrounds, big camera shots), so that very fast they can decide on the mood, lighting and emotion of the scene (they focus a lot on contrast), much earlier than starting to do any sort of detail. They will often draw many small grayscale thumbnails instead of large canvases, and even compare them in a grid or canvas. This way they can decide for the better lighting and composition, and the best contrast. People beginning, students, will instead do one only sketch, stick with it, and find out at the end that the lighting or contrast, or even composition, is not right, or etc. It is not rare as well to let the brain stick with its pre conceived shapes, and only realize much later on that the entire piece has a problem with the proportions or anatomy of a character, or perspective, etc. That's why the "staying vigilant" is crucial, flipping the canvas, etc, and mostly, training your brain to be analytic (as that does the same than flipping the canvas) One very very key thing tho, is to not _over think_ (we expose ourselves so to the risk of freezing, and then doing nothing, procrastinate, and then think we aren't good, etc, etc) it about how you are going to paint, and just paint a lot. This always wins. That and the most important thing of ALL: enjoying it!
The question of originality is a good one. Supposing that an aspiring painter could perfectly get the drawing and colors from a masters work. Our personalities always emerge in our work. Individuality is never lost and it'll emerge more and more as we mature..That's my humble opinion..
Very interesting and wonderful to watch. I so agree with your estimation. He was such a genius in the league of Titian. "Pour devenir une grand artiste il faut etre; il faut rester fruste des connaissances.."
Good for you for going against your initial reaction or assumptoon, that is maturity. It might seem minor but i applaud your open mind. I saw the sargeant exhibit at MFA this year, such a pleasure!
Chelsea, I've watched so many painting vlogs and I have to say yours is by far and away the very best. Thank you I've learnt so much and today managed to paint as loose as I have been trying for months!
Chelsea, I am so glad to have found you. Thank you for your passion for painting and sharing what you learn with the world. I am almost ready to sign up for your master class…Love Carolyn Anderson and Quang Ho. Tibor Nagy another idol. Very much appreciate how much you see our progress within reach.
Thank you for sharing your process! Several years ago, while visiting one of the Newport mansions on a family trip, I bought a large coffee table book of a collection of Sargent portraits and landscapes called, Sargent Paints Artists and Friends (or something to that effect), and I still look at and copy these drawings and paintings all these years later (it may have been 8 years ago). 👨🏼🎨🎨
I loved watching this lecture. You make something complicated look easier I know it isn't. I was blown away thank you for sharing your gift! I subscribed to all your videos.
Great video!! I don’t think Sargent made a mistake with the ear though….One of his methods was to slightly overpaint the edges then use the background color to cut them in to create a sharp edge in some areas or to fuse the flesh tone with the background color in other areas.
Very impressive. Very informative. Is it unusual for a really good artist, as you obviously are, to be so articulate and capable of descriptive analysis? Bracing! Thank you for the inspiration!
My mom was an art teacher in a southern CA junior high and had this man’s granddaughter in her class one year. Since then every time I visit my parents, I find myself staring at the painting of a parrot signed Taryn Sargent, thinking to myself, “Artistic ability may yet prove to be genetic…” Your master study was a master class that produced a masterpiece. You should consider offering an Oil Portrait Forgery 101 course.
Well done, Chelsea! Gorgeous master study and top marks for two-handed brushwork and for not pouring your varnish directly on the painting, LOL! Beautiful painting! Great job!!!
Great video! Thank you so much! For the tip with photoshop I’d suggest using iPad/procreate for those that have it, basically the same but quicker as you can take the photo with the iPad itself and procreate is very user friendly for quick things like that!
Hello. I just stumbled on this video. Amazing!!! Already subscribed. I'm always curious about the color palette he used and , in this case, that you used?
Sargent is my personal fav. portrait & figurative painter, but when you consider Fechin, Velazquez, Whistler, the Wyeths, Winslow Homer and many others, as well as the variety of subject matter in which they triumphed, and easily matched or in some cases surpassed Sargent, landscapes, busy scenes, cities, weather, imaginary etc... it's not really fair to refer to anyone as "The GOAT" in art. But I'm glad he's your fav., mine too!
Sargent may not have painted in glazes, but he did paint in layers. I was looking at two of his paintings today at the De Young museum in San Francisco, today. I could see very direct scumbling layers. These layers were defintely painted over dried paint layers. He was not all Ali Prima.
Nice, I like/do the direct or Alla Prima technique, for portraiture (I also do plein air landscapes) like Sargent, Zorn, and Sorolla practiced, Rembrandt too I guess, going that far back, as opposed to those few on You Tube (you know them) who seem to "color" in an image little bit by bit, mm by mm, leaving much of the canvas blank as they go, sort of the way they use to teach us in kindergarten, in a coloring book, with a picture all draw in. LOL. This, yours, is classically painting, God only knows what the other "system" is called, but they seem to have a great following, as the old "snake oil" salesmen did too, I guess! ;D LOL
Hello Chelsea, Your video was excellent and very helpful. Do you offer an instruction video on the technique of Howard Terpning? I am always trying to learn his style and procedures. thank you, Jeff Joseph
Hi Jeffrey, I don't have a video on Terpning, but helping artists to unpack the styles of their favorite artists and bring it into their own work is precisely what I do! If you'd like to find out more I'd highly suggest checking out the masterclass that I linked in the description of this video. :) If it sounds like what you're looking for, I'd love to speak with you about working together.
Great video and painting! Very insightful, but would also like to ask where/when you used spirits or medium, if at all. Sure looks like you were using some medium. Can you share?
I know I'm a year late but if you are talking about how she was able to get a very thick oil paint to look transparent like watercolor almost, I believe she use some kind of paint thinner for the underpainting and some kind of solvent medium for the initial drawing. Highly recommend for using oil paints especially for the underpainting 🙌🙌🙌
re: the ear on the left I'm not sure it was necessarily a drawing correction per se that led to sargent marking the bg in that area. he may have just been sharpening the edge. also, the background next to the ear on the right side has a cool note that (at least to my eye) suggests the inclusion of a small amount of opaque or semi opaque white in that area. none of this os important, or has much bearing on what youre saying in the video, just my thoughts and observations. as always, love the content.
Looks great! What s the surface you are paining on? in a recent alla prima workshop i used oil prime linen and was fighting the extremely surface , then i switched to gesso board Ampersand and that was better but very absorbent. I used Raymar at one point but mighty expensive!!!
What did you use to dilute the paint to create the first background layer? I tried using linseed oil to create a thin layer of pain but it created a bunch of spotting on my canvas 😢
Very informative. Are you working with a standard palette or one personal to yourself or are the colours selected in relationship to the actual study. Painters from different locations but there are to me some similarities between his work and Boldini's subjects.
One sec, but he says himself that he always started by blocking in mids and then worked out of the mids in pairs of tone - the next darkest value and the next lightest and so on until the the deepest tones were added. He also defiantly didn't use washes, he used excessive amounts of paint by all accounts, very slightly thinned with linseed and turps.
Sargent is a master of giving the eye what it needs, no more, no less
Details in the face; vagueness in the clothing.
I love it when people think Sargent is the GOAT. He is really the GOAT. GOAT of the GOATs. Absolute GOAT. I'd never thought I'd be fanatic for a painter.
Nah, I think Rambrandt was the best tbh.
Although it’s difficult to say a “best”
I feel like Rembrandts spanned the whole of all techniques and new the medium through and through, while being a genius and thoughtful painter.
Hi Ogulcan, I agree with you either a 33% or a 100% depending how you look at it. I have a trilogy of favorite painters, Sargent, Velazquez and Sorolla. Sure, I’m bias to Spanish painters, however the three painters are interconnected and there are elements connecting them. Velazquez, the first one with this style, both Sargent and Sorolla drew from him, a painter 250 years ahead of his time. Sargent knew and advised Sorolla. I would recommend, if you want to check the artwork of these other 2 painters. Thank you.
Eastern European realists simply existing
Sargent is a GOAT no doubt specially with his Alla prima style, but for me personally i think Bouguereau is the GOAT-est GOAT!!!
I think William Adolph Bouguereau is at the pinnacle
That turned out really nice. I especially love the eyes, and the hair line. It is as you stated, Sargent teaches us what is necessary and what not. This is very visible in his watercolour paintings, like white ships. His portraits are incredibly realistic, but the watercolour paintings are so minimalistic. He didn't paint it all, he used brush and paper to tell our perception what he intended to show us. This is the magic that I love about John Singer Sargent.
When you use the term “drawing’ you are meaning putting in outlines with your brush and oils as you proceed, yes? I didn’t see a preliminary sketch on the canvas before you began applying paint. I’ve seen painters do this, but it almost seems like a super-power to me 🙂 . I got that you were checking periodically using a snap and photoshop, but to get proportions and placement so well is rather incredible. You painted this beautifully, and I basically agree in your sentiments about John Singer Sargent. Great master study.
Precisely! I use 'drawing' to mean the lines and shapes I put down on the canvas, and in what arrangement proportion to achieve accuracy relative to my subject. I just happen to be 'drawing' with the paint. :)
Agreed. These aren’t really tutorials so much as ‘hey, watch me paint’ videos. Her talent is marvelous but not really something that is meant to be picked up by the casual painter
Chelsea, you are amazing! I’ve been an artist for many years, selling my first painting in 1974 for $250. My work now sells for thousands, yet you are so much better Artist than me, it’s embarrassing to me. Thank you for your videos! I’ve learned so much from you! Ever since I visited the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, I’ve been totally obsessed with wanting to paint like John Sargent. You are helping me loosen up, relax and paint much better. You’re the best!……and I mean that literally! ❤
She has done it in less than 30-40 mins? That is great talent & brush work. Definitely impressive
Sargent, a very good painter indeed, very close to Sorolla or Madrazo. I would have been a worthy student of them, being able to get rid of the corseting and rigidity typical of British and American culture. It's a shame that, having been to Spain and France, I didn't make it.
lreally like the way you hold your brush and thereby your movements of brush on canvas....this is poetic to me
You are a very gifted painter! John Singer Sargent is a relative of mine. That was mind blowing. On my grandmothers side. We just found out last month. I love how you structure your work. Very, very nice painting.
thats so cool. what's your grandmothers last name?
Id say instead of gifted Chelsea puts in the work as Sargent did. Cool you're related to the him. ;-)
@@georgebyron468 Yes, if you are a painter and someone tells you that "you have a gift", it's insulting. I ask, if I know the answer already, "did you "get a gift" to become a computer programmer or software engineer, or did it take a lot of study, practice, and hard work to become proficient at your craft"? ;D
I love watching your process in your paintings. So cool to see how everything comes to life. Great master study!
Sargent is the master of economy of detail. He paints as the eye sees. Indeed the GOAT
Brilliant. To paint well is one of the greatest gifts. You got lucky in life (and yes, i am sure you work hard),
just gorgeous..and very encouraging! I would love to try a Sargent master study.
Oh, my! Oh, my! These is the kind of video I was looking for... I was waiting for!!! Thanks a lot.
ur study blew my mind away.. thats sooo awesome.. i see u have the same magic in ur hands like JSS had..
I've been to the museum of fine arts in Boston, just to see Sargeant up close. Your video lecture was amazing. Some of my many takeaways, in no particular order
1) Noticing the transparent parts
2) Getting the drawing right and how to check
3) Freedom to focus on brushwork, edges and transitional nuances
4) Sergeant's understated style and understanding of how we process visual information
5) The importance of master studies
6) He did not glaze over his underpainting
7) Once you have the drawing, leave it alone (the hardest part for me)
8) Moving from starting out with simple linear brushstrokes to more organic strokes
9) Plan your painting
PS - I loved seeing 'The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit' in Boston up close; it is huge.
Could you perhaps talk about his palette in one of your videos and what sort of brushes, media he may have used with his paint if this is known. I hope to take your course in the Fall. How long did it take to do this study and did you take a break or do it all in one shot?
Thanks very much.
Very cool! His application method has made him an absolute legend.
Sargent is one of my favorites and always love watching master studies. Frederic Remington is also one of my favorites, especially his nocturnes. Nice work! Thanks for sharing.
not only nice the way she did paint this work was amazing so simple so strong at the same time
I've enjoyed your video on style and techniques in alla prima oil painting. Thank you for your story and exceptional suggestions which I found delightful, as well as helpful. Thank You.
When I was teaching myself how to digital paint (Which I still don't use undo, reshape, etc.) There were two ways I tried painting.
1. Detailed drawing and painting in the sections
2. Starting with shapes and slowly getting the painting.
The second one resonated with me so much. I felt free and alive. I didn't care about how close the likeness was. I was hitting 70% likeness, then 85%, then 88%. (I don't use undo, or reshape it to the likeness. I use strokes over it to correct it. Like an actual painter. I only use my eyes.). I once did get up to 91% likeness, but the mental toll and time it took on me, I'll revisit that later. The higher on likeness one tries to obtain, it becomes exponentially harder to do so. (Nobody in the world can achieve 100% likeness) You have to make compromises with your brain. Yes you have to have an inner dialogue to it and reason with your brain. First one has to make sure they have a great brush-brain connection before doing so to remove that problem from the equation. The last thing usually causing the inaccurate work is your brain wanting to take in the data and simplifying it in a way you don't want to. So while you are painting you must constantly intercept the brains natural ability to simplify the data it is receiving then interpreted yourself consciously. Then paint it on the canvas. If not you'll be painting the brains simplified representation of it. It is why I switch my eyes back and forth quickly from the subject to the canvas. It allows me to stream in the data constantly, giving me time to intercept it and not let the brain take it and process it. Every time your eyes stare at the canvas for more than 4 seconds, you are letting the brains simplified version be painted on to it.
Many master artists know about the brains ability to trick them. So to combat this they learn/use many tools like anatomy, projectors, photoshop, paint multiple studies on things, etc. Constantly intercepting the data and interpreting it before the brain simplifies it is mentally taxing. Once these multiple tools are fleshed out, they reassure us about how things should be and allows us to let the brain super simplify the data. Only intercepting the most critical pieces of data. Then they later modify it with the knowledge we have. "I know that there are muscles here that link like this.", "The nose should have these structures here". I won't lie to you when I started painting landscapes and cityscapes, it was mentally taxing as I didn't know what was causing the 3D effect. The paintings came out great but it was mentally taxing and grueling. Then I started to learn about perspective. Everything now made sense. Horizon line/eye level, vanishing points, 1,2,3 point perspectives, etc. I didn't have to intercept the data from the brain and interpret it on the spot. Now I knew how to make a rough sketch of the 3D world and knew what to add and leave out to sell the feel of 3D.
So what I think would be optimal is learn enough skills so that we know what to let the brain simplify and later modify with our knowledge. (Which we will do for most of the painting as it's not mentally taxing) Then knowing what data in the critical parts of the painting we need to intercept from the brain that should not be filtered. (I usually do this at the beginning to get the right form and proportions of the shapes. Then near the ending of the painting for the details)
Hmm...I wanted to say what I wanted below but this thing about seeing what's truly in front of us and not a brain simplification took over. You can stop here if you ant lol.
This type of painting style sargent has is easy to understand and the steps to getting to it. We all have done so and have the ability in us. So for some reason I remembered what I did to recognize people or things when I don't have my glasses on. People's faces are a blur to me after like 3 ft away and just alien even further away. However there was lights and shadows. I realized that everything without my glasses were objects and the way light reacted to those objects. They are not trees, people, books, tables, just alien objects that surround me.
I put back on my glasses and went back thinking I was painting alien objects. I stopped drawing before painting. I use shapes to place features proportions etc. like how I saw it without my glasses. I use like two dark shapes for the eye sockets a dark shape for the nose and mouth. Mid tones of course. Then other shapes for the jawline, forehead, hair, etc. Once I get those right, All I have to do is put down strokes on top that form. Then slightly smaller strokes. Then even more smaller strokes.
At a certain point the shapes start to become something that I recognize as a thing in life. THAT'S when I know it's time to start adding the details like eyes, nose, mouth, etc. Just know, I am placing shapes on the painting that is at the place and around the eyes, nose and mouth, etc. For example, The eye area, I place the upper lash shape, then a lower lash shape, then the side nose shape, then smaller shapes on those. Then I put the white(actually a grey) of the eye to give me some context later. I always do the eyes almost last. I put down shapes on an alien object until the whole thing is something or someone I recognize. If it's not, I just keep going down to smaller shapes. Then I barely have to do any type of drawing lol. I put the details in the areas that matter most. Like the eyes.
I like doing this over placing a detailed drawing and painting into it. The reason is because it feels like I am pulling things into existence. Using my brains ability to pull up the bare minimum to make things recognizable. When painting like this, I can ignore areas that are not the focal point and it makes it look like it's out of focus. Then put the details in the areas of focus. It's a byproduct that gives it a certain feel to it that I can't explain.
I am nowhere near sergent. I place down 50 strokes compared to his one that shouldn't even be needed because of my inexperience. I still linger around 85% likeness. However I do see and know how he lowered his stroke amount and why he made those strokes. I don't have the experience yet to do that.
The likeness is won or lost at the very beginning of the painting when I make the foundation/(raw form) of the alien object in front of me. Also thinking about things as an alien object helped me get good at color matching as well. Now I have to develop my overall art skills to reduce my stroke amount. Once I know how things should be.
Boy I hope that made sense. I know probably 2 people will read this but hopefully it gives them some sort of insight.
I am your first person, this is a great read man! It resonates so much with they way I think about painting, (my ideas heavily revolved around the actual human perception, not only on a visual level I hope). Can we get in touch?>
thank you for this
@@rumenplamenov733 Thanks for reading. Unfortunately, I am still on the start of my art journey and am still learning the fundamentals. I haven't given myself into it yet. To make it into a career. So I probably wouldn't be of help. However, there are other artists who also have came to similar conclusions. They even have been doing art for years and have a far solid foundation on the fundamentals. They could probably help you grow fast. I am still trying to stabilize myself. I write these as I continue to learn and make breakthroughs. So that people who are also on their art journey have a different perspective to see things. They can try it out and if it works, keep it, but if it doesn't move on.
thank u man，I read this article using translation software
Both ways of approaching painting are good. And the conclusions you arrived at (the other one was about perception and our brain: fighting brain's perception and tendency to form particular shapes in our mind, and sticking to such "pre made" ideas which stop us from being really analytic: this is why painters often do a horizontal flip of the canvas (constantly!)
or use the zoom to see as a tiny thumbnail, in digital, or in traditional, just get far from the picture to see it from far, often, or even put the physical canvas upside down (can't horizontal flip, but u can use a mirror!!) , as all that helps the brain to catch the errors, to which the brain was sticking to. Getting up and making some tea or going for a walk (even better, tho not excluding, can do both) also helps -- enormously, and is good for your eyes and overall health-- to disconnect, and come back with fresh eyes which will help you to spot many if not all the mistakes. Indeed, you'll review this picture in one month, and will even catch new mistakes. That's totally normal, and will be a sign also that your art and perception is improving, so never be sad of catching errors! People get sad, while should be happy! It means your perception and ability are improving.
About one thing you mentioned : while anatomy and perspective studies (AND PRACTICE) will help to combat the brain's bad habits, these are (while absolutely essential) only helpers: you still will always have to be vigilant in training the brain to analyze and compare everything with everything. Even having very solid anatomy and perspective, it does not avoid that need of being vigilant and analytic.
It all (what you said) coincides with established techniques that work well (so, kudos! as it seems you discovered the path on your own). IMO, it is overall essential to *GO FROM GENERAL TO SPECIFIC* (I make it bold and all caps as is the most important thing at least in the art of drawing, probably the most important take in my whole comment), never start detailing , in drawing and painting, this is an universal truth and almost no way around it, whatever the technique you use. Students fall for this in every case, almost.
But... You can go with any of these two ways... : starting with a previous drawing that after some rough basic volumes you go detailed, and only quite later on start painting, or, instead, just putting in your big paint strokes/masses for a start. I'd say the first is better for people not having a ton of control already in composition, drawing, anatomy and perspective. Building with big masses of paint directly (with no previous drawing), or (drawing) laying generic enough drawing lines (not starting to detail an eye before all is place in their main volumes and perspective) is equally good. But it is also important to realize that if we use even grayscale masses in our painting (indeed, helps to see the values easier than if starting directly with color, but again, is not one or the other , both ways are also good. A bunch of people can establish well the values just going direct to color) , this can help tremendously with getting from the first moment the scene lighting and feel, the vibe, also the contrast and range of values, and the composition, all of this being *very* important to get already at the beginning. Due to this, my very personal opinion is that it is a very good technique to start with a detailed drawing but also just after that, with a large masses of paint in grayscale mode. Non excluding between them, so : I most often start with a very detailed drawing (first doing only very simple rough shapes and volumes, details must be added progressively, a bit at a time in all areas, not focus in one part (like the head, etc) and leave all the rest in "level zero", as that will cause many errors and bad habits). And once my drawing is solid, not leaving stuff to be drawn, then I create a new a layer (yep! you can use layers, and undo! it will not diminish your painting capabilities once you go back to traditional (trust me on this), like other things like tracing photos or only mindlessly copying other people's art would do. Undo and layers only speed up your work, but are not slowing your progress as a painter) , layer which I place over the drawing layer, to paint big masses of grayscale values. I want to set there my highest bright areas and lights (often is not pure white), and my very darkest tones (rarely pitch black, as well, but don't be shy: you need BIG contrast: don't be afraid to use very dark tones and quite bright areas, it will indeed help you greatly), so that I know what range of tones I do have in the middle and establish entirely the lighting on the scene, and which tones do I have to deal with in the whole scene, often great when looking for a dramatic or effective lighting (which is super frequent, in painting). It also helps enormously with overall scene composition and contrast. After that, even often just for speed's sake (but could do just in the same gray scale layer) I start painting color in a third layer. And from there is, just paint and paint. :)
This all is particularly good when inventing a scene (which is one of the best ways of improving, although drawing is all about observation of references, to be able to later on "draw from memory"), rather than copying from a painting or a photo.
And it might not seem so, but this is not that different to how a traditional painter works (I was one, a big part of my life).
But... this is not the be all and end all way. It is one way more. Just a very good one which works very well for me, but I sometimes just start painting big masses of color without any drawing (often not a good idea, some scene planning at least is needed) , and other times I just do a detailed drawing and start later on with color, skipping the gray scale masses stage.
These are though, tried and proved methods. The grayscale masses thing is sth used often by concept artists to generate fast thumbnails of painted work (specially landscapes, backgrounds, big camera shots), so that very fast they can decide on the mood, lighting and emotion of the scene (they focus a lot on contrast), much earlier than starting to do any sort of detail. They will often draw many small grayscale thumbnails instead of large canvases, and even compare them in a grid or canvas. This way they can decide for the better lighting and composition, and the best contrast. People beginning, students, will instead do one only sketch, stick with it, and find out at the end that the lighting or contrast, or even composition, is not right, or etc. It is not rare as well to let the brain stick with its pre conceived shapes, and only realize much later on that the entire piece has a problem with the proportions or anatomy of a character, or perspective, etc. That's why the "staying vigilant" is crucial, flipping the canvas, etc, and mostly, training your brain to be analytic (as that does the same than flipping the canvas)
One very very key thing tho, is to not _over think_ (we expose ourselves so to the risk of freezing, and then doing nothing, procrastinate, and then think we aren't good, etc, etc) it about how you are going to paint, and just paint a lot. This always wins. That and the most important thing of ALL: enjoying it!
Stellar painting and insightful commentary.
I agree! "All great minds think alike and fools seldom differ". Thanks so much this was very inspiring!
Great & fast demonstration. Thanks for video
Sargent is my favorite Artist. I did a rendition of Lady Agnew. I was very pleased. It's a pleasure to watch you paint.
The question of originality is a good one. Supposing that an aspiring painter could perfectly get the drawing and colors from a masters work. Our personalities always emerge in our work. Individuality is never lost and it'll emerge more and more as we mature..That's my humble opinion..
Studying Sergeant, you really get a sense of just how precise and purposeful his brush strokes are.
Very interesting and wonderful to watch. I so agree with your estimation. He was such a genius in the league of Titian. "Pour devenir une grand artiste il faut etre; il faut rester fruste des connaissances.."
I'm blown away! Wow! You did it! 😉
Beautifully done, Chelsea! Sargent would be proud 😊
The best best painting portrait masterpiece sargent,and amazing copy realy gud and brushwork is a look a sirgent sargent paiting,thank for masterclass
Excellent!!! Wonderful tutorial and beautifully explained. You are a great teacher.👍
I studied Sargent years ago . Love his technique.Thanks for the video.
Yes, I studied With him too, when I was 20, in 1910; I'm 132 now!! Just Kidding! Maybe! ;D LOL
Amazing, Chelsea. Thank you so much. I'll be back to learn mire for sure!
Fantastic painting. Love from Holland.
Good for you for going against your initial reaction or assumptoon, that is maturity. It might seem minor but i applaud your open mind. I saw the sargeant exhibit at MFA this year, such a pleasure!
Chelsea, I've watched so many painting vlogs and I have to say yours is by far and away the very best. Thank you I've learnt so much and today managed to paint as loose as I have been trying for months!
Yes, there are many YT art vlogs, of all subjects, and they range widely, from "the good, the bad, and the ugly"!! Cue the theme music!! Hugo! LOL ;D
Very well said and i understand love watching n learning too. Thank you.
That is amazing excellent study- you’re consummate artist
Absolutely wonderful ❤
What an incredible video! Thank you🙏‼️
Beautiful portrait. Thank you.
Chelsea, I am so glad to have found you. Thank you for your passion for painting and sharing what you learn with the world. I am almost ready to sign up for your master class…Love Carolyn Anderson and Quang Ho. Tibor Nagy another idol. Very much appreciate how much you see our progress within reach.
Thank you for sharing your process! Several years ago, while visiting one of the Newport mansions on a family trip, I bought a large coffee table book of a collection of Sargent portraits and landscapes called, Sargent Paints Artists and Friends (or something to that effect), and I still look at and copy these drawings and paintings all these years later (it may have been 8 years ago). 👨🏼🎨🎨
I loved watching this lecture. You make something complicated look easier I know it isn't. I was blown away thank you for sharing your gift! I subscribed to all your videos.
Great video!! I don’t think Sargent made a mistake with the ear though….One of his methods was to slightly overpaint the edges then use the background color to cut them in to create a sharp edge in some areas or to fuse the flesh tone with the background color in other areas.
yes, the background is your "friend" in portrait painting as is the mass of hair, for ears especially, as you note!
Just liked and subscribed. Thank you so much for sharing your insight into the remarkable John Singer Sargent.
Welcome aboard!
So nice to hear someone say it. "The greatest painter of all time".
Very impressive. Very informative. Is it unusual for a really good artist, as you obviously are, to be so articulate and capable of descriptive analysis? Bracing! Thank you for the inspiration!
I came across Sargent some years ago but I found him again when I was looking at charcoal for which he was also renowned.
Fantastic!!! Thank you ❤
What a great job!
is that real time this was amazing work the result was fantastic thank u so much
Fantastic! I t would be nice to have seen your palette as you mix colours...as this is a tricky part - matching colour
Good explanations and easy marks.
Loved this video!
Beautifully done Chelsea! Thanks for the video
Nicely done! I love doing Sargent studies as well
Same here. I've made several copies myself. Hoping to do more. I've also done a few portrait copies after Velazquez.
Awesome thank you. Been unable to paint and make videos this year. Your video really inspires me
My mom was an art teacher in a southern CA junior high and had this man’s granddaughter in her class one year. Since then every time I visit my parents, I find myself staring at the painting of a parrot signed Taryn Sargent, thinking to myself, “Artistic ability may yet prove to be genetic…”
Your master study was a master class that produced a masterpiece. You should consider offering an Oil Portrait Forgery 101 course.
I believe Sargent never married, nor had children.
Such a cool artist! (And so is Sargent.)
Not going to lie, that made my day :D
@@ChelseaLang Yes, to be compared to a god, ...well, ..you know! ....:D
love your work dear ❤
Thank you for sharing. Very helpful.
Just perfect 👍👍
Splendid 👌💯
15 minutes? Amazing speed! Very helpful to watch.
Well done, Chelsea! Gorgeous master study and top marks for two-handed brushwork and for not pouring your varnish directly on the painting, LOL! Beautiful painting! Great job!!!
Excellent teaching.
Great job ♥️ congratutions
The big Sargent show opens at the MFA in Boston this weekend, Chelsea. Get yourself up here!
Thank you, inspiring good work.
Your work is really beautiful
The great good Profesional art work 👌
You are very talented artist
Excelente ejecución felicitaciones
Nice painting,thank you
Great video! Thank you so much! For the tip with photoshop I’d suggest using iPad/procreate for those that have it, basically the same but quicker as you can take the photo with the iPad itself and procreate is very user friendly for quick things like that!
Hello. I just stumbled on this video. Amazing!!! Already subscribed. I'm always curious about the color palette he used and , in this case, that you used?
Sargent is my personal fav. portrait & figurative painter, but when you consider Fechin, Velazquez, Whistler, the Wyeths, Winslow Homer and many others, as well as the variety of subject matter in which they triumphed, and easily matched or in some cases surpassed Sargent, landscapes, busy scenes, cities, weather, imaginary etc... it's not really fair to refer to anyone as "The GOAT" in art. But I'm glad he's your fav., mine too!
Sargent may not have painted in glazes, but he did paint in layers. I was looking at two of his paintings today at the De Young museum in San Francisco, today. I could see very direct scumbling layers. These layers were defintely painted over dried paint layers. He was not all Ali Prima.
Nice, I like/do the direct or Alla Prima technique, for portraiture (I also do plein air landscapes) like Sargent, Zorn, and Sorolla practiced, Rembrandt too I guess, going that far back, as opposed to those few on You Tube (you know them) who seem to "color" in an image little bit by bit, mm by mm, leaving much of the canvas blank as they go, sort of the way they use to teach us in kindergarten, in a coloring book, with a picture all draw in. LOL. This, yours, is classically painting, God only knows what the other "system" is called, but they seem to have a great following, as the old "snake oil" salesmen did too, I guess! ;D LOL
Hello Chelsea, Your video was excellent and very helpful. Do you offer an instruction video on the technique of Howard Terpning? I am always trying to learn his style and procedures. thank you, Jeff Joseph
Hi Jeffrey, I don't have a video on Terpning, but helping artists to unpack the styles of their favorite artists and bring it into their own work is precisely what I do! If you'd like to find out more I'd highly suggest checking out the masterclass that I linked in the description of this video. :) If it sounds like what you're looking for, I'd love to speak with you about working together.
fantastic!
Thank you ☺ for the video
Great video and nice journey 👍
Do you also propose demonstrations on John Singer Sargent's fantastic watercolors?
Amazing work
Amazing. Thank-you.
Great video and painting! Very insightful, but would also like to ask where/when you used spirits or medium, if at all. Sure looks like you were using some medium. Can you share?
Going to be honest I’ve never heard of Sargent before… but awesome video!
Well done!
I like your technique
Brilliant.
Nice work ! How do you do a transparent overlay to see proportions etc ? Thanks
I know I'm a year late but if you are talking about how she was able to get a very thick oil paint to look transparent like watercolor almost, I believe she use some kind of paint thinner for the underpainting and some kind of solvent medium for the initial drawing. Highly recommend for using oil paints especially for the underpainting 🙌🙌🙌
re: the ear on the left
I'm not sure it was necessarily a drawing correction per se that led to sargent marking the bg in that area. he may have just been sharpening the edge. also, the background next to the ear on the right side has a cool note that (at least to my eye) suggests the inclusion of a small amount of opaque or semi opaque white in that area. none of this os important, or has much bearing on what youre saying in the video, just my thoughts and observations. as always, love the content.
Yes, there is a quote from him to the effect that "a portrait is a picture where the nose or mouth is often wrong"! ;D
Wonderful work! What mediums are you using for your background wash and throughout the painting?
Looks great! What s the surface you are paining on? in a recent alla prima workshop i used oil prime linen and was fighting the extremely surface , then i switched to gesso board Ampersand and that was better but very absorbent. I used Raymar at one point but mighty expensive!!!
I’d love to try a sergeant master study
What did you use to dilute the paint to create the first background layer? I tried using linseed oil to create a thin layer of pain but it created a bunch of spotting on my canvas 😢
Very informative. Are you working with a standard palette or one personal to yourself or are the colours selected in relationship to the actual study.
Painters from different locations but there are to me some similarities between his work and Boldini's subjects.
One sec, but he says himself that he always started by blocking in mids and then worked out of the mids in pairs of tone - the next darkest value and the next lightest and so on until the the deepest tones were added.
He also defiantly didn't use washes, he used excessive amounts of paint by all accounts, very slightly thinned with linseed and turps.
So nice
Sargent, greatest painter buried at Brookwood cemetery, Glades House, Cemetery Pales, Brookwood, Woking GU24 0BL, United Kingdom.
A nice video thank you