Blog

This is my first oil painting since returning from a workshop with Robert Liberace in Sarasota, Florida.  The workshop was 4 days and was held a great school called the Southern Atelier.  I felt like a kid in a candy store at this workshop.  Not only were there lots of demos but there was also a good amount of personal critique from the instructor.  I found him to have a very good eye for zeroing in on where students needed help, and his way of teaching was informative and encouraging.

I also learned new ways to paint that I was unfamiliar with before.  I found his method of traditional painting very user friendly.  He started by laying in the shadow with burnt umber and sienna and then building up the lights.  He payed special attention to the transition in the half tones by using a drawing brushstroke that helped soften and blend but did not overwork the edge.  He emphasized that the lights should be thick and opaque. 

I layed out this still life to practice his method.

Here are the links to his website as well as the Southern Atelier.
www.robertliberace.com
thesouthernatelier.org