Collage, Colour and Texture in Painting E-Book

Mike Bernard

• Herausgeber: Batsford
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 142

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016

Beschreibung

In this ground-breaking art book, leading artist Mike Bernard reveals every aspect of working with collage, paint and other mixed-media approaches. Everything from the initial inspiration for a painting through to design, colour, surface qualities and finishing touches is covered. With detailed information and advice on collage techniques, the book demonstrates how you can develop original results by starting with paper collage and then working freely with paint and other materials. The book includes numerous illustrations covering every step of the working process, as well as a wide selection of subject matter, location sketches, watercolour studies and striking finished paintings. Mike Bernard's work is known for exciting textures, strong colour and the effects of light; all combined into original semi-abstract images of landscapes, still life and figure compositions. His techniques, particularly paper collage, are important ones for all artists looking to expand their repertoire.

Leseprobe

Collage, Colour and Texture in Painting

Umbrian Landscape Mixed media on mountboard 58 x 76 cm (23 x 30 in)

Village Shop, Cinque Terre Mixed media on mountboard 42 x 35 cm (16 x 14 in)

Collage, Colour and Texture in Painting

Mike Bernard and Robin Capon

Acknowledgements

My sincere thanks to Robin Capon, for his insight and dedication in rendering my thoughts and ideas into a highly professional and concise text. My thanks, also, to photographers Michel Focard and John Andow, who have served me so efficiently in providing the majority of images for the book. Additionally, I should like to thank the many galleries that have shown my paintings and given me such great support, and especially everyone who has bought my work and so inspired me to carry on being creative.

Mike Bernardwww.mikebernard.co.ukwww.visitnutcombe.com

Contents

Introduction

1 Starting Points

• Challenging ideas

• Places

• Sketches

• Composition studies

• From start to finish

2 Interest and Impact

• Representation and interpretation

• Abstract qualities

• Aims and objectives

• From start to finish

3 Complementary Media

• Collage

• Paints

• Other media

• Visual interest and coherence

• From start to finish

4 Colour and Texture

• Subject, mood and colour

• Colour and design

• Texture

• From start to finish

5 Developing Ideas

• Studio practice

• Choices and decisions

• Experimentation

• From start to finish

Index

Introduction

From my experience when I used to teach, as well as from my own perception as an artist, I know that one of the most difficult aspects of painting is finding the most suitable and original way of expressing oneself. Each artist has a different view of the world and this should be reflected in a style of work that is distinctive and personal.

Mike Bernard in his studio.

We all start by learning certain techniques and aiming to paint exactly what we see in the subject matter before us. And this is fair enough, because there is no substitute for developing the basic skills in drawing and painting, and consequently acquiring a degree of confidence. But how do we progress further and add that spark of individuality that takes our work beyond the ordinary and makes it stand out from the crowd?

Essentially, the form and impact of our work is influenced by two factors: our painting philosophy (what we regard as the important qualities to achieve in a painting), and practical issues (the materials and techniques that we choose to use). Having learned to paint in a conventional manner, many artists find it difficult to break away from that approach. But, in my experience, there comes a time when you have to reappraise both philosophy and technique in order to find a painting process that allows scope for personal expression and offers a good balance of challenges and rewards.

From the time I was at art college I have always felt that, rather than aiming to make an image that was completely faithful to the original scene, sketch or inspiration, it was more important to create an interesting painting. By this, I mean that the completed picture should be exciting to look at and have an overall coherence and impact. This does not necessarily preclude it from evoking a particular sense of place, of course, but it will show this with an emphasis on personal interpretation and will have been influenced by things that have happened during the painting process.

Creating your own interpretation of the subject matter – and so overcoming the belief that you must always produce a likeness of it – is something that I encourage throughout this book. It is a practice that is fundamental to painting, I believe, because surely the reason for painting is to express what you think and feel about things. And, as I have implied, this is inherently linked to the materials and techniques that you use.

When I was a student, dissatisfied with the lack of originality and impact in my paintings, I found that the solution was to set certain limits within which to work. Essentially, the limits were defined by the materials and processes that I allowed myself to use and, in turn, they created challenges and encouraged more intuitive, expressive paintings. In my view, uncomplicated paintings are generally the most successful: they have more vitality and, because they do not state everything in absolute detail, there is room for viewers to use their imagination. For many years now I have worked with a very limited palette of colours, using a combination of paint and collage techniques, and this has led to much more enjoyable and successful results. It is an approach that helps you to work with greater freedom of expression, and one that I can thoroughly recommend.

The way that you start a painting can have a tremendous influence on its ultimate success or failure. A common tendency is to do too much preparation, or start with too fixed an objective. Often, the blank white paper or canvas surface is another inhibiting factor. As discussed and demonstrated in the following sections of this book, I like to begin in a fairly spontaneous way, perhaps with random, abstract shapes of colour and texture. This has a very liberating effect and encourages me to continue to work freely, while respecting the demands of the painting itself. And, although I will have a particular place or scene in mind, I never allow that to dominate the painting process. What I strive for, and equally what I hope will inspire and help you in your work, is an approach that allows me to be true to myself and to paint with feeling and confidence.

Fishing Boats, Pittenweem Mixed media on MDF 71 x 71 cm (28 x 28 in) Uncomplicated paintings are generally the most successful. I usually work with quite a limited range of paint and collage techniques.

Evening, Piccadilly Circus Mixed media on mountboard 38 x 53.5 cm (15 x 21 in) Rather than aiming to create an exact likeness of the subject matter, I think it is more important that the painting itself is interesting and shows a personal interpretation.

1 Starting Points

The starting point for all art is inspiration: this is a vital factor in creating work that has conviction, feeling and impact. For me, the ideas for paintings come from my surroundings, and especially from harbours and coastal scenes. Perhaps this is influenced by the fact that I grew up near Dover in Kent, but I have always been attracted to the colours, shapes, light and atmosphere of the coast. In particular I like subjects in which there is an interaction, pattern or repetition of shapes – rooftops, windows, boats, sails, masts and so on. Invariably, it is this aspect of a subject, combined with the overall sense of place and the experience gained from being there, that inspires me to paint it.

Inner Harbour, Mevagissey is a good example of the type of subject matter that I find exciting and challenging. It involves man-made, almost abstract shapes which, in their repetition, create a sense of unity and coherence in the composition. At the same time, with its contrasts of scale and colour, the pattern of shapes adds variety and interest. Note how I have exploited the boat, mast, tyre and house shapes as compositional elements. I never feel limited by what is actually there: once I have been inspired by a subject I am prepared to embellish and interpret it as required, depending on the needs of the painting. I sometimes add more shapes, or leave things out. The strength and impact of the composition is the most important factor, rather than a feeling that I must adopt a totally representational approach.

Similarly, in Shopping in Monterosso, Italy (left), you can see that the underlying design of the painting is essentially a pattern of abstract shapes – mainly squares and rectangles. Markets and town scenes like this are other subjects that often feature in my work, and for the same reason as the harbours – because of their inherent sense of pattern, colour, activity and mood.

Alongside inspiration, motivation is an important factor. Finding an exciting subject is all very well, but the drive and determination to develop it into a successful painting is equally necessary. In the main, painting is a solitary activity and it requires a lot of self-discipline and perseverance. Often, one painting will inspire you or lead quite naturally to other ideas, and this in itself is a strong motivating force. And, as I have found, the deadlines for exhibitions will also encourage a steady resolve to follow ideas through to a satisfactory conclusion!

Shopping in Monterosso, Italy (detail) mixed media on mountboard 46 x 54.5 cm (18 x 21½ in)

Inner Harbour, Mevagissey Mixed media on mountboard 46 x 61 cm (18 x 24 in) The subjects that I enjoy most include a pattern of shapes, which will give unity as well as variety and interest.

Challenging ideas

Every new painting is a fresh challenge, and this is particularly true if an aspect of the subject matter or the method of tackling it is in some way different to anything attempted before – and consequently is going to fully test your skills and ingenuity. In my view this is what should happen in every painting, because essentially it is the courage to try out new ideas, techniques, colour mixes and so on that leads to increasingly confident, varied and successful work.

I am always ready to consider different types of subject matter and approaches. For instance, now that I live on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon, farms offer a new source of subject matter – see Exmoor Farmhouse. However, as well as painting completely new subjects, I also enjoy the challenge of reinterpreting an image that I have already used. There are some London scenes that I have painted in this way, for example. I take the essence of the subject, but try a different composition, colour scheme or mood for the painting.

Also, there are times when the first attempt at an idea does not work as well as I would like, and therefore I try it again, using a different approach and emphasis. Or, while I am painting, I become aware of other possibilities for the subject, which may lead to further paintings based on the same theme. In fact, that is one of the aspects of painting that I find most exciting: you never quite know what is going to happen or when you will create a new and particularly interesting texture, effect or other quality that will contribute to your knowledge and experience, and further encourage you to try new challenges.

Exmoor Farmhouse Mixed media on mountboard 35.5 x 48 cm (14 x 19 in) I am always looking for new sources of subject matter and, since moving to North Devon, I have begun to explore the potential of farms as another different and challenging starting point for paintings.

Coastal Farm, Ireland Mixed media on mountboard 46 x 62 cm (18 x 24½ in) With this subject, I was attracted by the pattern of fields together with the contrast of man-made and natural shapes.

Shapes, colours, textures

I know, from my own experience as a student at art college, that if you work without a considered focus or sense of direction in your paintings, it is very difficult to reach a successful result. At that time, I found it difficult to finish paintings, and I would become frustrated and disappointed because I could never quite achieve the sort of impact and style of work I had in mind – it was restricted by conventions and the assumed need to work in a representational manner. I wanted somehow to overcome an inherent concern for the reality of the subject matter, and so create paintings that were more personal and interesting.

The answer, I found, was to keep within certain parameters for each painting and set clear objectives. In response to the way that a painting is developing and the chance things that happen, it is easy to lose track of your intentions for the work and veer off in a different direction. This can result in confusion and a finished painting that lacks coherence and impact. Instead, to encourage success, you must keep in mind what you initially aimed to achieve in the work and follow that aspiration.

Of course, adjustments are always necessary to a painting as it progresses, and you may want to take advantage of fortuitous textures and other ‘happy accidents’ that may happen during the painting process. But again, such decisions should be made with regard to your objectives for the work and how they will influence and hopefully enhance the result. For me, the essential elements to consider are shapes, colours and textures. I want each of these elements to work independently – so that the shapes, for example, are interesting and create a dynamic composition – but equally, to produce a coherent and successful painting, they must complement each other.

Generally, I think paintings work best if they are uncomplicated, and this particularly applies to the use of colours. I learned that if you initially limit your palette and keep to those few colours, it helps to create a feeling of unity in the painting. Also, I found that a choice of perhaps just two colours led me away from thinking that I must only work with the colours that are actually there, in the subject matter. Therefore, if I chose perhaps a blue with a brown/red, for example, it not only helped me use colour more expressively, but also automatically introduced its own mood and sense of harmony in the painting. In turn, this encouraged me to involve collage and textures, and so produce work that had a more abstract quality.

Harbour Steps, Coverack Mixed media on mountboard 47 x 61 cm (18½ x 24in) As here, it is always colours and textures that are the raw elements of a painting. They must work independently, but also in such a way that they complement each other.

Vision and design

The content and design of a painting are obviously very important aspects to consider right from the start, and in doing so, choosing the focal point (the area or individual object within the composition that creates a focus of interest) is, in my view, the most crucial decision to make. Having found a subject to paint, I invariably begin by planning where the focal point will be. It could be a distant house, for example, a figure, or even a dramatic passage of light, colour or texture. To help make that decision, I sometimes use a cardboard viewfinder to ‘frame’ the subject I have in mind and so enable me to assess more clearly the relationship of the main shapes.

I seldom move the position of the focal point once the painting is in progress. However, I might change its size, shape or colour, or even what it is, depending on the development of the painting. For example, having started with the idea that the focal point will be a red boat, because of other considerations within the painting or perhaps as a result of a happy accident, I might decide to leave it as a sparkling patch of light. The confidence and ability to make this sort of decision are qualities that gradually develop from experience.

In fact, when we first start painting there is a tendency to be very faithful to what is seen: we feel obliged to include everything and match the colours as accurately as we can. We soon learn, however, that this is seldom good practice when it comes to composition, because usually there must be an element of selection regarding the content and organization of the painting if it is to succeed as an image with some originality and impact. But having taken certain decisions about selection and simplification, there can be problems in deciding how to deal with those areas in which alterations have been made – if you choose to leave out something from the original subject matter, what do you replace it with, for example?

Again, experience helps in overcoming those problems. If I need to simplify the content in certain areas I often – because of my interest in surface qualities – rely instead on an appropriate handling of colour or textural effects. In the same way, if I feel that there are parts of the composition that should be more exciting – perhaps a large, empty foreground area – I might introduce some collage or similar surface interest. Usually, the main areas to simplify and leave as such are those around the edges of the composition. It helps to have the edges less ‘busy’, so that the viewer’s interest is contained within the painting, rather than have the eye drawn to the outside. Some of these points are demonstrated in Harbour and Rooftops, Mousehole. Note how the empty foreground area on the left is enlivened through the use of texture and colour variations, and how the overall colour palette has been simplified, with the main area of interest placed centrally.

Harbour and Rooftops, Mousehole Mixed media on mountboard 51 x 65.5 cm (20 x 25½ in) Generally, I like to work with a simplified colour palette, concentrating the main area of interest towards the centre of the painting.

Places