TEAPOT
Oil on Panel / 6 x 6 inches / ©John Farnsworth
If you would like to own this painting, just email your bid to: bid@johnfarnsworth.com
EXTRACTION
I’m often asked if I paint from photographs. I sure do. Here’s an example of a painting extracted from a small part of this photograph, taken in our Taos kitchen during the fall of 2001:
It was just a quick snapshot, taken more to test the capabilities of my (then) new Sony Cybershot P150 Camera. Click on the image if you’d like to see it full-size. I did, and that’s when the teapot caught my eye. I played around with some croppings, and finally chose this one:
I straightened it and resized it, then I isolated it on my computer monitor, positioned my mini-easel astraddle my keyboard, opened the drawer in my desk, and the palette in that drawer, and painted TEAPOT.
I found two more compositions that I like inside this original image. One involves the dish rack, and the other is concerned with the green bowl and white cups and the space around them. I may paint them next, or I may wait days, weeks, even months from now. I have to tell you, though, they are really tempting me.
Yes, I use photographs and computers. They’re tools. I used to write using a typewriter. They’re just tools. I do remind my students of the need to argue with photographs, not just replicate them. Teapot is an example that is about as close as I like to come to a direct, unchanged response to a photograph. But if you look close, you’ll see quite a few small, subtle differences. Most of the creativity this time took place before I ever picked up the brush.
I’d be happy to hear your thoughts regarding the use of photography by painters. The more of you who comment, the more fun we can have.
THE LESSON Daily Photograph Snapshot #1,646
ATTICUS NAPPING
Here you see Atticus Catticus teaching me how to nap. He’s growing so fast, I’m afraid he’s going to need a new bassinet soon. Hmmm, I wonder how he’d like a cat size hammock?
He still has the face of a kitten, but his body is looking very grown up, especially from behind.
If you haven’t already, be sure to scroll all the way down to read about your chance to participate in the creation of a documentary Be Home Soon.
And start getting ready for THE KACHINAS ARE COMING. That’s the big Kachina show Thea wil be putting on of my Kachina paintings the first of September at David Anthony Fine Arts, here in Taos. I hope to see you there!
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
How would you like to be Associate Producer on an important film while sharing in the realization of a dream? You can, and at the same time give a leg up to a good and deserving woman, our special friend, Melissa Howden. To find out how, just click on this link:
Congratulations Melissa! She’s passed the half way mark, both in time and in the amount already pledged. Check it out.
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Touch here to see my daily photograph, my watercolor setup, and a brief discussion of my future travel plans.
Posted by John Farnsworth, with Blogsy
