Armand Cabrera Demo
My concept is to paint Sentinel Rocks above the river
in Yosemite Valley.
I like the cool color of the rocks standing out against
the warm tones of the foreground.
Start with the horizon line. A horizon line
establishes eye level of the viewer.
It helps to create a sense of scale. All other placement
lines will relate to this line
At this point, I complete the rest of the
drawing.
I check it for accuracy, making any needed corrections.
I do not proceed until I am satisfied with my composition.
I establish the center of focus to be left of center.
Working back to front, I mass in flat, poster-like
shapes,
creating my value plan and color scheme.
I use as big a brush as possible to keep from applying
unnecessary detail at this stage.
I am careful to compare the color and values,
making sure all elements in the scene are accurate. From
start to finish, this part of the process takes roughly
twenty minutes.
I now model the forms, preserving my original shapes
and composition.
I work from large to small shapes.
To add interest to the piece, I look for
temperature changes within the larger shapes.
I also begin to emphasize and de-emphasize elements
by modifying edges and varying paint thickness.
Finally, I add accents and adjust edges to arrive at
the completed painting.
Total painting time is approximately two hours.
By planning ahead and adhering to a concept, I avoid many
pitfalls.
I retain a sense of light and spontaneity that is often
difficult to capture in the studio.
This is the essence of Alla Prima painting.
