86 Artists Magazine October 2019
in fact, pastel, the purest pigment form—the same
pigment in oil paint but in a dry, pure stick form. And
then they usually say, “Like chalk, right?” and I go on to
explain the difference, saying that chalk is limestone and
dye rather than pure pigment and that the painting pro-
cess is similar to that of oils, in that the artist works from
dark to light in both.
This approach is opposite from watercolor painting.
Watercolorists build up from light to dark and have to wait
for layers to dry. I’m not that patient!KP: Whether working on location or with a reference photo,
artists contend with a lot of details—too many to include in a
painting. Deciding what to put in and what to take out—or
what to leave sharp and what to soften—can be tough for art-
ists of all skill levels. What advice would you give?
NKM: Learning to edit detail is a skill that comes with the
experience of completing hundreds of paintings. Even those
painters who work in a photorealistic style have learned to
leave out elements that are unimportant to their design.
If something in your scene or photo is distracting or draws
attention away from your focal point, simply omit it or shift
the color or value to merely suggest that it’s there—to make
it a secondary element. (See Divergent, page 85.)
Study the work of artists you admire and determine
howthey’vesimplifieddetailsandsoftenededges.Our
eyesseehardedgesonlywherewefocus,andperimeters
aresoftorfuzzy.Keepthisinmindwhencomposingyour
painting,andguidetheeyewhereyouwantit togo.(See
OpenTable, below.)KP: What principles or elements excite you most in your work?
NKM: As an urban plein air painter, I get excited about
structures that crisscross overhead. I call them “calligraphy
in the sky,” and I love to paint the equally important nega-
tive spaces, as they help to carve out the positive. Usually
those overhead structures create interesting ground shad-
ows that balance the design and add energy to the piece.
(See Sun Tracks, opposite.)
When painting landscapes, I enjoy applying warm/cool
principles that are similar to those I use in my urban
painting. They can add more interest to an otherwise
predominantly green scene. (See The English, above.)KP: You finish about 150 paintings a year and, in your work-
shops, encourage students to finish one or two paintings per
day. Why do you think it’s important to work fast?
NKM: When I’m painting, I feel the fire in my belly and am
excited about the process, the image and the prospect of
achieving or exceeding the image in my brain. It’s my hope
that this energy transfers to my demos, my work and, most
importantly, to my students, helping them get fired up
about their work.
In the many years I’ve been a painter, I’ve found that
work done quickly is usually more fresh and inspired than
work that has been labored over. I do stress, however, that
it’s most important to know how to draw before learning to
paint. Incorrect drawing can’t be hidden by color and value.The use of value contrasts and of hard and soft edges to establish focus
are especially evident in Open Table (pastel on mounted board, 24x20).The English
pastel on mounted board, 26x20