MASTER TECHNIQUES
required a little decoding in the brain.
This classic method is often known
as “rough painting”, the idea being
to paint things that are nearly but
not quite right. Correct enough to see
what it is, yet loose enough to require
some interpretation or decoding
by the brain.
If this sounds simple, I’m pleased
to say that it is. Many Old Masters
believed that making things correct
was self-defeating if conjuring up an
illusion of reality was your ultimate
goal. If you’ve been painting for any
length of time, you’ve probably
experienced the tension between
increased accuracy and decreased
reality – just think of every time that
a painting that looked right somehow
lost its vitality and spark as you
worked it up further.
It is important to note that not all
Old Masters felt the above was true
and there is a clear art historical
division between those who aimed
for incredible levels of accurate
pictorial detail and those who did not.
However, it’s interesting to note thatMartin Kinnear,
Flowers, oil on
canvas, 100x100cm
Flowers are complex
so aim to capture the
general effect, not
every little detailDETAIL