THE GREEK CHORUS*

* A term used by Boston Globe Art Critic, Cate McQuaid, in describing a similar

painting in an exhibition of mine at Clark Gallery in 2013.

Still Life with Amaryllis (in progress)
James Aponovich
oil on canvas, 20" x 12"


There are those who would say, with some justification, "It's finished, don't touch it."
Perhaps they would be right, but there is something in artists that keeps wanting to push things further, to weave a more complex tapestry. "Less is More," not withstanding, I feel that more is needed  in this painting, so for the background, I have decided to fill it up with objects from the studio, my old warhorses.Since I have already determined the value gradient, all I have to do is choose the right objects that will complete the composition....Easy?....Not really. Remember it's a chorus, no off notes. There is a lot to control here, so at this point I turn to a very old technique....


GRISAILLE

The Flemaille Panel, 1420
Robert Campin (Flemish)


Grisaille is a monochromatic painting, usually grey. It allows the artist to concentrate only with value to create form ( color can quickly get out of hand). Since I had already established the overall values of the background ( darker to lighter), I had to make sure that when all the objects are painted, the total sum of the values would remain the same overall, it's complicated. But, how do I space the background for the objects?


TWO SQUARES OVERLAPPING

By overlapping two squares based on the width of the rectangle, I arrive at two important horizontal lines. These help in establishing the spacing of the shelves that will create the bookcase.


THE MEMBERS OF THE CHORUS

Still Life with Amaryllis ( in progress)
James Aponovich
oil on panel, 20" x 12"


Next up....Let's color up!




{week 24}

Copyright 2015 James Aponovich