Tags
bar, barista, book and bar, Portsmouth, sketchbook, Watercolor
Don’t those two words go great together? You can imagine my pleasure when an establishment with such a name recently popped up minutes from my home. Book and Bar is a book store/coffee house/bar, and is located in a beautiful, historic building in downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire. I recently spent a quiet weekday morning taking in the lovely ambiance with a latte and my paints. My goal was to be intentional about painting something – anything! I had realized that I had unintentionally taken a several month break from painting (and from blogging about painting, oops).
My first subject was the barista/bar tender:
I tried to do several things with this quick painting. I wanted to get the person “right” – the positioning of the body, the arms, the head. My first attempt placed the head above the beer taps. It’s funny, I got quite a long way into the sketch before realizing how giant the person would have to be for her head to be that high. So I erased it and started much lower. I also wanted to get the hands right (hands are always a challenge for me). I think I got the hand on the tap right, and I got close with the hand holding the beer, but the fingers aren’t quite the right length. I do like how the curve of the hand holding the beer defines the curve of the glass she’s holding.
Second, I wanted to try my hand at painting the rounded, silver structure to which the taps are attached. Frankly, I think I rocked it, if I do say so myself. You can practically feel those metal cylinders. 🙂 I used various shades of gray (ultramarine blue mixed with burnt umber) and painted the reflections on the metal, leaving some strips white. I really like how the color and shape turned out, but the angle is off – the horizontal bar should be parallel with the counter. I think this is a case of drawing what I thought I saw rather than what I really saw. Perhaps it’s really the counter line that’s off. Either way, counter and horizontal bar should be parallel.
I like how the taps came out, as well as the glass of beer. It’s a fun subject, isn’t it, with those cool shapes and colors? I quickly painted a dioxazine violet background to give the scene a little more interest.
For my second painting, I tried to capture the couches and patrons sitting in a corner:
I like how the couch turned out – I feel like I captured the mottled and worn look. But the outside scene (through the windows) is confusing. That violet square is an awning on the window of Book and Bar, and in retrospect, I think I should have just left it out of the picture. This is an example of when you should take artistic license and leave something out of a painting if it’s too hard to make sense of. When Ellen first saw my painting, she thought that whole window was a large funky piece of contemporary art hanging on the wall of Book and Bar. It’s possible it would have worked if it had been more muted, making it feel more like the view through a window (which looked out over a fun little pub called the Rusty Hammer). Good lesson learned.
Funny, when Ellen edited this post, she noticed all the negative critique and judgments of so many details and it gave me a chance to verbalize that I’ve been a little down on my painting lately. I’m not sure how much I like the style that’s emerging consistently across my paintings. As an artist I wonder how much one deliberately guides/steers toward a desired style as opposed to letting it simply emerge.
Speaking of details, she thought that the lamp, wall, and chest are all great – that the perspective and colors are believable. She also liked how I captured the postures of the patrons, especially with the tiny hint of a tilt in the blue guy’s head. She likes how both of these paintings convey the energy of this place, and she said she can almost feel herself there. Those are high compliments for a painter. I guess that goes to show that it helps to share your art with an audience!
I went with faceless people on this painting (see my Sunbeams and Faceless People post).
Perhaps the biggest technical lesson from this painting is the books. I painted each book individually using about 6 different paint colors. The effect is that the bookshelves end up looking more like a carnival. I think I should have tried to capture a predominant color and then perhaps painted some details, but not for every book. Not sure… Does anyone have any advice about how to capture a book shelf like this?
Regardless of how the paintings turned out, mission accomplished. I enjoyed a latte while being fully in the moment through sketching and painting. And that’s a good morning.
You had a great morning, David! Two paintings, Wow! And these are really nice. I get a feel for the place from them.
I like the style that is emerging. What about it don’t you like? What would you prefer to see? As artists, I think we all have things we do that we don’t like, but if one has a vision, then it’s usually a technique not yet mastered as well as lots of practice ahead that holds us back.
Thanks for stopping by, Ruth. Good question about the style — I’m not sure I’ve pinpointed my discontent exactly. My paintings look more like illustrations than what I imagine “paintings” should look like. I do think they have good energy… perhaps this is just the constant critic in me looking at other paintings and comparing my work to theirs. I know painting is very personal and unique, and I know that one’s style emerges over time. This is likely just another chance for me to practice acceptance and openness — to be good with what is and what is becoming.
Hi David! Just your Type 1 critical brother here 🙂 First, let me say that the paintings look great! You’re definitely adopting your own style and creating pieces that are enjoyable to look at. Some comments on perspective: In picture two, check the perspective of the coffee table as compared to the couch…should the left end be exposed or should there be a symmetrical vanishing point back into the painting for both upper end lines (as there appear to be for the couch arms). Relatedly, would the table on the right also need a bit of vanishing point perspective for the tabletop sides (currently they are of equal length and parallel)? Keep painting – I need you to be my motivation to break out the paints again! Cheers!
You’re right, Jim. Those perspective lines are all a bit off. I imagine that the more I draw and paint, the more natural it will become to see the vanishing point in my painting and naturally orient my work toward it.
I was at a gallery yesterday (with mom and dad, no less), and we were commenting on a series of paintings that had intentionally crooked lines. The paintings looked great, and it seemed like the lack of proper perspective was actually part of the artist’s style. Interesting to think about whether a painting should try to capture reality or be some interpretation of it.
Thanks for stopping by!
A book bar place – cool! Sounds like a wonderful evening…
Yes, indeed! I highly recommend visiting Book and Bar if you’re very in Portsmouth. 🙂
When I come to visit again, promise that we can go there together and paint. With lattes. With great company.
Love, from your artsy sister who is so impressed with your painting!! I should take a page from your “sketchbook” and carve out some time to do this myself!
I promise! But you need to get up here, first!! 🙂
Even beyond the actual images you shared with us, this post was a lovely image to imagine; you sitting there silently observing your surroundings…smell of coffee, smell of paint, a blank canvas. This was juicy!
I am a big fan of your paintings just as they are; loose, not fussy, whimsically your own observations. You asked if you should have painted the books different colors? I understand that situation to be a matter of style or perhaps emphasis judgement. Just like a room, where ever the strongest, least-complex color is placed is where the eye goes to. If strong color is placed all over a canvas/room, then the eye observes it as a whole. So with the ultramarine in the window, in the books and in the shirts I see a whole scene. If perhaps the window and the books were more neutralized then the people would show up more. Either way, I like it!
Keep painting and keep sharing David!
Jane
Thanks for visiting, Jane! And thank you for your encouraging words. It’s fascinating to see my paintings through someone else’s eyes. I’m sure you’ve had the same experience with your work. I like your point about being able to emphasize or de-emphasize parts of the painting by the use of color. You’re right, had I neutralized parts of the painting (e.g. the books), it would have changed the focus, but it wouldn’t necessarily have made it any “better” or “worse.” That’s an important distinction for me to keep in mind. Thank you!