SWEATIN' THE DETAILS (week 9)

R.I.P
(almost)

STILL LIFE with THREE GROUPS of FLOWERS
James Aponovich

week 9

SWEATIN' THE DETAILS

"As ever hidden, look at its inner essence
as always manifest, look at its outer aspects."
- Lao Tzu

I have been asked (often) who is my favorite painter or what is my favorite painting style.
A complicated question, more often than not I would say something about
Chinese Classical painting...they liked looking under the hood.

Egg
James Aponovich
Pencil on paper, 4cm x 6 cm.

But, seeing as I represent the Western Classical tradition, the one
unmistakable, numero uno thing is.....


FORM

Portrait of Massimo ( in-progress)
James Aponovich
Pencil on paper ( detail)

The Italians called it Chiaroscuro ( light / dark), we know
it as difficult to do. It is the representation of the Three Dimensional
'thing' on a Two Dimensional surface such as canvas or paper.
It used to make 'em or break 'em,
now, nobody cares......
whatever.

I won't lecture on the rules ( a lot), but either you know it...
..or you don't



TEXTURE
or
PUTTIN' ON THE GLITZ

Although form is rock solid, pattern can accentuate it to please the eye.
People like to look at it.

"The hidden and the manifest give birth to each other."
- Lao Tzu






Next week - Are We There Yet?