please tell me what you think - first ETs

[sabine]

Hi!

so I've been trying tempera for a month or two and here are my first ETs -what do you think? To be honnest they gave me quite a lot of pain, and I'm not sure I'm using tempera the right way...

I used to paint with oil, then I got pregnant and wanted to avoid solvants, then I tried acrylic, and THEN I heard of tempera!!!

I like it (much better than acrylic) but I find it difficult... I keep trying with big washes, I dream of transparency... I get some, but with so much efforts...

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/2170/juin20060033mw.jpg

http://img519.imageshack.us/my.php?image=juin20060048kr.jpg

(the second one is the one with the cracks, for those who read the other topic...)

Well, it's just a start...

What do you think, honnestly? (the pictures are bad, sorry)

Sabine

[sabine]

I try to put better images... maybe that will bring more comments? ;)

http://img208.imageshack.us/my.php?image=juin20060044ca.jpg

[sabine]

and 2 other ones...

http://img210.imageshack.us/my.php?image=juin20060026kx.jpg

http://img301.imageshack.us/my.php?image=juin20060074pq.jpg

[Alessandra Kelley]

It's a very interesting technique. Do you work from photographs? Because your work has an interesting snapshot-like quality.

It does look like you're working with a wet-into-wet technique, almost watercolor-like, but with the opacity of tempera. I can see a relationship with acrylic techniques. Although this is not the most common way of using egg tempera, it is still a strong technique.

You are getting some vibrant color effects, and I like the dreaminess of your edges.

As for technical adviece, if you want to lay down transparent washes, you need to let the paint underneath dry for a few days first, and you can only do one or two washes before you have to let it dry again. On the other hand, the end product is gorgeous.

[sabine]

Hi Alexandra,

many thanks for your comments and advices! Yes, I work from photographs - I especially like expressions and movements that only photography can "catch".

For the technique, I am probably influenced by my experience with acrylic and watercolour (I really like watercolours too!) - I manage to achieve something that way, but I feel it's not the easiest way...

I WILL try to use the technique you describe...

[Bill Rietveldt]

Hi Sabine -

Your images have some very strong imagery and wonderful composition.

I'm especially drawn to the figure in water with the stronger edges and contrast above and the more abstract and muted shapes below the water.

I see from your reply to Alessandra that you work from photos. I often find photos a great starting point for a piece. When I draw on a site and also take a photo I'm always surprised at the differences. The camera catches textures, abstract shapes and reflections that a drawing will often miss because they are fleeting or because our attention is concentrated on a certain area - where the camera doesn't care - it's all important.

Your figures show lots of character and emotion. Is your watercolor and acrylic work also figurative?

[sabine]

Hi Bill

Thanks for your comment! All my paintings have allways been figurative -I only paint people, that's all I'm interrested in :)
and most particularly the emotions you can catch on a face, as you pointed out... I'm glad you could feel that.

I mainly painted with oils, acrylic was just for a short transition period... and I still use watercolours sometimes but more for illustration work, especially for children (very different)

I think too that photos can be a great strating point, as they help to catch the moment...

[Dimitris C. Milionis]

Its seems your exploring ET into other medium styles and that's very good as most of us are using ET as a fine detailed tool. I enjoy your need to experiment and you might want to try a background color [grey, red or brown oxide colors] a transparent wash with 2-3 inch thick brush to give greater depth and then work on top , but I advise you let it dry out for a couple of weeks before you use another transparent wash on top, we don't want to pick up the canvas backgound layed color, as this might happen.

[sabine]

Thank you for the advice Dimitris, I do like to paint on a coloured background, but I can't do that for the light (flesh) areas with tempera, can I?

Anyway, I think pure tempera is TOO fine and detailed for me... I will try tempera grassa and hope it will work better