Art as Inspiration: My Path to Oil Painting
Feedback from Michael Swaine
I started oil painting at a very late time, in my sixties. I used to draw as a youth, but always thought that oil painting was too difficult a medium to attempt. As I reached my late fifties, I began to become more immersed in the experience of viewing great oil paintings in museums in America and Europe. I had always enjoyed viewing great art, but as I got older, I discovered that experience touched me more deeply, giving me a feeling of being in touch with the eternal. Some great works by 19th century realists such as Courbet had a particularly profound effect on me.
Since I could not own these paintings, I decided to take a stab at copying some of them to see if I could enjoy similar, but far less accomplished, versions at home. So I started to paint in oils, putting aside the obvious charge of possessing an excess of hubris. Well, to my surprise, oil painting is not as difficult as I had feared. So, over the past two years, I have gradually developed my abilities, painting in a variety of methods, copying some great works, painting my own pieces. I have never had an art lesson, My friends encourage me to put on a show and sell my paintings, but I prefer to continue to develop my abilities without on my own.
My main problem now is that I am reaching my technical limits in many areas. I need to take some lessons, but I’m not inclined to attend classes. Enter Web Art Academy. I have done quite a bit of research and concluded that your courses are the best. I would love to win the course, since I would be hard pressed to purchase it. I hope you choose me! Thanks.
I have attached some paintings. The photo’s aren’t the best and some of them are not completed, but it gives you an idea.
I think the “contemporary old master” is Mark Rothko. Why? His glazing technique created deep, rich colors that elicit great emotion.
My favourite artists are Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Vermeer. They all used glazing to great effect, as well as stumbling in the case of Rembrandt. I also like Courbet for the same reason.
My main challenge in art is creating more subtle and more vivid colors and contrasts.
I also want to know more on glazing, scumbling, color combining, tonal effects, use of complementary colors for shading.
Great painting of Evy. Such a fish-face. Tay
Michael,
Best of luck with your nomination.. I always enjoy your artwork and look forward to you taking your paintings to the next level with lessons from WebArt Academy.
Christy
I think it is wonderful that later in his life Michael Swaine has re-found a pleasure from his youth and pursued it with such imagination and with such serious attention to technique and to the great masters’ methods. It sounds like a lot of fun backed up with concentrated effort. That’s what artistic activity should be all about! Congratulations, Michael Swaine!
Knowing the subject, a commendable reality has been obtained – a very attractive image on the Orange background. The forestscape and ferns needs a focal point. You have made a lot of progress it seems to me. Keep up the good work and then teach me at our next visit.
Michael,
Wish I had your ability and patience. Good luck with the course.
Michael,
Great work! Good luck winning the online lessons.
Don
Awesome work and obviously talented.
All the best with future masterpieces and your lessons.
To be able to pick up and paint like this later in life without a lesson is a gift. What an inspiration! I love how rich and organic they are. And the shading is impressive. It’s not easy. I know because I have tried. Simply beautiful. I can only imagine what a course in the Web Art Academy would do!
To be able to pick up and paint like this later in life without a lesson is a gift. What an inspiration! I love how rich and organic they are. In my opinion, the shading is impressive as well. It’s not easy. I know because I have tried. Simply beautiful. I can only imagine what a course in the Web Art Academy would do.
Hey this guy shows real talent. Looks like he was wasting his first 60+ years on other activities when he should have been devoting himself to his art!
Such incredible art. Great job as always
Amazing work and such great composition, you should win!!
I like the first painting of the “two girls”. It tells a story, the past versus the present, the old versus the young, relaxed with self versus a tense self. Will the young girl ever have the confidence of the girl in in the frame?