CHRISTOPHER VIDAL
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Artist Christopher Vidal  - Blog

Welcome to my blog. The aim of this blog is to share with you some of my experiences related to my artworks, what inspires me and also how it is done. As an artist I am also constantly learning as this is an ongoing process. I also learn from my students when I am teaching in the class. Sharing what I know with others is also very satisfying. This is how we grow and improve. 
I've been teaching art for a while now, and I must say that from this I learned a lot. This helps me to identify what each individual needs in order to become a better painter. Painting is not an easy task especially landscape painting. One needs to have the inspiration to paint a tree or a mountain and it is not a question of just wanting to paint something. I choose to paint something because there was an element that motivated me to do so ...that inspired me. It could be the game of light and shadows or simply the warm colors of a late afternoon. It is sometimes very difficult to translate the colors that nature shows us using paint on a canvas. This challenge could be also a way to motivate you to paint a scenery. 
Most important is that you do not expect that every painting that you paint is going to be a masterpiece. You shouldn't be afraid that your final product is not what you expected in the first place. An unsuccessful painting should be the teaching ground for a better one that follows. This is how we learn. We learn from our own mistakes and from things that didn't work out as we wanted them but with an effort we try to make them better the next time. 
So if you want to become a better painter then you have to practice and paint regularly. This is the only way how you can improve your techniques, discover ones of your own, learn your colors etc. It is all about brush mileage. The tutor is there to help you find your way, shows you the basics and how to use your tools in order for you to be able to develop yourself. 
Looking forward to share with you my knowledge.

Painting Demonstration - Waves in Oils

16/1/2020

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Outback landscape painting process

13/1/2020

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The whole process of painting this artwork was spread over 3 sessions. Probably in the coming days there will be some more finishing touches by pushing more the light in a few areas to create more form. It is always good to have a look at the painting on a different day and with a fresh eye to make decisions about adjustments.

The first session was quite quick and the focus was on drawing the major shapes and establishing a tonal painting. Colours used were cobalt blue, cobalt teal, burnt sienna, cremnitz white mixed with titanium, quinacridone magenta and viridian. I applied the paint very thinly on the canvas using an odourless solvent when ever I needed to thin the paint and facilitate brushing (Image 1 first from left). Most of the paints used for the underpainting are transparent and dry very quickly. Two important things I always keep in my mind when painting is the direction of the light and positioning of light and shadow within the painting. The underpainting colour is the complement of the colour I am going to place over it in the next stage and a little bit warmer (redder) where I am planning to place the light.
Images 2 - 4 Session 2. This stage is more labour intensive as one needs to start creating form adjusting what was done in the first session but trying to stick withing the tonal range in each section of the painting. I usually start from the sky and moving from background towards the foreground.The paints this time were a little bit more opaque, so I introduced titanium white for my tints and other colours such as yellow ochre, cadmium scarlet, Cerulean blue, Venetian red and Indian yellow (red shade). I was using most of my paints directly from the tube or if needed using a 25% cold pressed linseed (in odourless solvent). As brushes I was using a combination of medium sized flats, filberts, daggers, riggers and rounds plus palette knife which is very useful to apply thick paint .​

In session 3 (last image) I continued to add more detail working slightly more on the sky and clouds plus foreground. During this stage I introduced more paints mainly phthalo green, burnt umber, lemon yellow (Michael Harding) and cadmium lemon light. As medium I was using 50% stand linseed oil to slow down the drying time. Staring from dark to light, I established the foreground rocks, stones and vegetation, again constantly adjusting light and shadow to create form.
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    As an artist I want to share with you my experiences and what is behind my artwork. Every artwork is an expression of the inner self. It is driven by experience. 

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  • Home
  • The Artist
    • About my work
    • Media/Publications
  • PAINTINGS
    • Paintings for Sale >
      • Landscapes
      • Plein Air
      • Still Life
    • Commissions
    • SOLD Paintings
  • Tuition
    • Online Mentorship
    • Workshops & Demos
    • Plein Air Painting
    • Oil Painting Course
    • Student Works
  • Products
  • Blog
  • Contact