MembersWorkshopwithCarolSpurgeon,June27‐28,2015
Themainelementnamed,examinedandworkedwithInstructorCarolSpurgeonwastheNOTAN
(pronouncedno–tan).ItisapassageinyourpaintingandtranslatedfromJapanesetomean“lightanddark
harmony.”Whenacompositionisinitsmostbasicform,itisinthe“Notan.”
Thisisnotachiaroscuro(theRenaissanceItalianword“chiaro”meaningclear,lightand“oscuro”meaning
obscure,dark)whichismoreaboutvalues.Notanistheskeleton,theunderlyingstructureofapainting.Itis
thebalancebetweenthelightanddarkpatterns—tomakeastrongercompositionthroughaneffective
design,nomatterwhatthesubjectis.
WhenlookingatyourNotan—yourblackandwhite“sketch,”thisisthetimetochangeyourshapes,values,
etc.TheprocesswiththeNotanwouldlooklikethis:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Identifythedarkandlightandfindthebalancebetweenthem.
Yournextdecisionwillbewhetherthemid‐valuesgroupwillgowiththedarkorwiththelight.
Isolateafewmainshapes.
Squinttoreducedetail.
Thinkbigshapes,combiningsmallones.
LimitthenumberofshapesusedintheNotanto3‐5,nomorethan7.
ThereisacomputerprogramforanIPadthatmighthelpwithdifferentlight/darkpatternscalled“Value‐
viewer”for$7.
Carolusedspongebrushesforwashes—greatforskies.Forherdarks,whenshestartedpainting,sheused
theTsunami,abigbrushfromCheapJoe’sandmixedeithervioletwithburntsiennaforadark‐darkorthalo
bluewithburntsienna.Sheletthisfirstlayerdry.
Forthesecondlayer,whenshewentbackintoherNotanfirstlayer,Caroladvisedtostayawayfromwater.
Thistime,insteadofthebiggestbrush,sheusedaone‐inch(stiff)flatbrush.Shedidsomeliftingwithinthe
Notanandsuggestedtodothisifyourdarkmass(suchasaforest)istoomuch.Sheusedcobaltblueand
alizarincrimsonandadroporlessofyellowtogetapurplebluefortheshadowsandkeptpainting.
CarolstartedSundaymorningwithuswritingdownonasmallslipofpaperwhatourbiggestpainting
problemwasrightnow.Shegatheredalltheresponsesandreadthemreflectivelyaloudonebyone,making
comments,askingthegroupfortheircommentsforasolutionandgaveusfoodforthought.
Shethentalkedabouttheunderlayertodowntonewithsepiaifworkingtowardsawarmerundertoneor
usingPayne’sgrayforacoolunderlayer.Shewarnedaboutnotpaintingwithboth.Severalitemsshefinished
withwerehowpassageswereimportantinthewholeofourpaintings.Shepointedouttheimportanceas
welloftexture,rememberingto“tuckbehind.”Carolalsoexplainedtonotpaintmanylittlebrushstrokesto
representgrasses.Weneedtorememberalsotouseadrybrushtechniquewherethebrushneedstotouch
ourpapertowelbeforetouchingourpainting.
Attheend,weneedtopullthewholepaintingtogether(noafterthought)andrecommendedweusethe
Notaninallourlandscapes.
Carol’sdemoofanirisincludedherstartingwithaNotan.Firstshedidherplacementoftheflower,thenan
overlapforchancestogetshadows.Thencamethedecisionofafocalpointorcenterofinterest.Carol
suggestedtostartwithabiggersheetofpaperandnoteditcanalwaysbecomesmallerlater.
NextCarolthoughtofdirection.ShepickedherbrushupandhelditintheChineseway,restinginthepalmof
herhand,betweenthemiddlefingerandringfinger.Assheheldherbrush,shefeltwheresheneededtoplace
herbrushandfeltwhensheneededtopaintinanotherarea.Thisisthesamewithshapes.Shemadethose
decisionsasshepainted.Theclassthenhadtheopportunitytotrythistechnique.
Intheafternoon,theclasspracticedChinesebrushstrokesbypaintingbamboo,thenleavesonbamboo.Carol
askedusthesequestionsaswepainted,“Canweplacethebambooandleavesharmoniouslyonthepaper?
Howdowefeelaboutit?Howdotheresultsfeel?”Wethenpracticedwithsimilarbrushstrokesfor
butterfliesandroostersfromblackandwhitesamplesCarolgaveus.Herbrushrecommendationincluded
ProArteProlinesyntheticbrushesusedbyJessicaZemsky,famousBigTimberchildren’sportraitartistwho
usesgouache.ThisentireworkshopweekendwithCarolwasanamazingexperienceandprovided
inspiration!
Carol’spersonalityandherwayofbeingcannotbeexperiencedanyotherwaythanactuallybeinginthe
workshop.OnSundaymorning,sheopenedupwith“Ilovebeinghere,thisismytribe.”Reconnectingwith
friends,now“oldfriends”aftermanyyearswithMTWSandmakingnewfriends,isalwaysasweet
experience.Byexchangingtipsaboutdifferentwaysofdoingthings,adifferentproducttried,adifferent
techniqueprovided,anewadventurerecounted—aswhenCarolBarbianwentonhertriptoItaly—the
sharingandlaughsattheMembersbanquet,thesearetheweavingsthatgointothesharedwebofwhat
connectsusall.TheMTWSmembersworkshopsandshowsarethosemarvelousyearlyweekendsintheyear
thatgiveusalltheopportunitytoreconnectwitheachother,inspireandsendusonanotheryearof
discoveriesandcreativity.”
Respectfullysubmitted,JacquelineMercenier