Capture Your Viewer
Featuring Colley Whisson
Colley Whisson knows a painting is good when he feels like he is right there in the scene. This is when an artist has made that ideal perfect connection with the scene. It really does require authenticity with color, tonal value, scene, and more. For example, sometimes, Colley will finish half or 75% of a landscape painting before he fully puts the sky in his scene. This way, he knows how to transition his work with atmospheric colors, especially in the shadows.
“If you can hold a viewer for three seconds, you have them for a lifetime.”
Colley also has to make sure he is getting enough alternating colors. Sometimes, painting is a constant observation: the sky is not just blue, and the grass is not always just green. Painting from life can help you practice focused observation. It is not crucial, but it does teach you to get the subtlety that is required to bring in the viewer. The fun part of being an artist is always trying to do something better, something new than you have been doing. Being open to the challenge of learning and becoming a better artist opens up room to have fun and experiment. If you struggle to capture the viewer, don’t be afraid to try something new.
Find out all the ways to learn from Colley down below!
If you want to hear more on Transporting the Viewer, join Gabor and Colley on the Paint & Clay Podcast here.