[image_with_animation image_url=”8367″ alignment=”” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] I asked Claire Putney to name some of the inspirational watercolor painters for her upcoming workshop Watercolor Landscapes. She listed:
Sunga Park
Maria Ginzburg
Walton Ford
Z L Feng
In the next week I’ll share artwork by each of these painters. Today I have work by Z L Feng.
Z L Feng
Feng’s paintings are built to win watercolor awards, and they do. Feng’s skill is clearly displayed in each work: examples of glow, reflection, loose and tight, planned “accidents” and formal work. The classic asymmetrical compositions are variations on a theme, as each painting follows similar recipes: The light sky is reflected in water for diffused open glow just off of center. The vertical trees provide lift, and intersect the top and bottom (reflection) edge of the canvas – which notably tends to be generally one consistent size and ratio, and you have your choice of vertical or horizontal layout. Triangles of land offer horizontal mass to the composition and outline the water form. Branches provide stained glass windows to the background. Depth is given a faded far away background, reassuring middle ground, refreshing foreground, with an equally measured balance of light, medium and dark values. Space and forms are divided just as equally between areas of large loose swathes, medium rhythm setters, and a few small articulate details. Chroma and colors are similarly balanced, as if by recipe of analogous (harmony), complimentary (vibrancy), and neutral (restful) colors that support the final bright splash of color lifted from the shadows to make it pop. They are formula paintings, and my goodness they are pretty! I don’t mind at all. More please.
From Radford University: Growing up in Shanghai, Feng began painting at age seven and never stopped, experimenting with different mediums, including pastel, oil, and egg tempera, before choosing his favorite, watercolor. “With watercolor you cannot cover your mistakes, so you must know what you are doing,” he says. He finds inspiration for his lovely landscapes in the countryside of the New River Valley: “Usually I go around – to the river, the forest, the lake – to try and find interesting compositions.”
[image_with_animation image_url=”7714″ alignment=”center” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Haitian artist, Watson Mere Today, get political. Draw/paint/collage/photograph/print something civic. Add your artwork to this post on our Facebook page. (#salchallenge) The January Creative Challenge: 15 minutes, once a day, for 30 days. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMVd5k2a2IM
I’ll be sharing my drawings on Facebook. I’d love for you to share yours too. Maybe we’ll get some people jumping in to join us. Post your pics on the Seattle Artist League‘s Facebook, or Instagram at SeattleArtLeague. #drawingaday #seattleartleague
The first print ended up being too dark, but I liked the stippled grey and felt confident I could make a better plate without much effort. I loved the brush strokes on the vase. I’m going to like Vitreography. We start Tuesday!
Welcome to the 9th day of our 30 Day Challenge. I’ve pretty much decided that the more serious the news is, the less serious these challenges are going to be. Saturdays are experimental days, so instead of reaching for our paints, we’re going to play with our food. Prepare to get silly in the kitchen. …
Z L Feng
[image_with_animation image_url=”8367″ alignment=”” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] I asked Claire Putney to name some of the inspirational watercolor painters for her upcoming workshop Watercolor Landscapes. She listed:
In the next week I’ll share artwork by each of these painters. Today I have work by Z L Feng.
Z L Feng
Feng’s paintings are built to win watercolor awards, and they do. Feng’s skill is clearly displayed in each work: examples of glow, reflection, loose and tight, planned “accidents” and formal work. The classic asymmetrical compositions are variations on a theme, as each painting follows similar recipes: The light sky is reflected in water for diffused open glow just off of center. The vertical trees provide lift, and intersect the top and bottom (reflection) edge of the canvas – which notably tends to be generally one consistent size and ratio, and you have your choice of vertical or horizontal layout. Triangles of land offer horizontal mass to the composition and outline the water form. Branches provide stained glass windows to the background. Depth is given a faded far away background, reassuring middle ground, refreshing foreground, with an equally measured balance of light, medium and dark values. Space and forms are divided just as equally between areas of large loose swathes, medium rhythm setters, and a few small articulate details. Chroma and colors are similarly balanced, as if by recipe of analogous (harmony), complimentary (vibrancy), and neutral (restful) colors that support the final bright splash of color lifted from the shadows to make it pop. They are formula paintings, and my goodness they are pretty! I don’t mind at all. More please.
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[image_with_animation image_url=”7714″ alignment=”center” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Haitian artist, Watson Mere Today, get political. Draw/paint/collage/photograph/print something civic. Add your artwork to this post on our Facebook page. (#salchallenge) The January Creative Challenge: 15 minutes, once a day, for 30 days. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMVd5k2a2IM
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I’ll be sharing my drawings on Facebook. I’d love for you to share yours too. Maybe we’ll get some people jumping in to join us. Post your pics on the Seattle Artist League‘s Facebook, or Instagram at SeattleArtLeague. #drawingaday #seattleartleague
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The first print ended up being too dark, but I liked the stippled grey and felt confident I could make a better plate without much effort. I loved the brush strokes on the vase. I’m going to like Vitreography. We start Tuesday!
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