mon.o.chro.mat.ic (mon-uh-kroh-mat-ik) - adjective
1. of or having one colour
2. of, pertaining to, or having tones of one colour
When I was first learning how to paint I was taught the methods of the old masters. At the time I started taking my weekly 3 hour lesson I wasn't sure who the old masters were. I remember painting my first couple of paintings and I wanted to be done the monochromatic part so bad; I could hardly wait to get the colour on. As my patience, or lack of, got the best of me I remember asking my instructor a number of times if I was done, and she very patiently told me....not quite. So I kept working and working on the monochromatics.
What I have learned over the past 5 years is that you can't rush this step, it is the most important part of the painting process. If you get this part done right, the rest of the painting should come together easily, but if you don't get this part right....well, lets just say, there are many, many layers of paint on some of my first paintings, and that's not because I was layering the pigment, I was fixing my mistakes! A lot of practise and a lot of patience has brought me to a place where I can really appreciate those old master's technique.....who ever they were. ;)
So, is the monochromatic done?................not quite.
Original Oil
18" x 24"
Original Photo Reference by Jen Brunner, Red Deer
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