7 Replies to “Patrick William Adam”

  1. I love the paintings–especially how the light splashes over things through the windows. Here’s a question for anybody who would have the time to answer–I’m a high school student who has had very little actual art education, and so far my art has been limited primarily to graphite pencil sketching, and a bit of digital work that always frustrates me. I’d love to get into painting, and work with a medium that allows the use of color, but I have no idea where to begin. I recently acquired James Gurney’s “Color and Light,” but I’m not sure if I should try acrylic, oil, watercolor, or what. If anyone would have a suggestion or two I’d love to hear them.

    1. Hi Seth. This may be something of an unusual bit of advice, but I’m going to suggest gouache.

      Like watercolor, it lends itself well to combining with, or working over, sketches in pencil or ink. Also, like watercolor, it cleans up with water and can be relatively inexpensive compared to oil or acrylic. I personally find it much easier than watercolor to handle and its quick drying time makes it easier to work over.

      You won’t find as much information on painting in gouache as other mediums, but you can follow general advice for painting in oil in terms of mixing colors and working from darkest colors first to lightest ones last (as opposed to watercolor). You can work in gouache on watercolor pads, illustration board and sketchbooks intended for “wet media”.

      You will see gouache referred to as “Designers ” colors, because designers and illustrators prize it for it’s quick working time in preparing illustrations on a deadline. I think it lends itself well to sketching and experimentation. You will find reference to Gurney using it sometimes on his blog.

      Gurney’s “Color and Light” is a superb book, but it’s not exactly aimed at those just beginning to work in color. You might supplement it with a more general book like Artist’s Manual: A Complete Guide to Paintings and Drawing Materials and techniques by Angela Gair, which you should be able to find inexpensively used (or in the library). Amazon lists The New Artist’s Manual: The Complete Guide to Painting and Drawing Materials and Techniques by Simon Jennings as that book’s replacement, but I haven’t compared them.

      Either of those books will recommend starter palettes of colors for gouache (and other mediums). You don’t need a lot of colors to start with!

      Gouache dries a bit lighter than you put it down, but you’ll get used to that as you experiment. My best advice is to experiment, have fun and don’t let yourself be frustrated with where you are vs. where you’d like to be. Progress will come in time. Have fun!

      See my Answers.com posts on An overview of water-based paints and Palette options for watercolor and gouache (meaning surfaces and trays for mixing).

  2. Hello,

    that’s the great paintings above, especially interiors and used harmonies.

    I didn’t read the title of the post and I thought that those are paintings by Stanislaw Zhukovsky, a Polish painter. There are similarities I think especially the way they both composed and painted interiors, and what interested them in the subject.

    I would like to show to You Zhukovsky under this link:

    http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Stanislav_Yulianovich_Zhukovsky?uselang=pl

    By the way it would be great if You, Charley, could introduce readers to Polish painters, We had them a lot and great : )

    I could say about Józef Che?mo?ski, Leon Wyczó?kowski, Jan Stanis?awski, Alexander and Max Gierymski.

    Well, there are more but for the beginning… : )

    Have a nice day!

    1. Thanks, Mateo!

      Zhukovsky looks terrific. I will investigate the others you suggest. I’ve written about some contemporary Polish artists, but my knowledge of those from history is lacking. I appreciate the suggestions.

  3. Hey, good morning all. First I like to thank you, Charley, for all the time and money you spend on us gratuitously. ?????!
    Whenever I go to town I visit my regular bookstore “‘t Ezelsoor’ and across the street ‘Deva’, (#3) http://www.nlstreets.nl/NL/winkelen/breda/gebied/veemarktstraat/
    where I bought one dark carmine Supracolor II soft pencil yesterday to add to the collection of hundreds of colour pencils. Another book on art is Volkert Essers’ MATISSE (2012 Taschen) I could not resist to own.
    This is how I keep ‘the fire and love’ I have for my personal ‘art world’ going like Vincent van Gogh and his artlover brother Theo were systemetic collectors of Japanese prints.
    Get on with it, Seth!

  5. Hi again,

    I would propose this link to You:

    http://www.pinakoteka.zascianek.pl/Artists.htm

    There You can find a list of most of the Polish painters active in early twenties and earlier centuries.

    Only one bad thing about this site – the reproductions are POOR… So being interested in a choosen surnames try to google them to find a better copies. Just my sugestion.

    So… I am waiting for a post about my native painters. : )

    Have a nice day!

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