Friday, January 6, 2012

Park Road

Back to pastel. 8x10 on Uart paper. Uphill walk.

Van Gogh is now in Arles. Gauguin just arrived. I feel like I am watching a movie. I keep yelling at the main character, "Don't do it. Don't do it." But he can't hear me.

2 comments:

Donna T said...

Hi Bob, I got behind on your work and just enjoyed catching up! I love the touches of pink in this pastel. Your "Far Seen Hopper" is gorgeous! When you did the study did you write notes on the colors or use photo reference? I'm just wondering how you get such harmony. I'm enjoying your notes on Vincent too. I wonder if we'll ever figure out what condition affected him so.

Bob Lafond said...

Donna, I used a photo reference. I usually decide ahead of time to use a certain palette, and don't stick too much to the reference.

Regarding Van Gogh, he had some personality disorder from his earliest years. His mother didn't love him either (seriously). His later condition (or same condition?) was probably epilepsy. Some of his relatives including his sister and his grandfather suffered from "mental illness." Van Gogh contributed to his condition with heavy drinking (absinthe), mercury treatment for syphilis, and probably lead poisoning from paint.