Red demands our attention even in the smallest quantities. The tiniest area of pure red can form a focal point as in the painting of the blue rug above. It’s like an itch that cannot be ignored.
I will Protect You! Oil pastel This work references a medieval sgraffito wedding plate found in Cyprus and now in the Ashmolean Museum. Only one dark red pastel is used over a base of well rubbed in pale orange-yellow which was revealed when the red was drawn into.
Where blue may be sad or holy, red is fiery, passionate, romantic, celebratory. Blue is recession or depression, red leads the cavalry to advance. We need both the calm of blue and the jollity of red for a balanced colour diet.
Look at the way red is used in the works on this week’s Pinterest board at:
Look at the red dot in Matisse’s cut out “Icarus”. See how different reds interact in the abstracts by Rothko and Patrick Heron. Explore how Bernard Cathelin manipulates red in still life, portrait and studies of groups of figures.
This week for all the studies you may use any red pigment alone or in combination with other reds. You may use Magenta, Quinacridone Rose, Alizarin as well as the warmer reds cadmium Red Pale, Scarlet and Vermilion. It would be useful for these studies to have one cool red(nearer to purple) and one warm red(nearer to orange).
One way to understand your reds is to test each one by discovering how it appears surrounded by black , white or a different red. Make a note of which appear to advance or whether the same red appears different against different surrounding hues. After that try at least one of the following red/reds to make a composition. You may use back and white, mixed with the reds or as areas of white and black. These paintings may be abstract or representational, hard or soft edged.
1. Make a painting using one or more red pigments, black and white. This may be hard or soft edged, abstract or representational.
2. Make a painting with red as in 1. but a small amount of a related hue may be used, but only one; either a reddish orange or a reddish mauve but not both.
3. Make a painting with any colour but include one small area of red as a focus.
Trophies This painting references a composite wooden statue from Nigeria drawn at the British Museum. The red background is a monoprint of black and red mixes drawn over the top with acrylic inks. Only black, red and white is used.
Your paintings;
Lady in Red by Barbara Inspired by the portrait of Anita Berber by Otto Dix
Anemones in a Jug Watercolour by Maricarmen After a painting by Jill Leman RAWCA
Flowers in a Dark Pot Oil pastel my Maricarmen
Exploring Red with Miro Watercolour by Maricarmen
Exploring Reds with other Colours with help from Terry Frost Watercolour by Maricarmen
Exploring Red Black and White watercolour by Maryon
Honesty and Hawthorn India Ink and watercolour by Maryon The red is Madder Lake
Variation on a 60’s Textile Design Watercolour by Maryon Quinacridone rose, Vermillion, Black White mixed with the reds
The Red Earring Watercolour by Maryon The earring is Vermillion and the skin tones are mixes of black and vermillion.
Still Life after Bernard Cathelin Watercolour by John Mainly cadmium Red and Black
Bowl of Cherries Watercolour by John Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, Black, little Ultramarine
Geisha Acrylic by Heather Scarlet, Deep Red, Rose, Black and White.
Cape Verde Memory Heather’s watercolour version of an African print Vermillion, Alizarin Crimson, Black and Orange plus Black oil pastel and a touch of Yellow oil pastel
Red mixes; reds with black and white; black and red resist with oil pastel and watercolour by Shirley
Attic Window Design Watercolour and Oil Pastel by Shirley
Welsh National Costume A red for every cloak Watercolour by Shirley
Same Red different Blues Watercolour by Shirley
Red Desert Watercolour and oil pastel by Jan
Poinsettia Watercolour by Jan
Dahlia Watercolour and oil pastel by Jan
Four Reds: after a collage by Geoffrey Pimlott Acrylic by Malcolm My reds are Naphthol R9 (lightest); Cad Red Medium R108 (middling); Permanent Alizarin R175+R122 (darkest, used mass tone only); Quin Magenta R122. Black is Carbon Bk7.
Fishing Boats at Hastings after John Blockley Acrylic by Malcolm Transparent Perinone Orange O73, a reddish orange tints the pink undercoat visible in places. Reds are Naphthol and Cadmium Red Medium; both mixed with black for the browns.
Red Flowers Watercolour by Liz
Abstract after Wharhol Red and black watercolour with red oil pastel resist by Liz
After Liotard’s Pastel of the Maid serving Chocolate Watercolour and pastel by Liz
Ballet Shoes Watercolour by Ann
Bowie Watercolour by Ann
Rose Watercolour by sarah Crimson, Vermillion, Black and a little oil pastel resist
Red Trees Watercolour by Sarah Crimson, Vermillion, Rose Madder, Black
Chrysanthemums Watercolour by Sarah Crimson, Vermillion, White, Black with Cerulean, Ultramarine and Sap Green This painting will lead us very nicely into thinking about the project for next week.