Photos 11 Jan 2009 09:16 am
PhotoSunday – Brick Patterns
- For some reason I have always loved the simple structure of a brick wall. I’ve often included them in the paintings I’ve done, and I’ve been fascinated by the many and varied differences you see in every structure made of brick. It was wonderful to hear Eyvind Earle discuss the architect’s tricks he used in Sleeping Beauty to detail all the brickwork in the castle backgrounds. Just another reason I enjoyed his artwork in that film.
on 11 Jan 2009 at 4:28 pm 1.Robert Schaad said …
Nice examples, Michael. How about cobblestones? NYC still has a few streets w/ them.
on 12 Jan 2009 at 1:55 pm 2.Jenny Lerew said …
I’m sure he’ll cover cobblestones if he hasn’t already. These are always great to see, these textural observations-many thanks.
May I ask-where does Earle describe his borrowing of architect’s tricks? Is it on the new DVD release? God knows I haven’t looked at everything on it yet. I’d love to know more about his technique.
on 12 Jan 2009 at 5:02 pm 3.Michael said …
Hi Jenny,
I was fortunate enough to sit in on an interview with Eyvind Earle and Mike Barrier many years ago. He said that many of his techniques came through architectural drawing and he mention this one – which I’d already known (having done the same frequently enough.)
Basically, if you draw the shape with a stylus on your bristol board, depressing wherever you draw, you can paint over it without filling in the lines – now riding at a lower depth than the board’s surface. It saves repainting the depressed areas with a line after coloring all those bricks.
You could also just carry the lines on a separate level – especially these days with a computer. Although I like feeling that hairline of depth in the real painting as opposed to the digital one. It’s all about texture.
on 12 Jan 2009 at 11:56 pm 4.Jenny said …
Thanks, Michael. That’s fascinating.
How I envy you your presence at that long-ago interview! Have you written about it in more detail? I’ve heard so often what a dynamic guy Earle was. I’d love to read your impressions. If you have, forgive me(and I’m off right now to search and see).