Good video. I've followed Hockney's work for many years (photographed one of his catalogues). Maybe I can add some thing. Hockney has an amazing 3d technique with large shapes. I can't quite figure out how it works (I've studied this subject) . In the Yorkshire paintings the hills and dipping roads. The shapes push and pull. The 'Tree' paintings of recent years might be one way into understanding how he thinks. The branches are very 'schematic' meaning their pattern captures the essence of the branch structure and leaf clustering of a particular species, but they aren't like a still life of flowers where you can count each petal. Van Gogh does the same schematic representation method as well. Might be where Hockney learned it. That field of Van Gogh's in the video. If you had a photo of it, you'd see the mid ground 'count' of grass stalks in the painting in the foreground of the photo. The midground of the photo would be a color/texture. It's like 90 strokes represent 9000 plants. The trees. In 'Tim's Vermeer' a video about a guy figuring out how Vermeer worked Hockney is interviewed in his studio. Behind him is a panorama of a line of trees photographed from a distance. This reduces the incredible 3D complexity of the tree branches into 2D. Hockney can then work from that to create his stylized schematic. He does paint en plein air, but I think he started in the studio working from that photo. Once he 'figured out' how tree branches 'work' visually (as opposed to how they really are) then he could go outside. The best time of year to capture these branches images of trees is very early in the spring when the leaves are just coming out of the buds. Another couple of weeks and it's all leaves. In 2018 in England this was April, by May it was 'too late.' During my hike around Dorset seeing the neat rows of trees along roads and property lines, the copses of them on hillsides, I thought that they were trimmed. After seeing thousands of 'well groomed' trees I realized this is just how they grow in England. Back in the States when I wanted to make some Asian inspired tree branch images I quickly learned I had to go to the wealthy neighborhoods where trees were trimmed or pruned by arborists. I think compared to English trees American trees are quite scruffy. Hockney's iPad paintings might be a good way to see Hockney reducing Hockney as a way to see how he works. There are fewer options on an iPad than brush on paper. I really like the photo and the watercolor at 4:00. It shows exactly how a painting shouldn't just be a copy of what's there. (Hockney says, 'A painting is a painting, a photograph is a photograph, they're different.' In his studio I've seen photos, paintings like the photos, xerox copies of the painting, and faxes of the painting. I was photographing the paintings.. All different, all with their own qualities.) Curiosity. About 35 years ago I was at a Christmas party in Los Angeles (Harold's house). I'd been doing some drywall work and my glasses were horribly scratched. The lights on the Christmas tree in my scratched glass was giving me amazing 3D patterns. David wears hearing aids and he's shy so you don't expect him to listen in to some guy 3 - 4 meters away in a room full of people. I was playing with my glasses by the Christmas tree and told my wife about the 3D effect. A little while later we were talking to friends on the other side of the room. I noticed David was over by the tree playing with his glasses. I was too shy to walk over and offer my scratched glasses. His glasses of course were in great shape so he wasn't going to see the effect. I knew an artist to whom I happened to mention that another artist I worked with used 8B pencils for sketching. She got really pissed off. Said I was comparing her... I started to apologize and then I realized something. If I'd told that other artist or David Hockney something an unknown amateur artist was doing that I thought they might find interesting, they'd be interested, especially if it was something they didn't already know about. In fact, they'd insist on knowing. Fixed mindset people don't make mistakes, other people make mistakes. Growth mindset people endlessly make mistakes, they continually learn and live amazing lives. Using the white paper or background as a highlight. The Bigger Splash painting was taught in my college as the white of the splash being the white gesso. It isn't, it's white paint. But there is a Japanese Ukiyo-e style water color that I saw in a gallery show with some of Hockney's Yorkshire paintings and portraits. The highlighted rings of the rain drop splashes are indeed the white paper. This is probably well known, but it wasn't to me. I asked about it. Opaquing solution. Hockney painted it on first than did his water color painting over it, then peeled it off. And that other artist 8B pencils. He was a sculptor, but he drew for two to three hours every day, seven days a week for his entire life. Said he had to. Hope this is interesting.
Yes I've been reading with great interest! Thank you so much for sharing all your insights and knowledge. This was very interesting, I love hearing stories and insights like this. Thanks for watching and leaving such an awesome comment!
As a photographer there were many images I wanted to copy. I wanted a print like that, but I also wanted to learn. Initially I'd set out to 'just use the technique.' They'd never even look like the same technique. So I set out to flat out 'steal' the image. By the time I'd get an photograph that I was satisfied with it looked nothing at all like the original. Picasso stole from Matisse more than Matisse stole from Picasso. (they were friends). The paintings Picasso made after the one that looked just like the Matisse were always far more interesting. So steal, but not slavishly.
I'm not an artist, i just love to express myself through colour. Your video showed me how it's important to be myself in my hobby. All videos about watercolour show the techniques, accentuating skills. It's important indeed. But.. Thank you for looking at this particular aspect of painting. When I saw your own painting, I felt like if I'm flying over that beautiful landscape.
I live near this area and I love this series of paintings. It always makes me smile listening to artists as where does looking for inspiration and ideas stop and copying ideas start!😂😂
. Thank you so much for all your very helpful and inspiring videos. I really love your work and one day hope to have the freedom and loose style in my meagre paints . Can I ask you what book you were looking at if that’s allowed ? I’m new to u Tube so not sure if I’m allowed to ask ?
The titles of the two books in the video: Hockney - Van Gogh: The Joy of Nature by Hans Den Hartog Jager Published by Thames & Hudson Ltd. And A Yorkshire Sketchbook by David Hockney Published by Royal Academy of Arts Hope that helps and welcome to the channel :)
What are you talking about?!? Hockney pre- dates Bob Ross by decades! Not to mention that there’s no comparison between the two! Hockney is one of the most influential fine artists of modern times, while Ross is a celebrity amateur who convinced equally and even more atrociously untalented amateur ‘painters’ that everyone can create ‘art’! Educate yourself!
