Rockwell used architects' tracing paper to transfer his final charcoal drawing onto a double-primed linen canvas or sometimes a wood panel. His paints were oil, particularly Winsor and Newton, mixed with Grumbacher's Oil Medium No. 2, using turpentine to further thin the colors. His favorite brushes were Rubens' long bristle flat brushes, and he occasionally used sable brushes for details.
I was a NY illustrator for many years, and this video is such a joy to watch! I always loved the model "shoots". The creative process was always the same - concept to thumbnails, a shoot, a working sketch, approval (hopefully), and them off to the finish. It's so true that no matter how many "jobs" you did, or for however many years you did them, there was always that quiet gnawing anxiety every time you had to present the painting to the client for final approval. Thinking of how famous Rockwell had become, to hear that even he felt that same delivery anxiety just makes me smile.
This video made me feel so much better about my art. I had no idea that Rockwell spent that much time on his paintings. He made it look so effortless and immediate.
Norman Rockwell is a big deal where I’m from (the Berkshires in MA) my grandparents knew some of his models and own one of his paintings. I’ve been to his studio where he painted the little girl walking to school with guards. There were still stains on the wall outside where he threw tomatoes from his wife’s garden to get a reference for the splatters.
no offense but this is not a correct title. nothing is mentioned about his painting process. this is about his idea generation, preparation and resource gathering, not painting process.
I believe the process is explained in detail starting at 1:32. If you are looking to learn mixing and brush work I would recommend visiting Mark Carder's channel at the link below. ru-vid.com/show-UCXgSi1Kwt7K2RUOapq2KHuQ
LTUM you are quite correct, this essay should have been titled Norman Rockwell's Studio Processes. If I recall Rockwell primary used oil paint for his illustrations. This had the drawback of the paintings needing to dry in sufficient time for publisher's to re-photo the artwork and finally print it as magazine covers, etc. I believe he built his paintings up in layers using glazing techniques. In all probability he relied on cobalt dryers added to the paint, depending on the mix of oil turpentine and linseed oil to the glazes.
are you joking it legit talks about him working from photographs...and ideas generation, prepertaion and resource gathering are integral parts of any painting process...
The biggest hurdle an illustrator has to overcome in this process, in my opinion, is the photo shoot. It takes a lot of resources and time, you have to find the right looking models, sometimes go on location, etc. and it becomes this whole thing. And clients are still like "I only have a budget of $300."
Real artists don’t use models, despite what the internet would have you believe, kid. And don’t point to Sargent or Rembrandt or Michelangelo to justify being a hack, please.
@@reginaldforthright805 what an incredibly stupid comment, its so immensely stupid that it really just becomes funny to read that level of internet bs at the end of the day 😅
When I see a Norman Rockwell painting I see the soul of America. It conjures up feelings of nostalgia and a longing for a time when your biggest worry was, what am I having for dinner this evening.
Rockwell was born and raised on the upper west side of Manhattan and NOT New England (which would be a reasonable assumption). Stallone was also born and raised in NYC. Hence the NEW YAWK accent.
I have the Arthur Gluptill book and he didn't use it all the time. He used it to meet deadlines, I don't think it limits hits skill or creativity at all. There's no shame in getting it done on time
@@PartScavenger Imagine spending plus 500 hours rendering (and that's just one project) then one day getting a wiff of this...but saying Nah! Not Norm...add another 500 plus hours to finish that same project then resting and getting the scoop blow by blow....yup. Heart Broken. A well guarded secret....Toto pulled the curtains if you will. 😒
@@PartScavenger You mean did..that projector bit had me all but hang up my hat, but mostly portraits some airbrush a few comics and sunsets with sail boats and landscape from a boat's pov...anyhow just music for now. As for causing emotion in others...honestly that's never been my end goal...if people are move by a piece that's wonderful but what elates one disgusts another etc & since its all subjective the goal is just better my art and only that. Thank you for asking have a fun time creating. ✌😎🎨
Rockwell is know for his Post paintings. The drawing underneath is just scaffolding for a painting. He analyzed the light, mixed colors, and applied paint over the scaffold . There is no cheating here because he did what he is known for ...painting a picture on the Post.
Another thing about aliens you can't eat corn without butter! Your going to need a couple of cows. Not beamed up but by being led to the ship with love.
funny, first the camera obsura in the 1800s, then olden days filmprojectors. today I compose things in photoshop, stick it on an usb and shuf it into a micro projector and sketch it up on the canvas. sure it's a shortcut, it's easier and get's proportions correct but it's not cheating. just like it's not cheating for Rembranth to have an arsenal to come in and do the fills once he sketched up the motif and then come back in when the boring block in stage is done. that way he could have 5 different commissions going at once.
Any non artist who thinks tracing is easy or "cheating," try it, you'll find that a good drawing skill is still required to trace well; a bad trace is obvious.
Honestly... i just started drawing and i was enjoying trying to achieve hyperrealism by grid lines and so many people said it's not art it's not impressive it's cheating that I'm considering giving up drawing because that's exactly the type of drawings I'm into.
So...he never painted out of imagination, always copying from photos or live models. I wonder if he would new how to paint a human figure without models. It would be good interested to see what would they look like.
All the great masters used live models from Da Vinci, Michaelangelo, Van Gogh, Renoir to Picasso and Dalí. He can easily do a human character from imagination but doing that is just lazy and unproffessional especially if you're doing a grand painting like he do. If you are a true real artist you should be using all the available tools at your disposal to bring your idea into reality, that includes using live models, pictures and other references.
I can't help but feel that any form of photography, modeling, and tracing reduces an Art into a skill. Gone, is the creativity and imagination, and along with it goes my interest. It's just a form of cheating in my opinion.
Lots of very skilled draughtsman (illustrators) who used photos to speed up the process when facing a deadline. Who didn't slavishly copy a photo's contours and value patterns, but used photos to sketch out multiple compositional options. Also, loads of purists (anti-any use of photo) who reduce painting to mere display of craft and skill.
An illustrator works by a different set of rules. Usually time is important, why draw to show off you can draw when you can trace ? Painting is a feeling mixed with style. Illustration is focussing on detail coupled with artistic talent. Remember and illustrator is performing for a client where is a painter pants for himself.
You're not a real artist if you don't use references or live-models. Unless doing something purely graphical, people who just paint out of their imagination are usually lazy and lack the artistic fortitude to bring out a very complex or delicate work. For hundred of years from Da Vinci, Michaelangelo and Bernini would always use live-models. Going so far to dissect corpses to learn anatomy. Modern artist like Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso, Dali also used models, pictures and even filmed videos to use. It is part of a tool that real artist must use to go so far to make their artwork perfect. If the artists thinks going to a Pacific island to catch the intense lights and color or watch the starry light all night long then he must. Not using all the tools available to you means you're willing to settle for mediocrity.
I agree. Part of my awe about Rockwell's work died knowing that he traced. Photoreferencing is one thing , but I genuinely assumed all these years that the little things like the loose socks on the girls ankles or the guy's posture when sitter Ng at the diner we're Rockwell's creations based on his knowledge of posture and anatomy. Oh well, he's still awesome!
Lmao it’s not cheating. There are no laws being broken here. Artist is using the tools available to them. A job isn’t an exam. Deadlines need to be met. There’s no cheating here.
So many ignorant people in the comments are conditioned to think “tracing” is a form of cheating, it’s no different than using a ruler for equal lines.
Honestly... i just started drawing and i was enjoying trying to achieve hyperrealism by grid lines and so many people said it's not art it's not impressive it's cheating that I'm considering giving up drawing because that's exactly the type of drawings I'm into.
