Curtis - Painting with Impact

West Stockwith Basin

OIL ON PREPARED BOARD

25.5 35.5cm (10 14in)

Towards Bonhams, South Kensington

OIL ON PREPARED BOARD

25.5 18cm (10 7in)

My special thanks to Robin Capon for his patient hard work on the text. As with the two previous books, Light and Mood in Watercolour and Capturing the Moment in Oils, it has been a pleasure to collaborate with him.

www.djcurtis.co.uk

David Curtis is represented by Richard Hagen, Stable Lodge, Broadway, Worcestershire WR12 7DP. Tel: 01386 853624; www.richardhagen.com.

Impact in painting is influenced and determined by a variety of factors, not least by the enthusiasm, skill and experience of the artist concerned. We all have good days and bad days, but essentially, to consistently create interesting work, we need to maintain a degree of hunger and excitement. Sometimes this is difficult especially if, like me, you have been painting for more than 40 years. However, I can truthfully say that now, with the advantage of the knowledge and experience that I have gained over the years, I am just as eager as ever to find new subjects and capture my thoughts and feelings about them in paint.

Bridge in the Cordwell Valley, Derbyshire

OIL ON CANVAS BOARD

30.5 30.5cm (12 12in)

Impact can also come from the expressive power of the medium itself, as in this plein-air oil painting.

David Curtis

I heard a comment recently from a painting colleague who advised that: It is a good idea to give the paints a rest for a while now and again. In fact, for me, that while can only extend for a day or so before I start to suffer from the inevitable withdrawal symptoms. I doubt if I have ever stopped painting for any extended period of time and I am eternally grateful for that. In my view, there is a danger that, without a consistency of application, the vitality and edge in painting could be lost and the all-important physical skills and technical ability could be compromised. This is perhaps an unfounded fear, but one that is nonetheless present.

I certainly believe that, to keep the challenging process of painting moving forward and gaining in confidence and effect, it is essential to work as often as possible and with due determination and perseverance. To paint with impact relies on commitment, just as it does on an ability to recognize the potential in subjects and to make the most of that potential in creating work that is successful, both in terms of originality and feeling as well as skill.

Impact starts with the subject matter. Ideally, this should be something that excites and inspires you something that you feel you must paint. The attraction could come from the actual content of the subject matter, or from a particular light effect, colour, mood or similar quality it doesnt have to be blatantly obvious. Impact is usually more successful if achieved through subtlety, rather than through effects that shout out to the viewer.

Evening, Lifeboat Day, Staithes

WATERCOLOUR ON ARCHES ROUGH

39 57cm (15 22in)

Impact starts with the subject matter. I loved the sense of atmosphere and activity in this wonderful, late-evening scene.

Of course, style, originality and technique also play their part. However, in my experience it is often the small, profound passages within a painting that will attract interest, encouraging the viewer to look more closely and start to interpret and respond to the work. As well as the planned aims and effects, there are usually opportunities that arise during the painting process to enhance the impact by responding to a fleeting light effect, for example, or the chance to place an interesting figure or improve the composition.

From the choice of subject matter to different materials and techniques, every decision influences the development of the painting and its degree of success. In this book I consider both plein-air studies and studio work, and examine every stage of the working process, showing how each is important in contributing to the ultimate impact of the painting. All paintings should offer something emotive and unique, I think, and these are the qualities that I continue to aim for, even in my most quiet, close-toned subjects.

For me, there is no greater thrill than discovering a really exciting, inspirational subject and being able to capture my thoughts and feelings about it in the form of a painting I think most artists would agree with this. I paint almost every day: painting is something that has been a vital part of my life since childhood and the desire to do it remains as strong as ever. The reason I paint is partly, of course, to fulfil a need, a necessity, and for my own satisfaction and reward. Equally it is to share what I see and feel with others, especially when this concerns a new aspect of an old subject matter or a new discovery.

Evening Study, Place Del Pi, Barcelona

OIL ON PREPARED BOARD

25.5 18cm (10 7in)

With its striking contrasts of shape, scale, tone and colour, here was a subject that I simply could not miss!

Painting is a wonderful form of self-expression, but to paint well and thus create works that are meaningful and have real impact requires integrity and originality. You have to be true to yourself. Each artist has a different view of the world and this should be reflected in the way that the individual paints, so that there is a personal observation and insight concerning the subject matter, combined with aspects that reveal something about the particular artist. The most interesting and effective paintings are those that are subjective and individual, rather than those that follow a prescribed style or method and could have been made by anyone.

Inspiration is an instinctive quality, a motivating force and an essential factor in every painting project. Working without inspiration almost inevitably leads to rather ordinary, unexciting results. Ideally, what is required in each new subject is something compelling and different that urges us to paint it. This could be a certain effect of light, an unusual and dramatic composition, or some other feature that makes the subject interesting, distinct and appealing.