Next week it will be 25 years since we left Holland and moved to Spain. Friends offered their house in Valencia. We planned to stay for a year but then never came back. We set our wings to the wind, to wider horizons. In Holland we were very happy and content, as we are now in Spain. Here was work to provide our livelihood, sometimes more, sometimes less, but we managed. We have been lucky to make many friends, and we still enjoy the simple life, in rural Spain. None of us knows what lies in store for us tomorrow. But just more of the same, that would be great.
My scrapbook of the first year of our stay in Spain
It’s not always fun in the the beast´s belly of creation. Once in a blue moon it’s doom and gloom. You always feel as good or bad as your last painting. When you have done a great job you feel invincible, then there is nothing to worry about. But once in a while you make something mediocre, no matter what you do. You feel miserable. Fear is lurking to be unmasked as a bungler, a charlatan. The strange thing is that this phenomenon of despair grows with you. If all goes well your quality as a painter improves with the years. But sometimes you realize that you might not reach the top that you had in mind for yourself. Winds of uncertainty. Then it’s good to look back, and see what you have created in the past. On the occasion you see a piece again and it can be surprising. In such a way that you think: Did I make that? It’s not really bad!
Paul 42 x 26 cm
I recently came across this portrait, a commission that I made in 1999. The subdivision of the background may not be great, the person’s ear is a bit fancy but the brushwork and the atmosphere surprised me. I wish I could paint that way again!
This weekend I was off to England and not much time was left to write on my blog.
I was out for a portrait commission of a family of two little children with their parents. Saturday and sunday I was the family´s guest. Without preconceived idea I arrived at their home. I knew the mother wanted an outdoor setting. Initially, it was raining so the plans seemed to fall through, but Sunday afternoon the sun came out. The last hour of my visit I had the opportunity to do a good outdoor session. My job for a commission especially with young children is to win the everyone´s trust as quick as possible. Also of those two most sweetest, and very lively children. During the sittings they will have to do what I say. Always that´s a big challenge. And the parents sometimes are stressed if everything will turn out successful. So I did my best to reassure everybody. The photo session turned out well, I have some lovely pictures of a lovely family. Soon I can start making the sketches.
In the gallery with Rosie.
On my return trip I also paid a visit to Fine Art Commissions, my excellent gallery in London.
Although I use little medium it constitutes a very fundamental part of my painting.
What medium do I use? I always get that question and I’ll explain. It’s important to know that my technique is based on the “allaprima” technique. ‘Allaprima’ means that the painting will be painted ‘wet-into-wet’. With this technique the colours are mixed not only on the palette but also on the painting itself, and the paint can continue to be thinned with the same solvent or medium, or the paint can be used pure. And remember I work in one-day parts so every part must be finished in one single day, before the paint is dry.
Painting medium on top of the dry underpainting. I apply the mixture with a brush and wipe it off with a cloth.
◊ Before I start, I rub the canvas with a medium. That can be a normal drying standard medium. Sometimes I use a mixture of 50% alquid medium + 50% stand oil, that gives a more oily appearance. Why do I start this way? I always say “the canvas is hungry and must be fed and satisfied.” In this way the linen sucks less, and the brush strokes are received more easy. I don´t use it too thick, I apply the mixture with a brush and wipe it off with a cloth.
◊ When I start painting I use hardly any medium. My paint is of good composition. I mostly use Rembrandt/ Talens and for me it has the ideal ratio of pigment-oil. Some brands are stiffer and others more liquid.
◊ Once the canvas is covered with paint, and I want to continue adding details, I use the mixture of 50% alquid medium + 50% stand oil.
