By Bart Barry-
SAN ANTONIO – Ten years ago I moved here and promptly failed an eye test for my Texas drivers license so badly the examiner and I both thought the other was joking about its results: I thought she was kidding when she said there were letters on the left side, and she thought I was kidding when I began reading from the middle. I’d lived most of my adult life in Arizona, whose licenses have extended durations, and hadn’t taken an eye test in 15 years or so.
In a few weeks I had my first pair of glasses, and suddenly the world was in such high-def I immediately ceased my lifelong indifference to visual arts. Soon, as longtime readers and friends know, I was deep in a survey of painting that would last and last. By 2011 my survey had taken me to the 17th-century Dutch masters and their seven-layer practice, and since layers were all I was after in writing I eventually hatched an inside-out writing process.
Now seems good a time as any to share it:
I. Cartoon Layer: Create a precise structure of borders between areas of highlight and light, light and halftone, halftone and shadow, and reflections – the lines are all there, and they might even be a mess, but they are there; this sets the hard outline of what is to come.
“After his third match with Rafael Marquez, a classic that happened in the bowl of Home Depot Center’s tennis stadium in Carson, Calif., Israel Vazquez sat on a makeshift dais in the bowels of the structure and listened to Marquez’s promoter and manager threaten pointless protests and journalists. Izzy’s face was a mess. He gently mumbled when his time to speak came, complimenting his opponent and thanking everyone.”
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II. Imprimatura Layer: The degree of darkness or lightness of imprimatura should be chosen in relation to the largest light area, defining the absolute middle tone, determining the mood of the portrait – to enable a newfound clarity in the next layer.
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III. Umber Layer: For defining values between lights and darks by presenting them near one another, setting characters’ most positive and negative traits – this is where absurdity must be injected if at all.
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IV. Dead Layer: For creating space and distance by making the largest quality too large, embellishing it till it casts a shadow on its characters, this may also be where mystery is introduced – this is where dialogue may be added if at all.
“El Magnifico, ever humble in victory as he was vicious in its pursuit, deserved better than what postfight shenanigans he endured in the moments that followed his career’s greatest feat, one that would someday claim half his eyesight but none of his goodwill. After his third match with Rafael Marquez, a classic that happened in the bowl of Home Depot Center’s tennis stadium in Carson, Calif., Israel Vazquez sat on a makeshift dais in the cold bowels of the structure and listened to Marquez’s obnoxious promoter and more obnoxious manager threaten pointless protests and accuse journalists of cheapening the event for asking why a protest needed filing.
‘That you would ask such a question,’ crowed Gary Shaw, ‘after what these men just did, after the bravery they just showed, is disgusting!’
Izzy’s face was a mess at rest and worse when he smiled. He tenderly rose and gently mumbled when his time to speak came, complimenting his sullen opponent – Rafa, after all, had just volunteered to die in the ring rather than be subjected to a standing eight count – and thanking everyone with a sincerity both pained and painful.”
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V. Color Layer (Dark): Make shadow areas darker and more colorful by placing them near positive qualities – challenging questionable verbs and modifiers.
“El Magnifico, ever humble in victory as he was vicious in its pursuit, rated higher than what postfight shenanigans he endured after his career’s greatest feat, the fight that one day claimed half his eyesight but none of his goodwill. Thirty minutes after his third match with Rafael Marquez, a classic that happened in the bowl of Home Depot Center’s tennis stadium in Carson, Calif., Israel Vazquez sat on a makeshift dais in the cold bowels of the structure while Marquez’s obnoxious promoter and more obnoxious manager threatened pointless protests and accused journalists of ruining their event.
‘That you would ask such a question,’ crowed Gary Shaw, ‘after what these men just did, after the bravery they just showed, is disgusting!’
Izzy’s face was a mess at rest and worse when he attempted a smile. He tenderly rose and gently mumbled when his time to speak came, complimenting his sullen opponent – Rafa, after all, had just volunteered to die in the ring rather than lose a point to a standing eight count – and thanking everyone with a sincerity both pained and painful.”
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VI. Color Layer (Bright): Lighted areas should be made lighter and more colorful, using paste-like mixtures applied rather thickly, in a hard break from its predecessor layer – and inserting actual colors.
“El Magnifico, ever humble in victory as he was vicious in its pursuit, rated higher than what postfight shenanigans he endured after his career’s greatest feat, the fight that one day claimed half his eyesight but none of his goodwill. Thirty minutes after his third match with Rafael Marquez, a classic that happened in the cement gray bowl of Home Depot Center’s tennis stadium in bluecollar Carson, Calif., Israel Vazquez sat on a makeshift dais in the cold bowels of the structure while Marquez’s obnoxious promoter, stretching an emerald track suit, and more obnoxious manager, scowling in funereal black, threatened pointless protests and accused journalists of ruining their event.
‘That you would ask such a question,’ crowed a redfaced Gary Shaw, ‘after what these men just did, after the bravery they just showed, is disgusting!’
Izzy’s face was a mess at rest and worse when he attempted a smile round his lipstick-red eyes and swollen mouth. He tenderly rose and gently mumbled when his time to speak came, complimenting his sullen opponent – Rafa, after all, had just volunteered to die in the ring rather than lose a point to a standing eight count – and thanking everyone with a sincerity both pained and painful.”
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VII. Finishing Miksture Palette: Details of textures, thickly applied highlights and bright reflections, this is the place for impasto – doing audio revision and looking for places to lighten.
“El Magnifico, ever humble in victory as he was vicious in its pursuit, rated higher than what postfight shenanigans he endured after his career’s greatest feat, the fight that one day claimed half his eyesight but none of his goodwill. Thirty minutes after his third match with Rafael Marquez, a classic that happened in the cement gray bowl of Home Depot Center’s tennis stadium in bluecollar Carson, Calif., Israel Vazquez sat on a makeshift dais in its cold bowels while Marquez’s obnoxious promoter, stretching an emerald track suit, and more obnoxious manager, scowling in funereal black, threatened pointless protests and accused journalists of ruining their event.
‘That you would ask such a question,’ crowed redfaced Gary Shaw, ‘after what these men just did, after the bravery they just showed, is disgusting!’
Izzy’s face was a mess at rest and worse when he attempted smiles round lipstick-red eyes and a swollen mouth. He tenderly rose and gently mumbled kind words when his time to speak came, complimenting his sullen opponent – Rafa, after all, had just volunteered to die in the ring rather than lose a point to a standing eight count – before thanking everyone with a sincerity both pained and painful.”
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Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry
