Discussion On What Makes A Painting Great?

Good morning folks. I would be delighted if you are able and interested, to join me in developing this latest blog of mine. Everybody is welcome and there are no right or wrong opinions. A little while back I took part in what became a very interesting and informative discussion on this, and I will share the thoughts and opinions that came out as it went along.

So to kick it off, some people were of the opinion that a "photo-realistic" painting is boring, unimaginative, lifeless and is lacking in depth. One response to that was, “Maybe photo-realism tells the viewer too much, there’s not enough left to the imagination. All the facts are there. Maybe there’s too much information, the human brain likes to keep things simple. Some of the best artists in the world keep their paintings simple. They convey one idea at a time. Too many ideas in one painting can complicate".

Now for me, even though detail and accurately portraying what I see is important, it is never my aim to paint the actual objects I see, but in all my paintings it is about painting light and contrasts and shapes which will always be of an impressionistic nature.

Who will be the first to make a comment below?

https://www.art-and-soul-by-malcolm-turner.com/single-post/2017/07/18/Discussion-On-What-Makes-A-Painting-Great

Telling The African Story

A couple of years ago I did a collection of African Portraits, and also came across some great stories to go with each of them.  My wife Jessica then put these graphic packages together with the painting, backgrounds, borders, and stories that look so stunning, which I thought I would share with you all. The Swazi Dancers are still for sale if anyone is interested!

A-Maize-Ing Lady

Basotho Son


Swazi Dancers


Masai Maiden


Old Zulu Man

https://www.art-and-soul-by-malcolm-turner.com/single-post/2017/07/13/Telling-The-African-Story

Amazing Love .... How Can It Be?

Folks, there is nothing more important to me than seeing the world, nature, people, and myself through God’s eyes of Love. This prayer, whose author I do not know, expresses what I have come to know and experience, in a very real and living way, in my art and in my life.

I love You Lord, I love Who you are!

I look at nature – swirling, vast, fascinating and heart-stopping wonder and detail, and I love You. It is You – Your touch is there – everywhere.

Who was there before You? No-one – no-one instructed You or gave you wisdom. You made it all, and You made it all for me.

I look at little children faces full of your innocence and truth, and I see You there. Delicate sweetness, sensitive love such holy beauty, as if they just dropped out of heaven where they heard your heart beat and saw your smile.

I see Your mercy with the old, the sick, the lost, the beggars, and it’s You. But then I think further, how You love those who hate You, spit on You, persecute You, and I cry – how can such love be?

I look at my life. How it was transformed by mercy, once a mess, but now something beautiful – I recognize every bit of that something is You. Patiently, lovingly, gently, you taught me to rest, to simply appreciate Your work, and taught me to dance with You.

I look at Your dream, and I find myself there at its center!

Your every thought and every breath concerned with me. Likeness finding likeness, it simply overwhelms me! I perceive everything You’ve done was to convince me this is not only a dream, but the most real and eternal matter in existence! Sealed with Your own blood.

What lies ahead is only more of You!

https://www.art-and-soul-by-malcolm-turner.com/single-post/2017/07/12/Amazing-Love-How-Can-It-Be

Whale Cartoons Galore

Whale Of A Time

A couple of years ago when my wife Jessica and I moved from Johannesburg to the Western Cape (which is in South Africa), we stayed in Hermanus for a year.

Whale Tours

Cruising With Whales

Whales Rule

Every year they have a Whale Festival there when the Southern-right whales come there to mate because the climate and environment is good for them.

Corp da Baleen

I had the idea to paint a whole collection of these whale cartoons that turned out to be quite popular and we were able to sell quite a lot of them.

Bunker Blues

Whale Patrol

Whale Cookout

Whale School

What made us think about them is that we were watching a video that showed us how we can take static images like these and animate them, and we thought how cool it may be to do it with these.

Whele Wine Fest

Day At The Beach

Watch this space to see if we get it right folks!

Whale Nursery

Whales Fishing

I also have some ideas of activities they could do that I can paint! I would welcome some suggestions from you as well!

Whales Golfing

We are also working on making high resolution images of them, from which we can have prints made.

Whale Waves

https://www.art-and-soul-by-malcolm-turner.com/single-post/2017/07/12/Whale-Cartoons-Galore

Sharing Stages Of Cape Town Waterfront Painting

Good morning folks. This painting of the Cape Town Waterfront is the first one I did in my current “Iconic South African Places” collection.  In Stage 1, I am always making sure that the drawing aspect is accurate because it strengthens the composition and creates a great balance and harmony to the painting. It is also for this reason that I divided it into blocks. The best advice I ever received about drawing was from Betty Edwards in her book "Drawing With The Right Side Of The Brain". She affirms that it is very necessary that you switch off your analytical left brain that wants to complicate things, and that you allow your creative right brain to take over that will simplify things so that you are able to draw shapes rather than what you think you see. And the way she suggests you do this is to take the reference you are using and turn it upside down. And I can confirm that this works brilliantly.

In Stage 2 I put in the base color which sets the tonal value (grading from black to white) for the rest of the painting. It is also here that I determine whether the colors are warm or cool.

In Stage 3 I started putting in the mid-tone colors in their correct values, and also some of the highlights. I always put in the darker values first and then come in with the highlights later.

In Stage 4 it was all about getting the finer details right has always been important to me folks, because for me it is the difference between a good and a great painting. It is when you get further along in the painting that you pick up errors in the drawing. So here I took the time to correct some of those errors that I can see, even if no-one else does. I also added some more highlights and put some of the people in. Thanks for following the process with me because you all inspire me to do better.

In Stage 5 I worked on the water, added some more of the people and added more of the detail. With any luck the next time you see it, it will be completed.

It is done folks! This painting has been a great challenge for me, and I have enjoyed the whole process, and especially being able to share it with you all as well. We are offering it on a 3-month payment option, so if you are interested, please feel free to chat to me.

Title: Cape Town Waterfont

Medium: Oils on Stretch Canvas

Size: 76 cm x 1.02 meters (40 x 30 inches)

Price: R12000 ($934)(£720)

https://www.art-and-soul-by-malcolm-turner.com/iconic-south-african-places?lightbox=dataItem-j3offe9e