Archives For Impressionist

Homage to Degas

marylizingramart —  July 19, 2012 — Leave a comment

Nora, 3 months, Graphite Sketch…Today is the birthday of Edgar Degas, the French Impressionist famous for his figures of ballerinas, bathers, and other turn-of-the-century subjects. He also happens to be my favorite artist and major influence on my own art. I especially love Degas’ pastels…the vibrant contrasts, the intense markings, the vivid colors. His preparatory sketches are often a combination of strong, dark shadows mixed with precise, yet loose, lines. I like to study his work and absorb what I can into my own way of seeing color and interpreting subjects. In homage to Degas, I chose a figure drawing for my daily sketch, drawing my sleeping baby girl (who was a bit squirmier than I expected, once drawing commenced!) I used my darkest pencil, marking in the shadows, contemplating the art of Degas as I recorded this day in my baby’s young life.

The Tub, Edgar Degas, Pastel

Two Dancers Resting, Edgar Degas

In Alabama, Art, artist, baby, ballerina, bather, Birmingham, dancers, Degas, drawing, figure, graphite, Impressionist, Ingram, Liz, Mary, pastels, pencil, portrait, sketch , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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SpectraFix Pastel Fixative

marylizingramart —  August 6, 2011 — 2 Comments

I have recently begun using a new pastel fixative introduced to me by one of my very talented art students Jenny Thornton. SpectraFix Is “a natural milk casein pastel fixative” that is non-toxic with no odor, and you can even spray it inside! It is pretty much alcohol and milk protein…it comes from cows! See? Continue Reading…

In Art, Birmingham, Degas, fixative, Impressionism, Impressionist, Ingram, Liz, Mary, pastels, soft pastel, Spectrafix, spray , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Ocean Cliffs

marylizingramart —  March 18, 2011 — Leave a comment


Ocean Cliffs, 14×18 Soft Pastel on Card

The works of Monet and my love for the beauty of the British Isles inspired this piece; what made it’s creation even better was drawing outside on such a fabulous and warm Spring day. I love Impressionism, and this particular image seemed a perfect choice for another attempt at using bolder color and strokes. In my art room above my desk, I have a handwritten quote taped to the wall by Georges Riviere from 1877: “To treat a subject for the colors and not for the subject itself, that is what distinguishes the Impressionist from other painters.” I am far from an Impressionist and am constantly pulled toward capturing minute details, but this sentence echoes through my thoughts when I am drawing, pushing me to look for color over subject, for feel over accuracy. It never fails to surprise me that when I let go of rigidity and move with the colors, I step back and see that the picture has come together…and each time I delightfully wonder how it happened.

In Alabama, Art, Birmingham, cliff, Georges Riviere, Impressionism, Impressionist, Ingram, landscape, Liz, Mary, Monet, ocean, pastels, seascape, Sennelier, soft pastel
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