Watts on Watts

Friday, August 31, 2012

Composition & Staging for Visual Development

Highlighted Class

COMPOSITION AND STAGING FOR VISUAL DEVELOPMENT

This class was designed and is taught by my father Robert Watts. He designed the class to emphasize the brick and mortar concepts of picture making so often lacking or not really taught at all in today’s schools and institutions of art. Although tailored to students looking to go into visual development this class would be equally beneficial to the illustrator or fine artist. As a matter of fact I felt so strongly about the class and its material that I came in to take it. I try to sit in on at least one class a term on top of my teaching responsibilities and professional deadlines. I find it absolutely pivotal to continue ones training indefinitely. I have included some of the work I did for the assignments given in the class as well as some of my father’s demos. He would commonly spend a good portion of the class going over unique ways to approach perspective, invention and storytelling. The assignments ranged from designing the environment for a Dragon’s Lair, Pirates approaching a sunken Galleon to The Great Wall of China being built to Hunters being approached by a Yeti. They are great exercises for developing and cultivating your visual memorization ability which in my opinion is essential for successful picture making in any genre!

THE CLASS DESCRIPTION:

The class will present a process and workflow for the invention and depiction of key scenes, environments, and character whose purpose is: to give life and substance to a specific story line, while preserving the director or production designer’s vision.

Some of the handouts went over unique techniques for breaking down compositions using alphanumericals to organize the center of interest in a picture.

Here my father goes over thumbnails and how to simplify key shapes for effectiveness in conveying the essential elements. Simplification and readability are key.

Here Robert is using the Legend of Sleepy Hollow to convey drama in emotional content. The idea was to use the bridge and its design as an essential component.

Here he is showing designs for dragons to be a part of the Dragon’s Lair scenario.

Here are some of the thumbnails I came up with.

In this image I had to create the thumbnails for a group of pirates approaching a sunken Galleon. I then took one of the ideas and developed it further just for fun!

In these images my father is showing the students how to develop and cast proper shadows using shorthand, easily understood concepts-a monumental task for most artists.

My father showing a great technique for how to find the meandering Wall of China-a difficult problem indeed. It is fun to watch him work these scenarios out.

Here are some of my sketches for this assignment.

Here are some more examples from the class.

In Closing this class is one of several we teach at the Atelier that covers how to compose and put pictures together. They are much needed and in my opinion very hard to find. The artists that were taught in this manner are all but gone. It is a throw-back to the halcyon days of the past. These concepts must be understood in order to create any substantial illustration, concept or fine art painting that looks to stand the test of time. Hopefully we will see you in one of these classes in the future.

This class will be taught again during out Fall 2012 term starting October 9th.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Gesture Portraits II DVD Special Offer $95 thru 9/15

9 Different Lighting Scenarios You Should Master

(1) DUAL LIGHTING: Dual lighting is often used for theatrical purposes where lots of “impact” or drama is needed. You will see comic artist, visual development artist and illustrators commonly favor this type of lighting. The lighting is highly effective for this purpose but it should be noted that the use of two light sources will create a dual core shadow. This can be challenging to navigate and requires careful study of the forms each light source is affecting. You will usually want to make sure one of the light sources is dominant either in intensity or temperature or both. The dominant light is often referred to as the “Key light” and the secondary light as the “Fill light.” Experiment and take note of other artist’s and how they utilize this type of lighting.

Note: I will be using two 300 watt bulbs with barn doors on both lights and a dimmer switch to allow me to manipulate the intensity of both lights until I find the effect I want!

(2) RIM LIGHTING: You will sometimes find this lighting referred to as “Edge-Lighting.” In film you will sometimes hear this referred to as “Rim” lighting or a “Kicker” light. This effect will often occur outdoors when the sun position is low and shinning toward the viewer. The rim will vary according to the planes that face backward toward the light source. This light can sometimes cause a heavenly glow around objects and is sometimes referred to as ” halation “light.

Note: I will be using a similar lighting set up as the dual lighting or backlighting scenarios. The secondary will be used to simply add some filler light to help navigate the shadowy area of the model.

(3) THREE QUARTER LIGHTING: Sometimes referred to as “broad lighting” This is one of the most commonly used lighting situations and is often used by fine art portrait painters. The lights origin will be about forty-five degrees in from either the right or left side of the model. The light will usually be located low enough to create slight illumination on both eyes. In this type of lighting you will often fine a cast shadow off the nose creating a triangular shadow that often times will connect with the core form shadow of the cheek.

Note: I will be using a single light source from slightly in front of my model positioned either left or right depending on the artist’s preference. A “fill” light can be used but should be extremely subtle. Often times natural reflected light will do the job nicely!

(4) BELOW LIGHTING: This could be considered a specialized lighting option used when drama of a magical, sinister or simply powerful nature is needed. Many old- time pulp-fiction covers as well as horror and science fiction illustrators often employed this powerful lighting to help convey their ideas. It should be noted that the look of our subject can be very odd due to the fact that all of the planes we commonly see in shadow from above lighting will now be reversed and as result care should be taken when designing and navigating the forms of the head, figure or any other object.

Note: A single light source, 300watt will be positioned at a low angle. Occasionally a secondary light from behind can add to the effect. Remember: many of your lighting conditions you will need to set up will be a combination of these scenarios.

(5) WARM DOMINANT: In this situation we will be bathing the model in a light source that is extremely warm. You may find that although regular incandescent bulbs will generally be considered warm I will be using a “amber bulb” that you can usually purchase at a specialty lighting store in your area. The wattage on these bulbs will usually be around 75 watt. Film gels can also be used if you prefer this method. I have found the bulbs to work sufficiently for most of my class-room as well as personal needs. Remember when using such a warm light the shadows will take on an even cooler effect. Play around with manipulating this effect as you more comfortable with bending color to your liking.

Note: The “Amber” bulb gives nice warmth to the model without giving the model the appearance of a fake orange tan!

(6) BACK LIGHTING: I seldom use this lighting but when needed for certain circumstances it can be a god send. No pun intended but this light is often referred to as “heavenly” as the light surrounding the object, a head in this case, almost takes on a glowing effect as the surrounding edges dance along the forms. The silhouette becomes dominant and the interior information becomes close value and requires subtlety to navigate. Keep in mind that as the light passes through the ears they will appear almost cadmium red from the tube as you see the light shine through the heavily blood rich capillaries. This can be a challenging but fun effect to play around with!

Note: I will sometimes step up the wattage on the bulb used to 500watt or higher depending on the effect desired. You can always embellish a bit when painting.

(7) NORTH LIGHTING: North lighting has long been revered by artists for its consistency and subtlety. It has a slightly diffused quality that is very hard to duplicate with artificial lighting. When using it the temperature of the skin will be affected by the coolness of the sky and as a result the shadows will appear warmer. I like to use transparent red oxide or transparent maroon as a base for the shadows in these situations.

Note: For this lighting I will use a light box placed over the model. For many of you this will simply be too expensive of an option. Some other options that I found work well and are very inexpensive are simple Film you can Velcro over in front of your lighting rig or get a fancy holder that attaches to the diameter of your light to hold the film. This is nice as the light becomes very hot using such high wattage and can make the adhesive on the Velcro come loose.

(8) COLORED LIGHTING: Colored lighting is also commonly used by illustrators and fine artists. I find it great fun and an invaluable learning tool for color understanding. I often times will use either analogous or complementary lighting scenarios and then encourage students to push the colors to see how far you can take them before they become out of harmony. The values will be the glue that keeps the more abstract color notes working so pay particular attention to them. Again try to allow one of the lights to dominate the object and keep a keen eye on the planes as they bounce light off onto other planes. Keep your wits about you and have fun.

Note: For Colored lighting situations we will use Floods lights or gels. Again it can be a bit difficult to find high wattage colored bulbs or floods and many times you will need to look for a specialty lighting store or go online when in doubt.

(9) COOL LIGHTING: For this lighting I will often really push the cool light and usually use a blue flood light. This scenario would be useful for many illustrations where the subjects are being lit by moonlight or simply cool lighting on a winter overcast day. You can also use cool red or even pink light. There are many options and gels also offer a wide range of options. Always remember that these are simply spring board scenarios from which to stretch your ability to work under adverse lighting conditions to better perfect your color sensibility.

Note: I will be using a 75 watt blue flood. This will flood the model with very obvious cool planes that are facing the light source. Another more advanced scenario is to use a black skinned individual. You will find the reflective qualities of this skin type to be beautiful and offers many unique opportunities for exploring advanced color harmony.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Weekend with the Masters 2012

Jeffrey Watts-Weekend with the Masters Series Interview

Tuesday July 24th, 2012

6:00pm Pacific Time

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Thursday, May 31, 2012

Life Drawing Progression

graphite life drawing ©Jeff Watts

I spent about 8 hours on this life drawing. It was executed on a Vellum Bristol and done using graphite pencils. We often use Charcoal and one could easily do that for these long efforts but I find using graphite to be a nice change of pace and excersises a different type of discipline. This type of drawing is excellent for very advanced students looking to work on subtleties in their modeling of form and value control as well as allowing time for hands and feet, hair design and other more obscure aspects of drawing that often get overlooked in the 3 hour class pose. The newer students benefit greatly by not being rushed as they struggle with observational problem solving and it is simply more relaxing. Both quicker and longer drawing efforts are necessary when developing your foundation.

Monday, May 28, 2012

The Encinitas Years Part 1: Westlake 2000-2007

Jeff Watts class demo

Before I start this next chapter of the Atelier’s history I would like to preface it by saying I have seen so much in the way of human behavior and have helped to cultivate so many wonderful artists who have gone on to incredible careers. Alas if only that was always the case. Along with the amazing relationships there have always been difficulties with complex personality types that simply do not factor into your plans for peaceful teaching, but one must put behind the trials and tribulations in the true pursuit of beauty and mastery. This is one of the ironies of life and to this day I aspire to create a truly peaceful and productive environment to study in. I have left out the names of certain individuals during this phase as it would only serve to open up old wounds. I felt this important to mention before moving on as it has forged my personality in so many ways.

Erik Gist class demo

It was during this phase that a few young talented students begin to stand out as potential teachers and a new era of development and growth would begin. They would all prove to be indispensible to the Atelier’s future success and would become my extended family of sorts. They all were just beginning their artistic journeys but were such incredible students and people that I can’t begin to say enough great things about them. Amongst these young talents were Ben Young, Meadow Rozelle-Ryker, Lucas Graciano and Mark Hill. It was truly a great period. I was designing new classes and started a dual teaching program to assist in the development of new teachers from within the ranks of the Atelier. I have yet to see this style of teaching as adding a second teacher would be too expensive of a proposition for many Ateliers.

At the time the name Atelier had not caught on and we used it as a new way to reinvent an old method of training. I applied to a new organization called the Art Renewal Center run by Fred Ross. They were trying to assist getting the word out about small privately owned entities that were of exceptional merit. At first my curriculum was a hard sale as they looked over all of the class descriptions and commented on the fact that too many of the classes utilized photos and were too illustrative. I developed a well thought out response about the different careers and paths present day fine artists and illustrators where going to have to navigate. Much to my excitement the reaction was a seal of approval on our entire program. I was on my way to finally getting recognition for the successful teaching and the program I was designing.

This was truly an exceptional growth period for the Atelier. I was teaching full time and helping develop new tiers of teachers who were originally my understudies and now were proving instrumental in the new momentum. The gaming industry had taken note and many of their professionals were coming in to train. People were coming down from L.A. to see what was happening and all was quite surreal. My ability to cultivate exceptional skills within my students was now becoming fairly commonplace. All seemed great but the wear and tear of carrying a successful illustration career, teaching full time and trying to stay true to my fine art aspirations was starting to affect my health.

It was at this time that I had expanded the Atelier to 3 rooms. We had a lot of overhead and although things were good I was starting to yearn for a permanent location for the Atelier. We now had a 13 year track record of consistent growth but not strong enough financials to purchase something. We tried on numerous occasions but were denied. I continued to push, grow and change the program. We started a youth program called the Future Masters Program. It was very successful and all teachers participated. Along with this I designed a variety of Certificate programs for students looking to navigate the some 60+ classes I had designed.

Jeff Watts class demo

Meadow Rozelle-Ryker class demo

Many new challenges arose as I begin to work with the young talented staff of new teachers I was grooming. Many were in their early to mid twenties and were new to the responsibilities that accompany teaching students their own age or significantly older. I too had witnessed this and had to learn to manage successfully all of the variety of personalities and true characters one runs into in this sort of business. This is an awkward time for the teachers as they had to compete against each other to try and fill their classes and gain a following but at the same time try to respect their fellow teachers and not sabotage their efforts. I started to see some troublesome patterns as one of my senior teachers, whom I had let back into the school, had started to constantly undermine the other teachers as he vied to try and sway the students over to his vision and intentions.

This started a very difficult period of management for me as I was constantly trying to shore up the school and keep it on its original course. It was as this time that I also made contact with an old friend from school who was very instrumental to my growth back in my Calabasis years. He had vanished and no one knew where he was. I finally tracked him down and offered him my first full time teacher position and was ecstatic when he agreed. He turned out to be very helpful to the very advanced students and teachers but did not enjoy teaching the rudimentary level students of which much of my school consisted. This would prove to be detrimental and caused numerous problems. This period was not all bad and as with all difficult times there are always lessons to be learned. This phase lasted about a year and then I had to let him go. I truly have no hard feelings towards him and hope this most talented individual finds his way.

Robert Watts class demo

Jeff Watts teaching plein air painting

After his departure it became apparent that a vacuum had been created and someone had to step into it. This would be the senior teacher with whom I had so many previous issues. He had long been plotting his exit but not in the professional manner you would expect from a senior employee you had not only trained from day one but also had such strong ties to all areas of the Atelier. I will not go in-depth into all of the issues and events that transpired. I have always held fast to my belief in Karma and it was truly time for this tumultuous period to come to an end. I apologize if I sound a bit negative about some of these events. I feel it is important to address this issue because it was such a long period of the Ateliers history and it established many of the qualities I now look for in potential teachers. I am happy to say that this lead to the most joyful and solid period that the Atelier has had. As I look back over all of the many phases and plateaus it brings back a wonderful book I have read several times. It is titled “Mastery” by George Leonard. It is a great read and addresses the many plateaus and trials one must face on his or her journey to mastery in any field. I would highly recommend it as you are moving forward on your artistic path.

Jeff Watts Illustration demo

Marty Davis teaching ecorche class

Jeff Watts assisting a student

Jeff Watts teaching

Westlake location

Jeff Watts teaching