Sculptor in Light

 John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) was the most successful portrait painter of his time, gifted landscape painter, and watercolorist.    Sargent's teacher, Carolus Duran, had visited Spain in 1866 before establishing his atelier in Paris. He urged his students to study the works of Spanish painter, Diego Velasquez. In 1879 Sargent departed for Spain, where he studied and copied the work of Velasquez and other Spanish masters. He made seven trips of over the span of thirty three years. His fascination for Spanish art endured into old age. As Duran learned from Velasquez, Sargent also learned to define figures using long fluid brushstrokes, he admired Goya's elegant paintings of female subjects, and from El Greco, he referenced the posture of the his subjects.   Figure of Apollo from “The Forge of Vulcan” After Velasquez 1879 "Las Hilanderas" (The Spinners) after Velasquez, 1879 Angels in a Transept, after Goya, 1879 “The Holy Tritiny”, after EL Greco, 1895 Source: “

 Richard Schmid (October 5, 1934 – April 18, 2021) was an American artist and author, highly regarded and accomplished with more than 50 one person shows and the recipient of many major awards. Concerning dexterity in painting, he states the following in his book “Alla Prima” “The power is in how critically you observe your subjects, and the patience and care with which you paint it. Authority does not lie in how tricky you can throw the paint around. In any case, direct painting is usually done as an “Alla Prima” (one session) rendering, and there is rarely time to be cute about the way you apply paint. Use any application familiar and comfortable to you. Paint thick or thin, with a knife or brush, use a rag, a shovel, or your fingers, it doesn't matter- whatever gets the job done. Just make sure that thee five things happen: That the paint is going onto the right PLACE on the canvas. That your brushstrokes are the right SHAPE and SIZE. That they are the right COLORS.

Leonardo Da Vinci shares his wisdom for the aspiring painter.  "Thus I say to you, whom nature prompts to pursue this art, if you wish to have a sound knowledge of the forms of subjects, begin with the detail of them, and do not go onto the second [step] until you have the first well fixed in the memory and in practice.  And if you you do otherwise you will throw away time, or certainly greatly prolong your studies.  And remember to acquire diligence rather than rapidity." -Leonardo Da Vinci- Source: Leonardo's Notebooks: Writing and Art of the Great Master Edited by H. Anna Suh