Still life and seascapes, people and landscapes, children, construction workers and people walking on a beach. A variety of subjects fill the paintings of Chuck Rosenthal as he colors his scenes in oils and pastels.
Thinking about the varied subject matter, one thing comes to mind that is common to all his paintings. The contrasts. A rough surface of a basket or coarse cloth against a smooth bottle or grapes or apples. People in bright sunlight casting deep shadows. Man-made structures against softer foliage. High buildings contrasted with soft sand and grass, sunlight and shadow.
When asked about his inspiration to paint, Mr. Rosenthal replied in a single word: Contrasts. Going on to explain, he said, "light and shade, contrasts of form (e.g., a broad, nondescript stretch of sky with strong geometric shapes silhouetted against it), counterpoint in the composition, subtleties of light, atmospheric effects on objects and in general, strong drawing, and objects receding into shadow and then erupting into the light."
To get an idea of how an artist is inspired by contrasts, notice some contrasts around you. Notice someone's hair as they stand in the sunlight. Perceive not that the person has brown hair, but look at every shade of brown you can actually see, from very dark where the hair is in shadow, to almost white where sunlight reflects. See how many shades of color you can perceive. Perhaps you can understand why the artist is inspired by contrasts. What a great inspiration.
Now imagine capturing those varieties of color with paint on canvas. You will get an idea of how an artist looks at things. And now you have an idea of what inspired Mr. Rosenthal to paint.
As an example, let's examine Mr. Rosenthal's "Clearwater Construction Workers." This is a painting of many contrasts. The painting contains wonderful colors. The soft clothes of the workers against the hard concrete sidewalk and wall. The deep dark shadows of the doorway against the nearly white wall and sidewalk. The softness of the dirt and the hardness of the sidewalk.
The loose flowing lines of the clothing and dirt contrast with the hard straight lines of the building and sidewalk. The softness of clothing fabric contrasts with the hardness of concrete.
There you have a secret of inspiration for painting, and a little look into how an artist views things. You can view others of Mr. Rosenthal's paintings and continue to observe the contrasts. And try viewing them in life. What fun! - 30435
Thinking about the varied subject matter, one thing comes to mind that is common to all his paintings. The contrasts. A rough surface of a basket or coarse cloth against a smooth bottle or grapes or apples. People in bright sunlight casting deep shadows. Man-made structures against softer foliage. High buildings contrasted with soft sand and grass, sunlight and shadow.
When asked about his inspiration to paint, Mr. Rosenthal replied in a single word: Contrasts. Going on to explain, he said, "light and shade, contrasts of form (e.g., a broad, nondescript stretch of sky with strong geometric shapes silhouetted against it), counterpoint in the composition, subtleties of light, atmospheric effects on objects and in general, strong drawing, and objects receding into shadow and then erupting into the light."
To get an idea of how an artist is inspired by contrasts, notice some contrasts around you. Notice someone's hair as they stand in the sunlight. Perceive not that the person has brown hair, but look at every shade of brown you can actually see, from very dark where the hair is in shadow, to almost white where sunlight reflects. See how many shades of color you can perceive. Perhaps you can understand why the artist is inspired by contrasts. What a great inspiration.
Now imagine capturing those varieties of color with paint on canvas. You will get an idea of how an artist looks at things. And now you have an idea of what inspired Mr. Rosenthal to paint.
As an example, let's examine Mr. Rosenthal's "Clearwater Construction Workers." This is a painting of many contrasts. The painting contains wonderful colors. The soft clothes of the workers against the hard concrete sidewalk and wall. The deep dark shadows of the doorway against the nearly white wall and sidewalk. The softness of the dirt and the hardness of the sidewalk.
The loose flowing lines of the clothing and dirt contrast with the hard straight lines of the building and sidewalk. The softness of clothing fabric contrasts with the hardness of concrete.
There you have a secret of inspiration for painting, and a little look into how an artist views things. You can view others of Mr. Rosenthal's paintings and continue to observe the contrasts. And try viewing them in life. What fun! - 30435
