 |
| Historic Ornament: A Pictorial Archive | C. B. Griesbach | Dover |
One of my great pleasures in the process of painting this room is in looking through many art reference books and choosing the elements for the room as though I were actually building a house. And how delightful to know that whatever I do end up choosing will be in stock, as long as I can paint it!
I chose the Ionic capital (above) for an interesting reason. My first choice would have been a Corinthian capital, like the one below:
 |
| Historic Ornament: A Pictorial Archive | C. B. Griesbach | Dover |
That way, all six capitals look like this, with very little variation.
 |
| click to enlarge |
Here's the Pompeii Room as it appears today.
On the left you can see a block of yellow, which was the original color of the room. In my next posting, we'll turn that into masonry, working our way around the hallway door.
.
Hello Mark:
ReplyDeleteThis is SO exciting. You must be really thrilled with the way the room is developing and we really admire both the concept and, to date, the execution.
As it happens we rather prefer the Ionic capitals as being somewhat less fussy - but that is simply an opinion.
Hello, Jane and Lance:
DeleteI'm glad you're enjoying the progress! It is indeed fun for me to see the room slowly evolve into what is in my mind's eye.
I had originally looked at the Corinthian design because it seemed truer to original Pompeian rooms, but in the end I agree with you — the Ionic is a leaner form and will suit the room better.
Well, I'll allow you this one - for aesthetic reasons!
DeleteThank you, sir! Readers should know that this comment is from the columnist at The Corinthian Column.
Deletecorcol.blogspot.com
Dear Mark, Of course you are right. The Ionic capital is in perfect scale to the room.
ReplyDeleteIt is looking fabulous! Will you share a few more secrets i.e. how are you transferring the more complicated and detailed designs. Did you make a template? It is interesting that you are working on the capital designs simultaneously. I am always so impatient that I would have to complete at least one to give me encouragement to continue with the remaining five. Bravo Mark, it's looking fantastic.
Dear Gina,
DeleteThank you for such a supportive comment!
I will be showing how I transfer designs several postings from now. I work designs out on tracing paper, and I transfer the design by rubbing it with a burnishing tool. That way, I retain the design for future use.
If I have a more complicated design, such as the Ionic capitals above, I'll transfer the design in stages. Looking at the Ionic capital, for example, you see a downward-pointing leafy design in the shadow of the scroll. I porbably transfered the design in three stages for that element.
I've learned to do repetitive designs simultaneously because it cuts down the time in a huge way. First, one isn't trying to match colors at a later date, and second, one is much more conscious of all the details matching. It just goes much faster.
Hello Mark, This particular Ionic capital was the perfect choice. Because it is more detailed than some Ionic orders, it has the richness of a Corinthian capital without the extra height. I'm curious, what is the theoretical direction or angle of the sunlight in the room, that affects the highlights and shadows?
ReplyDelete--Jim
Hello, Jim,
DeleteThat's a pretty fancy Ionic capital. It comes from a Roman building, but the finial design in the center is pure Greek, reminiscent of an antefix.
You are asking a lighting question that I knew I would have to eventually answer! There is of course a window in the room which one would presume was the light source. However, most historical engravings that one accesses for reference depict light falling from left to right. I have rationalized using that "historic light source" because there are living room French doors opposite the Pompeii Room that cast light corresponding to my reference. Going that route makes my life MUCH easier.
The only correction I then have to make is to reverse the reference on the kitchen side of the Pompeii Room, so that all the shadows in the room fall in the same direction.
I have given some consideration to the question, and for the most part, my shadows will be correct. However, there are going to be many layers of decoration, and there are bound to be some contradictions which I will not attempt to correct, lest I go mad!
Dear Mark - I have always loved the Acanthus leaves used to ornament Corinthian capitals, and that is one of the reasons why I have the Acanthus plant growing in my garden, but the Ionic capital is the perfect choice for your room.
ReplyDeleteI can appreciate that your approach is the sensible one. It would be so easy to do one capital completely, admire it, and then pass on to the next (well not easy for most of us), but your route is obviously the sensible way to go especially as it keeps the colours in unison.
The room is coming along beautifully.
Dear Rosemary,
DeletePerhaps you know the story, apocryphal though it may be, that the design of the Corinthian capital was born when a Greek artist noticed Acanthus leaves growing up around a basket that had been left behind in a garden patch.
I gauge that by painting identical elements as I have done with the capitals probably saves about half the time. I mix paints rather intuitively, and when I have to recreate an identical element from scratch, I have to also remember my color "recipe." I can always with time match the color, but why make it more difficult for myself?
Good morning, Mark. "As I did my visual calculations...." The ability to "see" how something is going to turn out beforehand is one that I wish shared with you! It's a great strength of yours in this and many of your other projects. It is such a delight to follow this project. Can't wait to see the masonry soon. ---Barbara
ReplyDeleteDear Barbara, good afternoon!
DeleteMy father was a career military man, but an artist by training — an unusual combination. And so when I was a child, adults often said that I came by art naturally, which didn't please me, for they never saw all the hours I practiced and then threw things away in frustration.
But the experience did make me consider how artistic talent could be genetic (and I think it is). And I have come to believe that the genetics of art is exactly in what you describe as the ability to see. By that I mean that the person who becomes the artist is more prone to make accurate value judgements — of things like relative proportions and colors, and noticing that the sky tends to get lighter at the horizon. Perhaps that is why artists tend to be sensitive — they get easily invested in the subtleties of life.
I couldn't agree more. I remember as a child just dreading art class because everything I drew was so awful (no false modesty here, it's the truth.) I could never visualize what it was we were supposed to draw and, let's just say it wasn't exactly a joyful experience. Mrs. Lyon was the tyrannical and aptly named teacher who would look at my pitiful attempts in disbelief. She thought I wasn't trying!! Oh well, obviously I survived, but it does leave me a bit awestruck when I see talent like yours.
DeleteThank you for those kind words. I'm glad Mrs. Lyon wasn't at my school!
DeleteHi Mark,
ReplyDeleteI've been following your project. When you first wrote about the Pompeii influence I thought back to an article that appeared in New York Magazine in the 80s titled: "After Pompeii". I thought I still had it in my clipping file but couldn't find it. The gist of the piece was about alternative visions for decorative painting in the 80s based on the assumption that Pompeii derived work was played out, too ubiquitous. But really it's a such a rich resource there's always something new to be taken from Pompeii. Btw Ionic happens to be my favorite order, so good choice!
Hi, Scott,
DeleteI agree that Pompeii is a deep enough well to provide infinite inspiration and play. In this particular project, I make clear that I'll be borrowing from Rome and the Renaissance as well, but of course they're all inter-related.
I lived through the 80s and don't remember Pompeian themes being ubiquitous, but then I was not in New York.
I'm glad you like the Ionic choice! The Corinthian capitals that I especially like are the ones themed to locales and particular circumstances. Perhaps you know that the original U.S. Capitol building had Corinthian capitals that featured tobacco and corn.
Were you doing decorative painting/ architectural painting in the 80s? I mean I wasn't living in NYC either but I remember Pompeii being in the air. The original excavation/discovery of Pompeii initiated a return the the classic -Neo-Classicism. The Pompeiian revival in the 1980s was part of the historicist based post modern architecture and interior design. Trompe l"oeil was a big thing but perhaps the biggest influence from Pompeii in the 80s was that baked fresco effect, textural, richly mottled surfaces which is prominent in the quintessential 80s flic "Wall Street" There's an extended scene in which "Bud's" apartment is decorated and they show the process. And I was a big fan of that look.
Deletehttp://corbuscave.blogspot.com/2012/08/an-artists-daring-dream-house.html
http://www.scottwatermanartist.com/port06_pompeii.html
I remember those postings which you have attached because I have spent hours pouring over every single part of your original blog. And reading them has made me regret that we're on opposite coasts!
DeleteI've also collected a number of books on trompe l'oeil, including Rizzoli's Trompe l'Oeil at Home, in which you are much featured. In these books Pompeii is of course always featured, but I have to admit here, Scott, that I didn't realize that there was a major Pompeian revival in the 1980s.
At that time I was already living in Florida, and my focus was on making a living as an advertising artist. And probably as that Pompeian revival was peaking, I was starting to realize that my career as an illustrator could only go downhill because there was something new on the horizon, the personal computer.
And so I joined Florida's largest newspaper and learned . . . the computer! My focus (and it was really a major refocusing, as you might imagine) was not on New York.
Right, well, I realize it's not what you were all about at that time. For me it was an accident that I fell into that as a business but I really did get into it. I subscribed to an number of shelter magazines and was actively building a design library so I was absorbing a lot of influences for use in decorative architectural painting. Btw my favorite book on Pompeii is by Jacqueline and Maurice Guillaud. It's the one to get if you can.. I guess copies are pretty expensive now since they're long since out of print.
DeleteI'll look for it.
DeleteI will never question your source of light or choice of capital.....you have complete artistic license on this one and it seems you are using it wisely!
ReplyDeleteThank you, ma'am, I hope to please.
DeleteTo my friend Mark,
ReplyDeleteI'm blown away by your talent and wisdom. Every project you take on is the perfect balance of history, artistry, and personal reflection. I love it. Dare I admit what a country bumpkin I really am, as I say each of your posts are history lessons I've not explored before. Thank you for all the great themes and knowledge you bring to each post. I'm a big fan of All Things Ruffnerian.
Thank you Mrs. D., and I return the compliment.
DeleteFor the readers of all these comments, I would direct you to the enormously talented Mrs. D., who is a whirlwind of creativity:
http://1893victorianfarmhouse.blogspot.com/
You are so talented! Love seeing the process like this.
ReplyDeleteHi, Stefan! All the best in life is in the process, if we can but see it. I'm having as much fun in the process of unveiling as I am in the process of doing. Glad you're enjoying!
DeleteI'm swooning so far, Mark. What will happen when you are finished I can't predict. Ha! Love the step by step by the way, don't know if I mentioned it. You are doing work to be proud of.
ReplyDeleteDear Yvette,
DeleteI'm still fumbling around for the smelling salts, but thank you for the comment! I would like to think that something interesting will come out of this series, but in terms of future personal projects, I'm collecting ideas for doing interesting decorative paint jobs on all of the interior doors. That should keep me off the streets for a while!
Fabulous idea. I thought of doing that myself once upon a time but I only got as far as the back door and the space above the kitchen door and then I moved.But lately I have a wooden headboard that I've been eyeing....You are an inspiration, Mark. :)
Delete