In the academic circles it is considered good practice to go to the museums and copy an Old Masters painting. The idea is that you can learn so much by imitation.

For me it was a great learning experience. I arrange to have a group visit the museum. I was very impressed by those who accompanied me to this opportunity. Museums have so much to offer us as artists, and it is free visual instruction to those that seek it. Museums do have requirements and restrictions so it is good to call in advance and understand how these may affect your experience.

I have always enjoyed the work of El Greco and fortunately the Cincinnati Art Museum had a painting of his, Christ on the Cross overlooking Toledo. Setting up before the painting created I believe in 1640, just imagine, a painting painted that long ago that I could learn from it now. Laying out in paint the composition I noticed so much of his geometric positioning of the cross and figure on the canvas. I had always struggled with darks on a canvas and he had lots of those to learn from.

What mostly intrigued me was his figure. The way he handled that anatomy. The elongated figure, the sweeping motion from one muscle to another with one big continuous stroke. The soft and focused areas of the anatomy as some stokes blended into the canvas causing them to recede and other portions painted more solidly, allowing the to come forward in space. His high contrast rendering style and El Greco’s use of blues and sienna blues in shadows was inspiring. The extraordinary detail in the face, hands and feet, no doubt to emphasis the importance of what Christ was doing for us. The way he almost circled the figure from the cross with darks to emphasize the body of Christ. The way the anatomy and bones where drawn or disfigured help to dramatize this historic and spiritual event.

I could go on and on, but what I saw for myself was that this needed to be part of my regular artistic diet. Reproducing art from the museum for learning and study. As important as regular sketching if not more important.

Here are a few points that may be beneficial for others wanting to study in this manor.

Tips for Copying the Old Masters:

• Choose a painting/Old Master who is close to your goal or area you need strengthening in.
• Proceed to do a sketch copy, boldly to get a feel for how to improve those elements in your own work.
• May help you to learn aesthetics of an artist you admire and refresh yourself.
• May use a limited palette, full classic palette that Old Master used. Research this on Internet.
• Copy may focus on very specific elements like flesh mixtures, individual body structures, or specific brushwork. Or large issues like layering, composition and lighting and shade.
• Choose Old Masters from different time periods or copy one Old Master extensively.

Please let me know of your adventures and experiences and how this may have helped you.

© 2011 Daryl Urig