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with Richard Robinson
Join New Zealand artist Richard Robinson in exploring step by step the painting techniques and processes of one of the greatest painters the world has ever known – John Singer Sargent. Enjoy!
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Richard is a talented full time artist, who loves painting and teaching.
Hi I’m Richard. I’ve been painting my whole life and back in 2001 I traded my graphic design career for the humble life of a full time artist. I love painting, and as it turns out, I love teaching too.
Nowadays I balance my life between parenting, painting, surfing, travelling and teaching. My work is regularly featured in international art magazines, in galleries in New Zealand and America, on TV and in my Mum’s house.
I give outdoor painting workshops in interesting spots around this beautiful planet of ours and love encouraging people to paint. Two of my favourite artists are John Singer Sargent and Joaquín Sorolla.
My painting website: www.nzpainter.com
I’d love to be your new teacher.
Richard is a master artist with an exceptional skill in identifying and communicating key factors to making successful paintings. I have found his video workshops an excellent resource for improving my own work.
Portrait of Carolus Duran by John Singer Sargent
Oil on Canvas. Height: 46 in (116.8 cm); Width: 37.7 in (95.8 cm) Charles-Émile-Auguste Durand (1837–1917), known as Carolus-Duran, was a celebrated figure in the world of Parisian art and theater. Known for his elegant society portraits, he was also highly influential as a teacher. Sargent entered Duran’s studio in 1874 and became his star pupil. Duran’s approach was radical: he encouraged his students to draw and paint simultaneously, using a loaded brush. In this stylish portrait, which received an award when it was shown at the Paris Salon in 1879, Sargent pays homage to his teacher by embracing his fluid technique. The affectionate dedication to Duran, inscribed in French at the upper right, announces Sargent’s artistic pedigree but also caused some contemporary viewers to remark that the student had surpassed the master.
Above lake garda at san vigilio 1913 by Sargent
Atlantic storm 1876 by Sargent
Boat with a Golden Sail, San Vigilio
"A Boat with a Golden Sail" 15 x 15" Oil on Canvas by Richard Robinson, after John Singer Sargent.
Sargent, John Singer (1856-1925) - Self Portrait 1907
Claude Monet Painting by the Edge of a Wood
Claude Monet Painting by the Edge of a Wood by John Singer Sargent Artist: John Singer Sargent Dimensions: 54 cm x 65 cm Created: 1885
Margaret Stuyvesant Rutherfurd White (Mrs. Henry White)
Margaret Stuyvesant Rutherfurd White (Mrs. Henry White) by John Singer Sargent 1883 oil on canvas overall: 225.1 × 143.8 cm (88 5/8 × 56 5/8 in.) framed: 248.9 × 167.6 × 11.4 cm (98 × 66 × 4 1/2 in.)
Sargent at the Easel
Simplon pass the lesson 1911
Watercolour by John Singer Sargent
Two wine glasses 1874 by John Singer Sargent
Edinburgh NGS Singer Sargent Lady Agnew by Sargent
Girl Fishing 1913 by Sargent
Girl Fishing 1913
Group with parasols by Sargent
Head of a capri girl 1878 by Sargent
Boat with a Golden Sail
My Photoshop mockup using two of Sargent's paintings.
Paul Helleu sketching his wife 1889
Paul Helleu Sketching his Wife John Singer Sargent 1889
Plein Air Painting John Singer Sargent Photo
Rosina Capri 1878 by John Singer Sargent
San Vigilio 1913 by John Singer Sargent
San Vigilio a boat with golden sail 1913 by John Singer Sargent
"San Vigilio. A Boat With Golden Sail" 71.12 x 55.88cm oil on canvas by John Singer Sargent. 1913.
San Vigilio lake garda 1913
"San Vigilio, Lake Garda" 183.84 x 72.08cm oil on canvas by John Singer Sargent. 1913.
Madame x1884
sitesize
“After Sargent†14″ x 14″ Oil on Canvas by Candi Hogan
Lovely feeling of movement in this Candi with your expressive brushwork strutting its stuff – great! The colour is all good. One little drawing issue – just check the bottom of the boat where it sits on the water – run a ruler along Sargent’s one to get the angle right. It looks to me like you photographed your painting in full sunlight since every weave of the canvas has a strong highlight on it which is most evident in the darks. The lesson for you – always photograph oil paintings in the shade. Great work!
“Tranquil Harbour†30 x 30cm Oil on Canvas by Sue Denny
You have a good feeling for brushwork and edges Sue – great to see. Your values are good too – though the foreground water could use a little more light and colour. Using more yellow in your lights and less white will give you warmer, less chalky looking lights. Using stronger blues in some of your shadows will also add to the overall feeling of strong light and warmth. Those two things alone, warmer lights and cooler darks, will turn this from a slightly overcast day into that golden evening sunlight.
“A day in paradise†18″ x 24″ Acrylic on Canvas by Adrienne DeSaulniers
Nice to see a slightly different take on this Adrienne. The first thing that strikes me is the strong spotlight effect you’ve made in the foreground – really nicely done. The translucency of the water is great there too – beautiful! I love all the detail there in the foreground but I’d like to add a few more hard edges in there to avoid it looking spongy. Let rocks be rocks. The water inside the port is a little too blue for its surroundings and as we move towards the small boat the water has stopped reflecting the building suddenly – too dark and blue. The depth of the shadows in the foreground is not concurrent with those in the buildings and sail, so our eye is drawn back again and again to the foreground, instead of the sail, which is supposedly the star of the show. Overall a very pleasing painting and a solid effort. Great!
“Boat with a Golden Sail†by George
Some beautiful work in here George – all in the top half of the painting, which is excellent. The water and the rocks could do with another look though. Have a good old squint at Sargent’s rocks (or mine) and compare them to yours while you’re squinting – back and forth. See the difference? It’s the shadows and halftones – yours have gotten themselves lost. The water in front of the rocks too is the victim of indecision and speed. Please do take another look at the video and fix this corner of the painting because you’ll have a great work of art on your hands when you do that. Good luck!
“Boat with a Golden Sail, San Vigilio†13″ x 13″ Oil on Canvas by DENIS KING
Good work Denis. Your drawing and colours are pretty well spot on. Brushwork’s mainly confident, if a little less lyrical in the reflections. A touch too light in the blue shadows in the buildings tends to break the illusion of shadow. The darkest shadow area in the sail is detracting somewhat from the colour and light opportunity there. Small things. Great work!
After Richard and J. S.S.
Artist: Eve Skerrett
Elmari van Zyl
Great work Elmari! Very accurate colour and drawing, rich brushwork and interesting textural variety. Lovely. Would just like to see a little more care in the foreground rocks. Consider the direction of the light and how that will shape the jetty as a whole and also each block. Be clear about the line at which the rocks enter the water. That could be achieved with a blue-green glaze at this point. Again, beautiful work.
Fall Lighting
Hi Jorge, good on you for entering a different painting using similar ideas. Nicely done too. Interesting variety of texture and brushwork. You've made a good sense of light and shadow across the scene. The foliage has been nicely developed with multiple layers and you've captured that sense of dappled light. Personally I'd like to see the central main sunlit tree reflected a little more strongly in the water to add more exciting colour there, and I'd consider using blue greys in the distance on the left to indicate another layer of depth there into the far distance. Great job.
Sargent by Martha Waardenburg
Good effort Martha, I can see you've paid particular attention to the drawing and brushwork. Just three things I'd look at changing: The black boat need to extend further left to be the right size for that big sail. The foreground rock wall is making a pattern of shapes that are too similar. Similarly, the four trees behind the building are shaped and placed in a pattern, as are the four windows. In short, avoid making patterns because they are less interesting than off-beat rhythms.
Martins Sargent
Some great work in here Martin. I love how you've taken care with the modelling of the foreground wall and the drawing overall is very good. I'd like to see you take another shot at the reflections of the yellow sail in the water. Don't be afraid to scrape off and try again to you're fully happy with it. The hull of the white boat should be slightly deeper and bring the reflection of the sail there a little closer to the boat too.
"San Vigilio, A Boat with Golden Sail"
Wow that's beautifully done! Look at that lively brushwork! Makes we want to get my paints out. Gorgeous.
Homage To Sargent by Scott Dyer
Nice work Scott, vibrant colours contrast nicely against all the dark water, though I would like to see a little more colour and light in the reflections. Foreground rocks are well modelled. I'd like to see as much care give to the angles of the windows and walls on the left as they're a bit wonky at the moment. Check it out in a mirror and you'll see it anew.
Boat with a Golden Sail 8 x 10 by Sharon Repple, after John Singer Sargent.
Great work Sharon! Strong colour and lively brushwork. Lots of punchy complementary broken colour in there making this really sing. My one piece of advice would be to take another look at the mast and booms which have become a bit chunky. Slim them down by painting the sail back up into them. Then, perfect!
Sailing Away, Acrylic on Paper, 22x18 cm, 2nd Photo Version
Artist: Genevieve Reinke
"Sargent" copy watercolour & gouache by Eric Hillmer, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Hi Eric, some nice colour work here, especially in the sails, and it's great to see you trying out different techniques for laying down watercolour and gouache, especially in the reflections. Three learning points here for you... Firstly, the drawing is a little off, with the base of the far building being too high, the angle of the boat's waterline and accompanying dock being too steep, and the foreground rocks consuming too much space, detracting from the boat, which is supposed to be the centre of attention. Secondly, the shadows of the buildings need more greyed purple and brown in them because they're currently too light and colourful, making them unconvincing as shadows. Thirdly, the cracks atop the foreground rocks could be lighter and more broken because they are currently stark lines attracting too much attention and spoiling the illusion of strong light. Hope that helps. Happy painting!
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