Margret E. Short Fine Arts

Portland, Oregon artist Margret Short - a modern day master of 17th Century Dutch art using the chiaroscuro technique to create still life and floral paintings.

Another Sneak Peek

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The_hunters_present_p3Pictured is The Hunter's Present by Gabriel Metsu from the Dutch exhibit. I used this image for painting #3 which was an immensely enjoyable color palette to use because of the many variations. From a rich vermilion in the woman's dress to a subtle muted green in the background the lovely tones were perfect for my project. This painting has a humorous story full of nuance. The woman is lured by the double meaning in the gentleman's "gift" of freshly killed fowl but reaching for her bible to help her resist the temptation.

Chiaroscuro Painting

Oil painting with the chiaroscuro technique illuminates the focus area with a strong light. All other areas are painted with less detail, lower values, and intensity of color giving a mysterious appearance. By putting one or two objects in the important focus area, a strong but simple composition will emerge. Combining these oil painting techniques with a selection of superior natural pigments and oil paints result in the beautiful and evocative quality known as Chiaroscuro Painting.