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.

Habiliments

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Ledge_for_habiliments It is immeasurably exciting to be painting again with the smell of turps and linseed oil wafting in the air.

Because we are on a hillside, my studio has terrific natural light from large windows to the northwest. Even on gray cloudy days, it is possible to work without supplemental lighting. Easel, chair, and taboret are situated in a roomy area next to a window with a wide sill.

Dave created an additional 8" shelf to the existing sill making a 14" by 72" ledge to place various artist habiliments. All of my brushes, jars, bottles, knives and pigments are at my fingertips. Because the length of the room extends to a total of 30 feet, I am able to view each painting’s progress from a distance. This is very important to judge the color contrasts and composition in this manner.

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.