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Derek McNally
•
3yr
added comment inDebunking Color Myths with Tiffanie Mang
One of my favorite quotes: "The color dances, but the values stay put.” - L. Birge Harrison
For Meadow: First off, thanks for all the great instruction @ Watts! I'm an intermediate portraitist, mostly in charcoal with some oils. I see you're focusing on Indigenous themes, and I'm drawn to the same, as I live in a really cool area for Indigenous history (or rather, pre-history), smack dab in the middle of the previous Iroquois Confederacy.
Do you have any suggestions for pursuing the theme, gathering reference, contacting the Tribes, etc? Any interesting stories about same, too. I'm starting out by using historical photos, but my eventual goal is to paint both historical and contemporary portraits and hopefully narrative scenes ala Robert Griffing.
Thanks!
DJM
IT's great to have a good connection to the subject, especially living in the area where the subject can be found. I have used a liason to connect me with the native american subject. There are some historical re-enactors as well in the genre that work with artists. If you can connect directly with a local tribe, that is great, and probably the most optimal. I have met some locals in my area at pow-wows. One problem is trying to marry modern day pow-wow gear with clothing and regalia from the time period that I paint. I have started to build my own collection of regalia to outfit models that I meet in the future. A key thing is working with models and being able to direct them with comfort and ease. You need to be on the same page idea wise. I have had the best experiences with those who understand what I am looking for and those that are comfortable behind the camera.
