by ChrisD | Mar 13, 2016 | Art Supplies, Blog Posts, Chris's Blog, Color theory, Painting, Techniques
I would like to thank Rosemary Brush Company who has designed an outstanding brush with my name!
CHRIS DI DOMIZIO “DAB AND SMEAR”
The question is why this brush?
“DAB AND SMEAR” that’s why! The best way to soften an edge is to use a fan brush (see future blog on “Sargent and the Fan Brush”). The DI DOMIZIO “DAB AND SMEAR” brush is made specifically for an artist to leave the perfect amount of paint on medium/coarse linen. Too little paint does not allow blending and too much paint smears into each color into each other therefore destroying intensity and beauty of the color.
I first heard this art term while researching my favorite portrait artist…John S. Sargent and his academic studies in Paris. The term refers to a brush technique taught at Ecole des Beaux-Arts during that time in the nineteenth century.
This technique is when you place a “DAB” of paint placed next to another ”DAB” of paint while taking the brush to “SMEAR” the two edges of adjacent colors together. Hence the term “DAB AND SMEAR”.
I remember a day I had enlarged an image by Willam Bouguereau and noticed the “DAB AND SMEAR” technique.
From a distance, His paintings have the appearance of over blended color.
But upon careful examination, I noticed the “DAB AND SMEAR” application from one of the leaders of the Ecole des Beau Arts. Read my next blog called “DAB AND SMEAR and Translucent Color” for more on this topic.
In today’s art, I believe the “DAB AND SMEAR” technique is best used for blending DABS of color also known as “broken color”.
This“broken color technique” is great for impressionism, but how does the artist who is trying to paint realistically achieve the high degree of blending and yet the actual perception of color?
I believe it takes careful precision to get this effect. For example, what I believe creates beautiful flesh tones is to use broken color. The difficulty is maintaining the identity of the one local color while dabbing around it with many other colors yet without Dabbing additional colors there is no local flesh tone achieved. While knowing if you over blend you may lose the luminosity and richness of the color
The new “DAB AND SMEAR” brush allows me to load the perfect amount of paint on my brush to keep the separation of colors and over blending from happening. Yet it allows me to blend for the representational art which is the direction I have always leaned toward ( though my wife has been nudging me toward a more contemporary painting techniques).
Its funny but I do not paint to be a famous artist. I paint to have a voice in the art community. I believe I have a calling to help people/artist step into their desire by equipping them with art tools for success.
This brush excels on Fredrick’s Oil Primed Linen Panels.
If the painting surface is too smooth than the bristle brush will not lay paint down. In that case, I love Rosemary Brush Co’s Eclipse brushes and her Sables.
Keep an eye out for the following blog on where broken color and DAB AND SMEAR started for me.
by ChrisD | Mar 13, 2016 | Art Supplies, Blog Posts, Chris's Blog, Painting
CHRIS DIDOMIZIO FAVORITE BRUSH LIST:
Brush Holder :
American Journey Brush Holder AJBHB A14003 $26.99
(Short handle is a typo on their part. This brush holder is the best holder for Rosemary Brushes Longer handles).
Rosemary Company is definitely my favorite brush company
It appeared to be the #1 used brush in the Portrait Society of America International Show in Atlanta 2015:
All of the brushes seem to have a tip at the end of the stroke, could be the taper, but there is a new vocabulary for me. a brush stroke use to be measured by its length but know it also is used by its physical depth sticking out from the page. all of this is achieved by still allowing me to be in control of the brush stroke. there is a sensitivity to the stroke and the power and length at the same time.
On all rosemary brushes I believe you have a choice between short handle for watercolor and long handle oil paint brushes.
I prefer the long handle.
* Rosemary Ivory Egbert size size # 0. drawing with a paint brush.
*The Signet robert Simmons Egbert bristle size # 2,4 brush strokes out of control
*Ivory Filberts size # 0,1,2,,3,4 on Arches Huile Oil Paper for plein air painting
*Rosemary Long Eclipse size #0,1,2,3,4, detail work, on smooth linen and paper
*Rosemary Pure Sable 81. Sizes.# 1,2,4 detail work, fine blending
*Robert Simmons Signet #42 filbert. Sizes #1,2,4. Bristle brush work horse used for everything!
*Rosemary DI DOMIZIO DAB AND SMEAR BRUSH My brush is the bestest Favorite bristle brush. For all paintings 16:x20” and smaller. Used on Fridricks Oil Primed Linen Panels.
*Silver Company Grand prix 1003 filbert bristle size #0 brush smaller paintings
*Silver Company Renaissance 7102 bright, red sable, size # 2 this smaller sable is for eyes if you do not have any Rosemary sable brushes
*Signet Bristle fan brush size # 3
Brush description:
Egbert Ivory:
My drawing in brush: A lot of the portrait painters I have watch demo will start with this brush to hope to leave brush strokes in the beginning of the painting than refine with other brushes while leaving these early brush strokes “ artsy” marks.
This brush has synthetic hair and excels with different mediums,my preference is Natural Pigments Oleo Gel. Loading this brush with a lot of medium is where it shines.
Strokes which show confidence and command, action and spontaneity.
1.Starting the painting with a gel product either Oleo Gel or Walnut Oil and thin paint You feel like you are John S. Sargent and drawing with a paint brush. The hair is long enough to draw with , like a piece of willow charcoal, very artsy feel,
2. With any size you can make incredibly longer marks than any brush i have used on the market, 6-8 inch strokes, the larger brushes will make a 12’ or longer mark.
I do not like the bristle version “Classic Egbert” and do not see a difference between Rosemary and Robert Simmons Signet “Egbert”. this loads so much paint and can leave a texture depth unachievable than any other brush, this is in brail for the blind.
I Need a little control. and they load more paint than I can handle, it may be just me. I do plan on practicing with it…
Rosemary Co “Ivory Filbert”
Plein Air laying in brush
It is so similar to the Princeton 6300Fb size 4 but:
Leaves a little longer brush length to fill in the canvas area just a little faster with the same amount of paint, brushes are so similar but …not, just a little longer stroke length. I use both brush companies, i believe it too leaves a hint of a brush mark behind at the tail end of the mark.
Rosemary Co “Eclipse Long Filbert”
Is a wonderful blending brush. Detail finishing.
Allows a longer stroke before losing its paint. other synthetics lose their paint sooner.
The Hairs seem to have a blend of firmness which at the tail end of the brush stroke it leaves a small hint of a very light “ bristle “ look, just barely but enough to give a visual language to the brush. I do not know what John .S Sargent used on his painting of Lady Agnew on her leaves but this brush reproduces these marks.
it is a blending brush and it leaves textures at the same time when wanted.
works for softening edges like hair
the key to the brush is the tail end of the stroke, it finishes the end of the stroke well, just a hint of texture if you want it
works well with walnut Oil Gel and thinking out, a true pleasure to use when you need a certain mark
Rosemary Co “Filbert SER 276”
i only use the smaller sizes, softer detail brush with a little different look than the sable line
Rosemary Co “Pure Red Sable SER 81”
For a sable brush there is nothing like this.
blends like no brush, leaving just enough paint to blend with a fan brush with out ruining the color from the fan brush. it blends so well i do not need the fan brush.
it also has that same ability to leave a brush stroke at the tail end oof the stroke. leaving a thiner level of texture. I do not know a portrait painter who does not use this sable brush. period.
enough spring but not too mush.
when the brush is stiff it pulls off paint or make too short a length of stroke. the way the ends of the hairs with the taper allows the soft finishing stroke giving me control to leave or not leave a mark it also has a hint of a point when i rotate the brush while I movie it.
Rosemary Company Kolinski Sable Brushes SER 66 sizes # 0,2. Detail brush highly small refining has a slight point on it.