Valta's Blog | valta.nl

Sunlit   A portrait of my friend, family member, and fellow artist,  Mireille van Kempen .  Mireille. Alla prima, oil on canvas 30 x 24 cm. View the finished painting in my  gallery . 

  Studying  I believe that practice is the best form of learning, and master copying is the most effective to practice while studying. Since we always (aspire to) learn, I find that copying a masterpiece that inspires you is an excellent method to achieve this.  In essence, master copying is not about creating perfect replicas; instead, it's about gaining a deeper understanding of artistic principles and techniques. It's a valuable tool for any artist seeking to improve their skills and expand their knowledge.  From time to time, I will update this post with my new master copies. Here is the latest one: May 2025 After J.C. Leyendecker painting "Couple on Deck Chairs. 1904" I have been fascinated by the works and biography of this great Golden Age artist for a long time. Recently, I finally read a beautiful book titled simply, "J.C. Leyendecker", written by Laurence S. Cutler and Judy Goffman Cutler. His name and influence were most prolific; his private life...

Studying   "Are you so in love with yourself that you paint self-portraits?" "I won't paint myself; people might think I am too proud." Have you ever heard comments like those? Well, I certainly have.  Practising is what really important to develop your painting skills. As I now begin exploring portraiture, I need to practice painting heads, figures, and faces as much as I can.  Making master copies of the works by painters you admire is a great way to learn. However, at a certain point, you need to create your own work, preferably painting a model with whom you have a personal or emotional connection. While we all have family and friends, there is little chance they would spend hours sitting for you in the light and setting you would want to capture. Sometimes, you are lucky enough to take or find a photograph of them that fits your portrait plans.  That's if you are lucky. What if not? Fortunately, there is a brilliant and simple solution: a self-portrait....

  Back to Hands This time, not my own hands but a study in black and white after a picture (actually a still from a reel) by an unknown to me author. I wanted to explore whether and how it is possible to combine a monochrome image with a colorful detail in oil paint. Cheers! Let's sarcastically call it "In Whisky Veritas". Alla prima, oil on canvas 24 x 30 cm. View the finished painting in my  gallery . 

   Two Rooms at Two Castles These two paintings were done entirely with palette knives, without the use of brushes. While recently re-reading the famous book "Alla Prima" by Richard Schmid , I came across his advice to practice more with a palette knife. This idea seemed both fantastic and daunting at the same time:   "...There is no limit to what can be done with a knife. The best way I know of to learn how to use it is to lock away your brushes for several weeks and paint only with a knife. I warn you that it will be extremely frustrating at first, but don't give up. The difficulty is normal. If you haven't used a knife before, you will feel like you are crippled - like a right-hander doing everything with the left hand or vice versa. However, it is worth every ounce of pain and effort. The ability to use a knife well is like having a whole new language..." So, I needed to try it out, and I must say, it is not only tricky and frustrating but also great fun...

  Coincidences do not exist. Not even in Denmark. It was meant to be another painting for my series Hands' Private Life, as I wanted to make a study after a masterpiece by Antonio Mancini depicting a sewing woman, backlit. Mancini could put her hand on the canvas unmistakably right with just a few impressionistic brush strokes - we immediately recognise what she is doing. My goal was to make my own version, accentuating the hand while maintaining Mancini's light and the woman's posture. Initially, I planned to set a scene in a grey-blue-red interior, using the interior of our kitchen with a window behind her. However, neither the hand nor the overall composition came together as I had hoped, leading me to wipe the painting off mid-progress and start over.    In my second attempt, I decided to focus on the figure, first working out the face and the hand. At that point, I wasn't sure about the overall composition yet.  Then I found some photos I had taken last autumn ...

Old fashioned  Painting this one was a valuable learning experience. I realize now that it was quite silly of me to try and paint people from fantasy again, without a real reference. Although I was content with the man's pose (Paul posed for me for the man's figure), I had to repaint that woman's head multiple times - at least three, I believe. Initially, she was blond and innocent, which made the whole scene obnoxiously sweet. Then, she became a drama queen, but that version lacked joy in her dance. In the end, I feel I finally achieved the neutral expression I was aiming for. Just dancing, that's it. The viewer may decide for themselves what's in her head. What emotion do you see? Is there any? Perhaps there is. But for me, my focus was again especially on hands.  I only hope she and the whole painting didn't end up too sentimental, too sweet. That I would hate. And regarding the dance itself, I'd like it to be a foxtrot. The slow one. Deliciously old-fash...

  After Struggle Anyone who knows my best friend Chester the Manchester Terrier , has probably never seen him truly at rest. Our energetic boy is famous for being a speedy runner and a loud alarm barker.  However, he has always been the greatest cuddler and a long sleeper, especially now that he is approaching his 14th birthday. Paul and I feel fortunate to cuddle with him, as he is quite selective about his friends and the places he chooses to relax.  I have enjoyed thousands of precious moments holding him, petting him as he relaxes beside me, often resting his head on my lap and falling asleep. It makes me so happy to have him close. I always wanted to capture such a scene in a painting. Over the years, Paul has taken many photographs of Chester sleeping beside me, so I only needed to select a few as references.  To begin, I quickly painted a small study, just 15 x 10 cm. I was satisfied with its composition and lighting, so I thought it could serve as a good star...

  Study and Tell Here is a series of landscape paintings based on the photographs I recently took.       I am honoured to have been invited to share my painting process with the enthusiastic and talented local painters' club for the second season. Inspired by our sessions together, I recently created a series of quick and small landscape studies based on the beautiful surroundings of our village. This experience has provided me with a great opportunity to teach while also learning more about painting landscapes, composition, light, and colour. All three are oil on canvas board 20 x 20 cm, alla prima, limited palette. View the finished paintings in my  gallery .

  A new show I am excited to announce that my painting " Downstairs VII ", part of my interior series, has been selected for the Wintersalon organized by the 200-year-old society " Kunstlievend Genootschap Pictura " in Groningen. You can find more details here:  https://www.pictura-groningen.nl/activiteiten-pictura/wintersalon-3/ I’m thrilled that my work will be displayed alongside pieces by 30 other talented professionals. The venue itself is stunning; the historic building has been home to this society since 1832 and is located in the heart of beautiful Groningen, right next to the iconic Martinikerk.  Although there was some miscommunication (initially two of my paintings were selected, but the wrong one was called for transport, and an incorrect name was listed in the publicity), I’m grateful that "Downstairs VII," which represents a picture of a tiny part of the rich heritage of our home island, will be showcased in this remarkable exhibition until M...