I recently took a private workshop with David Cheifetz. I have enjoyed being on his subscription list and have admired his painting skills and style for several years, so I was thrilled to have this opportunity thanks to Trisha Ratliff making all the arrangements for the workshop and letting us invade her amazing studio.
David’s workshop was one of the best I’ve ever taken. I called it a level 300 course for advanced painters. I learned so much! I would say the main focus of the workshop, was well, “focus” -- how to make your painting have a main subject. I know this sounds obvious and I preach it all the time, but David took it to a whole new level, by dulling out colors on all other objects, losing edges through value and softening edges. The result was superb. Part of achieving this “focus” was to stay true to David’s color palette. What a valuable experience. I actually used black and now wondered how I lived so long without it. Dulling out colors achieved harmony throughout the painting and allowed the main subject to pop through saturated, out of the tube, color.
David is so precise with his drawing. He paints so small (okay relative to me) and with such precision, I honestly don’t know how he does it. But watching him demo two gorgeous pieces was worth every penny (and more). It was so interesting to watch him draw the subject and rework edges, sculpting away area to make drawing changes. As a result I slowed down and paid more attention.
There were two final invaluable tips I find worthy of sharing:
1. Paint with Paint! David would say these words over and over. To bring out the main subject David would “trowel” on paint with a brush or palette knife. I didn’t think you could get thicker and David would say “thicker”. I would think “What? How?” but sure enough I could get more paint on the painting. Each time the subject would pop more!
2. Halo Glow! The other thing David is known for is the “halo” around his main subject. Trisha and I would always marvel at this and wondered how he did it. Well he taught that!! I fumbled around on this one, but David showed me what I was missing and wow!
Honestly, I never expect teachers to reveal so many secrets, but David did. He did not hold back. Things just clicked in his class. A lot of theories many of us have heard over the years came to life for the first time in this workshop. He changed the whole look of my painting—one I’m thoroughly pleased with and plan to incorporate in future paintings.
For anyone planning to take David’s workshop or class, it is totally worth it and will change your painting forever!
