Many Mouths to Feed,
Trumpeter Swan
2017
Acrylic on Panel
13.75 x 22
ART OF GEORGE WILLIAM VAN HUMBECK
Oil and Acrylic Painting featuring Landscapes, Nature, and Wildlife
This site introduces to the world the art of George Van Humbeck, artist, painter, naturalist, and teacher. Besides visual links to his art this site also gives details about the process of creating fine works of art for the artist community, beginner or advanced, acrylic or oil painting.
Hidden Valley,
The Altenhof Farm
2020
Oil on Linen
38 x 16
Private collection of Caroline Altenhof
I don't think I can remember a time when I liked doing commissions. I paint what inspires me. That being said there is no way I could refuse my dear Aunt Caroline when she asked me to paint the home that her and her family lived in for over 50 years. It was also a summer retreat for my siblings and I. I have so many fond memories of fishing, skiing, hiking, and sleeping in the barn on this 25 acre site. Thank you Aunt Caroline and Uncle John for the love and joy you shared.
My aunt's wishes were pretty simple, "Paint me a picture of my house." I'd like to think I know my aunt and uncle well and this site was not just about the house. This place was also about the land, the wilderness that they cherished and protected. With that in mind I sought out to create a composition that not just displayed the house but also the nature that is such an important part of their lives.
Once I decided on a composition I fine tuned my plans with this sketch. Lately I've been drawing my painting ideas on toned gray stock. With a soft white pastel for the highlights this gives me a better idea of the tonal values I can develop in my finished painting. It was a little difficult to work with initially as the pastel does not lay over graphite easily. So I found starting earlier with the highlights solves this problem backwards as it is to my usual way of drawing. A 2mm eraser pen comes in handy too.
The final dimensions for the painting are a compromise due to the startled look on my aunt's face when I suggested 42" or perhaps even 48." So 38 x 16 it became. I enjoy working with elongated sizes. To me it is the way we naturally perceive the world; panoramic.
I knew from the start that I wanted to use Belgian linen for this painting. I think that probably had more to do with my Belgian heritage. Now, I did mention earlier about every painting being an experiment, and learning from ones mistakes. So let me pass on a mistake I learned from. When priming Belgian linen don't use a roller no mater how thin the nap is. Brush the gesso on. The roller made all those fine fibers stand up. It took too many coats with sanding between each to get it under control.