Meet Jeremy Lipking

An artistic atmosphere surrounded Jeremy Lipking from his earliest days, as his father worked in a home studio as a professional illustrator. Jeremy himself broke into the contemporary art scene in 1996, when he sold his first paintings (watercolor landscapes) at $500 each. These sales provided an unexpected windfall for the 24-year- old who was juggling art studies, work and family responsibilities. He credits his wife for helping him through those lean years by serving time after time as a superb model for his work. Winner of numerous awards, Lipking felt success hit home in a different way last year at the Los Angeles Art Show when Barbra Streisand confided to him that she was familiar with his work and counted herself an admirer. For more information, visit Lipking’s website at www.lipking.com.

Jonathan Lipking

www.artistsmagazine.com ■ November 2008

At this point I began painting at the top of the waterfall, finishing each section before I moved to the next. Because I’d planned the whole painting with the color study and sketches, I could see the finished work clearly in my head. All I needed to do was put what I’d envisioned onto canvas.

Learn why Lipking endorses plein air painting at www. artistsnetwork.com/article/why-plein-air.

his natural light source by artificially lighting his canvas and palette with a Kino Flo light that he touts as great for mimicking north light. “I’m not trying to marginalize plein air and alla prima. Some of the best works ever painted were done that way. But quick painting is not an end in itself.”

In fact, Lipking doesn’t mind at all taking time to develop his concept. “I enjoy the beginning stages of a painting, coming up with an idea worthy of my committing to many hours of work. Usually I have something very simple in mind before I start. Setting up the shapes, I use big rhythms and patterns and then place the model in the scene in a way that fits the design.”

When his sketches are complete, Lipking moves on to a canvas toned with a thin wash of warm gray or a brown imprimatura (preliminary glaze) of ultramarine blue with burnt sienna or cadmium orange. “Once I begin to paint the subject, I generally start in one area and work my way out, finishing each section as I go. If I don’t have a solid idea, I’ll block in the whole thing and work all over the painting until I know where to go to get to the finish.”

Lipking uses a medium of one part Damar varnish and one part stand oil (linseed oil that’s been thickened by heating) to five parts turpentine. From a thin initial

I deviated a little from my vision by slightly adjusting the shapes and sizes of the rocks. Small sketches don’t always translate perfectly when you blow them up, although I remained fairly close to my sketch and the initial block-in. Studies and sketches help, but my most important tool is my memory.