Karl Martens: Stunning bird paintings and video:
 

I was online last night in bed with my iPhone...I often read WetCanvas or read books, trying to fall asleep. Sometimes pain rules my nights....sigh.

So I found this really fascinating and stunning painter linked there, and I thought to share him here. You don't have to be a bird watcher or artist to enjoy these.

This is a Google page search of his works. They are for the most part very large.
https://www.google.com/search?q=karl...g&ved=0CCMQsAQ

Watercolor is extremely difficult, but very rewarding and has unique qualities that lend very well to nature subjects, landscape and portraiture. It is very obvious to me that Karl Martens is working mostly right out of his own imagination and visual memory. He is a very focused person as the video below illustrates.

This video is amazing too... watching a very large painting evolve.
http://www.cricketfineart.co.uk/video/4/

I put up a few weeks ago here, some of the work of Scottish painter Keith Brockie....he works from nature (birds) too. But Karl Martens takes it much further...the process of painting. IMO.

I find there is a connection to training the mind for living with chronic pain as I have been forced to do, and training the mind for creative pursuit. They are both journeys and require discipline. The bow and arrow segment of the video shows this discipline well.

I hope you enjoy these paintings as much as I have this weekend.;)

When an artist goes thru formal training, there are always "rules" of design that are fundamentally taught.

And many of those "rules" end up being unlearned, or pushed instead into a new creative result.

Karl Martens is an example... The rule "never" paint your subject in the middle of the frame.... is just not applicable to him.

His compositions are complex, using the subject itself as a design element. Using negative space within and outside the bird, creates a wonderful effect. So the visual artists here can really be inspired by Karl Martens, as well as enjoy his vision as well.

A short bio for Karl Martens:
http://www.karlmartens.se/eng/karl.html

Power and sensitivity ... a very intriguing man.

Absolutely stunning. Thanks so much for posting those.
I've watched the video too and that is a 'keeper'. I'll check it out tomorrow again when I'm more awake as well.

Thanks! :)

I am spellbound today. After all the tragedy in the news this week, I needed a influx of something positive.

I watched the video without sound because I had something else in the background that I couldn't turn off or down, but I noticed how disciplined he was. This may sound odd but his studio and his mannerisms reminded me of being at tea ceremonies in Japan years ago. I'll watch that many times.

Yes, I noticed that too. He uses a chop (an Oriental signature) for his paintings, like they do in China and Japan. We would call it a "seal".

One of the biggest things one has to learn when doing art seriously is to master the left brain, logic centers and turn it off so the right brain can be freed. There is a teacher who has books about this...Betty Edwards. I have a post about her here on this forum.

Karl Martens uses his meditation and Oriental techniques to free his mind, so he can create the way he needs to. Growing up in an artistic household, and in San Francisco, where there is a large Asian community no doubt helped him evolve to where he is today. People often think that artists have some special talent. But really it is the mind that rules the creative process. Learning the techniques is only a tool, to get the result out of the mind. And this learning does take discipline and effort. The trick is to let go of preconceived notions, and let the other part out. This can be a scarey path to follow, as we see the result of letting "go" become chaotic and destructive sometimes (as in the terrible plane crash this week).

Karl Martens seems to have found a way to reach his center and instead of destroying others, he inspires them.

That is my sort of art - so detailed, realistic and close to home. With just a quick look I see from my village and garden: Sparrowhawk, Bullfinch, Wren, Kingfisher, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Tawny and Long-eared Owls, Blackbird, Magpie, Crow and English Robin.
I also especially admire the Puffin that lives near me on the Coast.
I believe someone who can capture the true majesty of the monochrome birds in paint is a true artist.
Another enjoyable find, thank you.

Dave.

His brushes are difficult to find, and once found extremely expensive as one might imagine!

http://www.asianbrushpainter.com/bru...ushes.html?p=2

Some Sable brushes today approach these prices...Winsor Newton Series 7, but most watercolorists today find some more quality affordable synthetics and synthetic/hair mixes.
There is a high quality handmade watercolor brush maker in UK as well.
http://www.rosemaryandco.com/waterco...anese-oriental

There are days I am just amazed at all the types of brushes out there!

I found a place via one of your links that sells his paintings. I really loved his monochome birds very much.

A couple I saw were actually very affordable considering their beauty. That's if I converted the Swedish Kroner correctly.

It doesn't surprise me, after reading his bio now, that he follows the teachings of Zen Buddhism. I had that impression from the video I watched last night.

I hope you are having a good day mrsD.

Thanks for sharing the work of this artist. So beautiful in simplicity and detail...I get a very peaceful, meditative feeling when I look at his work because I first look at the entire painting and then zoom in and look at incredible detail, section by section. How creative, home made paper and salt gives it such visceral texture.

While looking at some of his work, I came across this lovely gallery...look at the soft, pleasing colors and composition of Colleen Parker's work.

http://laletrab.com/2014/02/17/my-ta...e-ilustracion/

Appreciate you sharing.....a great distraction and it makes me want to try my hand at painting but certainly not in the bent over position he paints in!
D.