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Observations on Richard Schmid
Leo2015
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I recently watched an instructional painting video by Richard Schmid. I don't know how many of you are familiar with this artist, but he is mostly known for his landscape paintings I believe, although he also paints some magnificent portraits and figure work. Anyway, I learned through watching his video that he creates his landscapes, which look very realistic from a distance, by relying mostly on tricks of the brush. He begins by loosely scrubbing in washes of flat color all over the canvas, and then works into this with loose strokes of thicker paint loosely mixed. Later he will work into the wet paint things such as buildings or objects that require more precision using a variety of brushes. I was amused by the way he swings and "pushes" his brushes in all directions and with such confidence, that almost looks like carelessness, with very impressive results. The picture is at first rather abstract in all of its shapes, but he gradually pulls it all together and soon begins to achieve the image he is after. I admit that the results he gets are highly impressive, but I felt that he was taking lots of short cuts to get those effects. But don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to knock his style, he is a great artist, but if you compare him to many painters of say, the 19th century, you know, those classical academic methods, Ingres, Leighton, Bougeureau, among many others, the styles are radically different. Just thought I'd share these personal observations. 
Comments
I think Schmid has influences from the impressionists rather than the classical academic methods of Ingres, Leighton, Bougeureau.
It’s been a few years since I’ve read it...but from what I recall a lot of his advice is similar to Mark Carder’s. That is, the emphasis on correct values, leaving brush strokes alone and only placing the right color and value in the right spots.
I don’t get the impression he relies on tricks. It’s more that he’s just very experienced and knows how to get the affects he wants. I think his emphasis on painting things as he sees them would keep him from using the generic tricks that some landscape painters fall into... where they are painting every tree and mountain following the same forumala. (Bob Ross pallet knife method anyone?
Schmidt
Old Australian
One thing I must make it clear is that even though he's a master, I don't find that style attractive. I like the ones similar to Mauve's paintings.
Mauve
Sargent
Zorn
Hogarth
However talented he was, Beethoven wasn't born with the 5th Symphony fully formed in his brain. He had to do the hard work of learning musical notation, harmony and countertpoint, how to play instruments and listen, listen, listen and practice, practice, practice ... And then apply all that learning to his own aesthetic yearning in order to arrive at such a masterpeice. Shakespear had to read and write, read and write... I guess painting is the same. Schmid wasn't born capable of doing what he does. A lot of learning and work had to happen first. As Mark says, raw talent is a myth. And so is the accidental masterpeice.
Schmid's work speaks to me. Especially his sublime landscapes for which he has been honored and for which he will be rightly remembered..
Just as a ballerina can sometimes get out of the way of the conscious and let her artistic genius soar or how a concert pianist can some nights have a little something extra that gives everyone chills - it is the unknowing, unseeing creative spirit that when we get out of the way, can take us to levels we never could have planned or imagined.. Sure, the ballerina learned the steps and the pianist learned the notes and anyone can learn to mix a color and put it in a place but it is the gifted artist who gets out of the way of the conscious and trusts that genius muse inside the womb of the soul. I believe that there is a non-judging, innocent and arrogant fire inside of each one of us that wants to soar. The trick is getting out of the way and I believe that is the thing that so many people find impossible to do.
There is a place in Richard Schmid's "May" dvd where he picks up a random brush and looks at the name on the handle and says "Maestro. Maestro!!! That's me baby!" and he chuckles and he holds that brush with such grace and waves it like a beautiful conductor and lets his genius soar and places the most glorious color in the perfect place on that canvas- did he plan it? no. Was it an accident? hardly
We are all on this triangle. Schmid lives in the blue section. His experience, skill and knowledge means he can paint without too much thinking or experimenting, he knows what looks right and can achieve it easily.
Mark provides the right analysis for movement from yellow to green.
Denis
So, yeah, I agree, it's a gift.