Limited Palette Study

Here is my limited palette study. I used c. red, c. yellow, yellow ocher, ultramarine blue, black and white. I tried to paint it quickly but I had to stop in the middle to get my laundry. This is painted on an 8X8 canvas.

Glass Study

Here is yesterday's glass study. I need to finish the stage 4 and correct my drawing.

Watercolor Cat

Here is a watercolor study of a cat. I hadn't worked in watercolors in awhile and took a few hours to work on one. A little tight for me but I think that is the influence of the oil painting.

Yesterday's Study

I had one more day of sun so I headed out to paint after church. I added turquoise to my palette and pushed the color. I started with brush but missed my palette knife. I have learned to love the palette knife. It is now easier for me than a brush.
I liked my composition but the colors are not my style. It was a good day painting.
This view was from a bike trail along the Pacific Ocean. Beautiful.

The Great Paint Out

I arrived late to the great paint out on Saturday. There were my favorite fellow plein air artist, Kathy Huxley and Rob Decker. The painters who know that it takes work, practice, time and a love of art. Also, sun screen... lots of sun screen, layered clothes, chap stick, willingness to pick debris out of your hair and painting. You know, die hard, plein air painters. "Shadow chasers" or "Sun Chasers". Painters who don't mind a potential audience asking you questions about your work, a barrage of art critiques willing to let you know what is wrong with your work and many wishing they could be a plein air painter, too. Either way, it is one of best ways to learn how to paint.
Here is my piece. It is not a great piece but an improvement. This was trail along side the Pacific Ocean. I know. I have ocean and beautiful sky around me and I want to paint a trail with green and grays.

Elio's Workshop

Here are a few pictures from Elio Camancho's workshop last week. Beautiful.

Art is Hard!

I have been in an art workshop this weekend and still haven't posted anything. I painted some of my worse pieces but I learned so much. The instructor and artist was Elio Camancho. I walked away asking myself more questions about art and color. It certainly made me think in a way that I had not in past. It, also, reminded why I love art and associate it to math.
You must have a strong foundation and understand the vocabulary in both in order to resolve the problems before you. I look at both as doing puzzles. In math, though, there is one correct answer and, like art, you must show your work to prove your understanding.
In art, there are infinite answers but your final piece must look correct. Again, you show your work.
Art is hard.

In a Fog

I am in the fog today so that is what I am painting. After painting two different studies with fog, I noticed you can have a warm fog and cool wet fog. Today was a warm fog sitting at the top of the mountain. Last week, I had cool fog that sitting on the ocean. Quite a difference in painting the two. I still started today's painting with all cool colors and there were no shadows.
So, here is my study for the day. I painted the same scenery as yesterday but the weather is different.
Thank goodness for quick draw winner, Rob Decker. He came over and gave me a few suggestions and my tree quit looking like a lollipop.

Can't see the Forest

Isn't that an expression? You can't see the forest for the trees. Well, today I was sitting in the forest looking at a beautiful scenery of mountains, trees, forest and blue sky with just the hint of river below. I simplified the entire scenery by reducing the mountain with the forest covering it and focusing those trees up front. I love the triangle shapes in this study and I left the blue shadow created by an unknown tree you can't see on the far right. Oh and I took my shoes and socks off, rolled up my pant legs and enjoyed a beautiful day painting.
While painting, I was interrupted by a cell phone call only to find out it was another plein air painter, Rob Decker, calling me. He was about 20 yards in front on me and had a question. I hung up on him and walked over to see what he wanted. He was all upset that I hung up on him. He was joking, of course.. or so I think. I still don't know what his question was. By the, Rob Decker is a top pastel artist. Check out his art on Etsy.

Ready. Set. Paint!

When you are painting outside it is a race to get your painting completed before all the light changes. You need to be ready, and set to paint if you are a "sun chaser" or should I say "shadow chaser".
Here is my setup with the foggy study above my new study. This is a sunny day and I wanted to paint the same composition that I used in the foggy study.
I also painted second study just because I wanted the practice.
I started about 8:45 and ended approximately around 1:30. I took a half an hour break in between chatting with another plein air artist and a few observers.

A Moment in the Sun

I had just a few hours of sun today so I raced out to paint. I am posting my first stage of the painting and the finished study.
After I came home, I saw where the mountain top at the left and the sea stack rock are painted with their tops above one another. That can't be good so I will have to adjust it.

I Can't Stop the Rain

I can't stop the rain and the rain isn't going to stop me. I have so much time left here and I am going to spend as much as I can painting. So here is my setup this morning as I shivered through fog and rain to paint a study of the foggy coast through the trees.

The painting went well until my fingers started to freeze on me. I then ran into a problem with a rock ledge. I decided to resolve the problem by covering it with shrubbery. I think it worked and I got to get into my nice warm truck and home quicker.

Continuing my Education

Here is today's landscape study. I was actually pleased with it. I will do this particular study a few more times. I like the keyhole effect where the center of interest is.
This is an 8x10 oil with palette.

Starting Somewhere

You have heard the expression that you have to start somewhere. Here I am. Starting somewhere with my plein air paintings. Not easy but it is fun to be outdoors. What is more fun is the reaction from people. Some don't quite understand what I am doing in the initial stages of painting. I am perfectly okay with that.
Here is today's study. I am still trying to resolve painting a cement path. I used a mixture of c. blue, l. yellow and pink to gray it down.
I am happy with the study. Not too sure about the composition. I will keep painting and learning.

Plein Air and Chasing the Sun

I had a great time today painting outdoors with fellow artist. There were a few people who wanted to chat. I have no problem with that. I miss the opportunity to get a complete painting but I like to encourage others to enjoy art.
I am okay with this results. Every day painting is a good day.

Greens From the Garden

Check out my greens from my square foot garden. My radishes are coming up and all is growing in my square foot garden. I love the concept. Check out the book or youtube if you want an efficient way to plant your vegetables. I am sold on it.

Let the Sun Shine

Here is my block study. I cropped the painting photo to see how to improve the composition.
Great stuff block studies. You improve your understanding of value, perspective and color.

It's a Block Study

I painted a block study today because I needed it. You know, a good old dose of color. I find my feet dancing uncontrollably when I am painting a block study. It is fun. I had to correct my drawing in a few places. I had to resolve the changing background light as it became too similar to the yellow block shadow.
Good study.

Knitting Clock

Here is a great site that will show you an interesting clock. It is the knitting clock that knits a scarf in one year.

The Shell Game

Here is a completed study of a shell, apple and black flat vase. Fun but not easy. I was happy with the study because I learned how to simplify and see specific detail.
Oh - I have continued my portrait starts. They seem to be getting worse than better.
I can't wait for class, again, to continue.

You Got to Start Somewhere

I started my first 100 portraits. This was recommended by the portrait instructor I am just started with. I worked on two starts yesterday. A start it just toning the canvas, drawing the portrait, defining the dark areas, and blocking in the darkest dark, lights and background.
The dark and background areas you use a lot of turpenoid.
I did two portraits yesterday and made sure I made it to open studio with a live model today.
You have to start somewhere.

Zorn Palette and Learning Portraits

I am learning how to paint portraits and figures in two classes as I move to more advanced studies. I decided after 4 weeks the figure painting I needs to take a portrait class, too. I need a refresher course with portraits. It hasn't been quite a year since I started studying still life. Basically, a portrait is a made up of all the parts of the five basic shapes. There are five, right?
I was told I would be using the Zorn palette which consist of the primaries. Black for my blue, cadmium red for my red and yellow ocher for my yellow. I, also, found out how to make yellow ocher with transparent red oxide and cadmium yellow or lemon yellow. It makes a nice ocher.
I am re-learning the ratio of a head. I have studied it in the past but have not continued practice as life's distractions took me in another direction. It happens. Bright shiny thing syndrome (BSTS)
Here is my study from last night. I am learning to block in the face. The background and shadow colors, you use a lot of turpenoid. Big brush strokes for the background. Also, wipe the brush after 3 strokes, dip and brush 1-2-3 and wipe. This will teach you not to "lick" the canvas with your brush. Sounds gross.
The instructor demoed the other stages and it was good. The tip I remember most is always start at your last brush stroke. Don't dab all around.
I like the measuring aspect of this instruction, too, regarding the face. It is a very logical approach.
I was told to paint 100 portraits. Sounds like I have get my planner out and schedule this in.

Plein Air in Brookings

This will be fun for those traveling artists on vacation. See the schedule here.

Fresh From the Freezer

This study is fresh from the freezer. It is where I keep my studies, in between classes, so they don't dry up.
This particular study I had to put more white into the light side of the shell. You can see where I will have to turn the shell and make sure it is curved. The curving will show it is an organic shape.
Initially, when I set up the still life, the top spike of the shell was lined up to the edge of the vase. I didn't realize it until Susan, the instructor, pointed it out. A second opinion is always good. An experienced opinion.
The still life was then rearranged to change this.
It is important, also, not to make the composition with equal distance on each side of the objects. Do not center the focal point.
The difficult part of the initial painting was to ensure the shell shadow was not similar to the background color.
You might see where the tabletop is close to the value of the shell's light side. I need to be careful to see and compare.
When painting the apple, I made sure to find the darkest dark of the apple and compare it.
Then, you must compare the darkest dark of the whole painting. Compare, compare, compare.

Day 2 - Plein Air Gutter Art

This was day 2 of the class I took with David Lobenberg. Still can't believe you can have this much fun outdoors with paper, water and color. Good class.
Here are the rest of my studies.
My cherub isn't a very good piece but it showed my initial complaint about why I was taking the class. Everything I have recently painted in watercolors was going gray and, even though I am keeping the white paper, the study looks... mushy. Yes- mushy. It was a good lesson and showed that I am trying to work too many values into a study that it suppose to be a 3 - 4 value study. I was overworking the piece with the water pen. My notes from Day 1 clearly state not to go back into the tombow ink until it dried. I couldn't wait so I messed up the face with my need to hurry the process.
Oh, and when we went outside to draw the Fair Oaks Coffee House and Deli, I spent over an hour drawing, o sitting on a curb with my feet in the gutter. Who would have guessed that art would put me in a gutter? I will call the piece "Gutter Art".
Oh and no pun intended, check out my cans.

I Struggle With Gray Areas

I learned how to use a tombow pen and a niji waterbrush for my class this weekend that taught you on the go wash. No soap and bathtub needed. This easy art project is done with a few inexpensive tools. A black tombow pen, a waterbrush to hold your water, a pencil, a sharpie ultra thin pen, eraser and 140 pound 9X12 watercolor paper tablet. BTW - it was fun.
David Lobenberg conducted the class with his legendary style. He always keeps the enthusiasm up - or maybe it was just me. I was so happy with this technique I chatted away and that it me caffeine free.
Here is the day 1 lesson examples. I learned that I still struggle with gray areas but I do like the tombow and adding water. We traced several drawing, created square boxes and practiced the tombow with a waterbrush. Then we went outdoors to continue.
The pictures below were drawn with pencil and then outlines with a Sharpie ultra fine pen. If you wanted, you could erase your pencil lines. I like to keep them in.

I was also reminded to not make straight lines straight. Break them up.
Notice all my notes around the drawings. I consider that part of the art.

Play Date with Artists

I had a play date with Audi Stanton last week. She showed me a how to have fun with coffee filters, cosmetic pads,paper clay, yarn and dyes. It was fun.
We, also, took our acrylics and made trees using the Robert Burridge method. Fun, fun, fun.

New Class This Weekend

I am taking a new class this weekend with David Lobenberg. It is On The Go Line and
Wash Sketching. I can't wait. All my supplies are sitting by the door.
Earlier, I took today to do a quick study of a portrait I did after waking up late. Yes - I slept in.
I then typed all my notes from my previous classes.

Completed Statue Study from 03/18/2011

Here is the completed statue study I am finally posting from last month. I was happy with the study.

Figure Painting is Hard - She Whined

Okay - figure painting is hard. It is so difficult that I forget everything I have ever learned. I swear I was drooling with a dumbfounded look on my face today. Not to mention, I had a piece of carrot stuck in my front tooth. I noticed it three hours later - after class and in my car as I was driving away.
Here is my study. Her left breast should not be that big but I forget all about perspective.
Oh and I kept moving her shoulder off the right side of the canvas because I kept making her head bigger and bigger. I started to lose my values I initially established.
The bright side. I am not going to quit.