Trimming Trees

I am continuing the landscape class. Today I learned how to paint algae on water and how to paint trees.
The tree limbs get slimmer as the grow from the trunk. The trunk is darker and the limbs get lighter with the sky color added to them. To turn the trunks and limbs, I need to added color from the pond and grasses on the edges.
The leaves are not just put down as I initially did. I have to remove some from the top of the branch and group more together down below make them more realistic.
The algae is interesting. It is not as light as the sky color and a dull orange. Then pink and yellow is added. There is, also, the exposed darker water that I need to added, too. I completely ignored it but was reminded it was the interesting part of the pond. It is true it is interesting but I didn't know how to paint it so I was going to leave it out. Good catch by the instructor. This piece is not completed. I need to add the detail and fix the leaves.

Landscapes Escape Me

I am in a landscape class that I have been looking forward to for a long time with Susan Sarback with the School of Light and Color. The demo was outstanding, we broke for lunch and then returned to the studio to pick out a photo to paint. We will paint in the mornings outside and retreat to the studio in the afternoon after it gets too warm.
Now, I picked out a photo that I liked but I can't figure out the colors because I know the camera can't see what the eye can. I saw the sky was pink but I painted it yellow. I know the trees are orange but I wanted them blue.
So, here is my stage one. I will fix it tomorrow and start painting what I see instead of what I want to see.

Profiles Are Not Easy

I worked on a portrait profile yesterday in class. I found that I wanted create the mouth and nose too long. My brain didn't want to recognize the shapes as being smaller than they were. This was even after I measured it. It is obvious that I struggled through this but I learned quite a bit.
Oh - and the model's eyes were really that blue.
I made a mistake by adding too harsh of highlight to the eye. I needed to darken the eye lashes. Using a bright brush won't work around the small detail. I need to purchase a flat brush.
I didn't put the ear in as a box and struggled to get it to lie down. The ear should be basically a few shapes and leave it.
I am still struggling with the hair but with a more practice is should become very natural.
I, also, should not make the head so big so I can get the shoulders and neck into the painting. I should leave more space.

I Need a Nap

I paint with artists who love to challenge themselves to learn more. We decided today we would paint using primary colors. I put out on my palette an ultramarine blue, cad. red and a lemon yellow. Included was white and black. The subject was lemons which I love. I just couldn't get into painting today. I worked a bit but found myself needing to lay down for a bit. So, I will get up tomorrow with more energy and finish the study.

At the Beach

It was another gorgeous day. I was painting with a fellow plein air artist, Rob Decker. He is known for his beautiful pastels and has won the quick draw competition in Lincoln City, Oregon. What a talented person. Anyway, we were painting near a bike and hiking trail. The reactions to our art work as people go by it just wonderful. I had one woman stop and tell memy painting was good. She had passed by two hours earlier seeing the stage two process that Susan Sarback teaches. It may see odd to anyone who had not seen the process. When the woman came back by she was surprised by the results. Isn't that rewarding in itself? Here is my study. It is a similar composition to a few others but I added the beach.

Not So Foggy

I was so happy this morning that the fog was out and I could finish my refrigerated study waiting for just this opportunity. In an earlier post, I showed an unfinished piece of work that was started in the fog.
I went out early and but couldn't work fast enough to capture the fog before it moved back out to sea. So, I scraped off the cool colors and painted this study. I like the tree but I am not happy with the foreground and bushes. Happy, though, to be blessed for the opportunity to see such a beautiful day.

Rocking and Painting -SOLD

As you can see, I am painting rocks, trees and water this month. I wanted to work on rocks more and it was a perfect day for it. The sun was shining and it was warm. Beautiful. Here is my study. It is an 8X10 oil on canvas.

Out of the Fog and Into the Sun

A friend picked me up to go out painting. The sun was shining and then by the time we took the 5 minute drive to the paint location, it was foggy. Too funny. So I started my painting as a cool study. Guess what? The sun came out. I started a new painting with a predominately warm study.
Both of the studies are of the same composition.
I was, of course, able to finish the warmer study. The cool, foggy study is in the refrigerator waiting for the next foggy day.

Paint Out Cancelled Due to Rain

Aye - it has been raining for three days. I painted inside but I am yearning for the outdoors so I can repaint my last post to get the color right. Boo hoo.
Here is a 5x7 oil painting with brush on board. Enjoy!

Tweeked

After a critiquing session, I tweeked this painting a bit. You can see the difference. When the fog clears, I will paint it, again, with the new composition.

No Whites Allowed With this Oil Painting Challenge

This was an interesting oil study with a few of the Tuesday painters. They are a well established group of painters that meet ... on Tuesday.
The challenge with this study was not to use any white oil paint. It forces you to use greys and lighter colors. I loved it.
My painting is a bit too bright but I thought it was interesting how many times I wanted to add white to a color.

And It Was All Foggy

It started out the most beautiful morning withthe sun shining. I raced to my favorite painting spot and a wonderful fellow painter, Kathy Huxley, showed up. We chatted while we painted and I could see the fog in the distance. Within minutes, the temperature dropped and the scenery was no longer warm sunshine but cool fog.
I made most of this painting up so it isn't my better effort. I was hurrying to get out of the cold. I was only wearing two layers of clothes instead of three. Makes a difference sometimes.

Wind Tips Easel but Not Artist -SOLD

SOLD

The wind grabbed my umbrella and tipped over my easel, paint and painting. I survived. That's my news for the day. I recovered my painting, paint, easel and strapped my umbrella down before continuing.
Here is a study I started a few days ago and just needed one change. So, I made the change and headed to put it in my truck when I noticed one more change. Well... needless to say I mucked it all up and no longer had a good color harmony.
When the other fellow plein aire painter showed up, Rob Decker, I was whining so loud his ears started to bleed.
I calmed down and got back to painting. Here is the results of the study. I chatted too much today to finish two paintings.

Painting Outdoors

I have spent the last couple of days painting outdoors. I have a few stinkers but I am loving the painting process.
There are a few more incomplete studies in the refrigerator that I need to complete on a second trip to the same location.
Today is was foggy and then in the middle of my painting, the sun came out so I had to stop and start a new painting with the sun out. The incomplete foggy painting went into the refrigerator.
Then yesterday, while painting, I had a wonderful conversation with a young musician. So, I didn't get to complete my full sun study. And, of course, it was foggy today so I couldn't continue working on it.
It happens.