More Tips From The Classroom

Painting Available
    12x12x1.5"  Oil on Linen
at Gallerie Amsterdam in August

This painting and the other little one from the previous post will be available at Gallerie Amsterdam next month. Both pieces are waiting for the final touches and adjustments. Sometimes I like to wait and look at it for a few days before I finish up.


I'm going to be at Gallerie Amsterdam in Carmel-by-the-Sea on August 18th and 19th for a demonstration from 1-5 pm each day. Saturday evening a reception will be held from 5-8 pm. I'm taking some new pieces to the gallery. It should be a fun weekend.93921

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Now for more tips from the classroom:


5. Make sure you have established a strong abstract design. 
     At the start and throughout, keep the large value shapes intact. This will be easier said than done of course, but the key will be to understand the importance of this step and to know how to construct it. (Refer to the previous post on "Strong Abstract Design" from a couple of weeks ago.)
     I would also suggest that you study from Edgar Payne's book on Composition.
A Notan study will help you out if you refer to it during this stage of your painting.


6. Remember that you are not sending this painting to the Crocker Museum! 
     Give yourself permission to fail, to experiment, to try something new. Fear of the brush stroke will kill your creativity. While you are at it, give yourself permission to succeed! Even if the painting isn't the best you've every painted, if you have learned from it you have succeeded. If you stay safe and do only what you know, you will not continue to grow. Sometimes when we are frustrated while trying something new we need to remember that if we weren't frustrated we would not be growing as an artist.


7. It's a journey
     I tell my students to go on a journey to find the color, value, and chroma of what they are seeing. Take your time when you are mixing color. Begin with the most obvious question. Ask yourself which color on the color wheel is the closest to what you see? Start there. Then ask yourself, is it lighter or darker than that? Make that adjustment, then ask yourself. Is it warmer or cooler? Make that adjustment. Mix and mix and mix until you find it. I've noticed that some students get impatient because they think they should have found right away. No, it's a journey. 


8. Keep some mixed grays on your palette
     I will have at least two or three at all times. You can mix your black and white to make three values, this will help you learn to keep your values where they belong. I like to have a warm and a cool middle value gray on my palette. While mixing, if I need to lighten a color and at the same time kill the chroma (less pure color), I'll reach for my grays. It also helps me stay out of the white. You will have more control of your values and chroma if you always have them available. If you notice that your colors in your paintings are too pure, this will make a difference. 
     You can also use leftover paint to make piles of gray colors. These are a wonderful help in your next painting. Just divide your paints into warm and cool and make two grays! If you don't have enough gray in your paintings, the color will not be brilliant when you want it to.


9. Save what's last for last
      In other words, develop your character by teaching yourself to wait. Be patient. Paint the large shapes first, and at the last stage, you can go ahead and paint those beautiful reflections, bright light highlights, impasto strokes, accents and calligraphy. This is when your painting will come alive. But you must wait.  

About the Original Concept of a Painting

Oil on Linen, 18x18" by Randy Blasquez

I'm texturing my canvases with a heavy layer of gesso and then I throw on some marble dust, after that I move it around and into the gesso and let it dry. It creates a wonderful surface for my multiple layers of glazing. Quite fun and interesting. I came up with this as a way to get myself to paint loose drippy paintings starting with an abstract design.
Design is the most important part of a painting. I've written about the notan study, a simple way of sketching a small number of values and shapes, in previous posts. What I'm looking for when I sketch is a way to create what I want to say with the painting. My goal is to tell the story of contrast while creating movement for the eye to follow. I do this by  paying attention to the melody of the dark pattern. Try drawing your sketches in different formats and pick the one that tells your story in the most clear way. While painting I am working to stay connected to the original response I had to the original idea while hoping and praying that it comes across in the final piece.
I'm working on some new paintings for my gallery in Carmel by the Sea, Gallerie Amsterdam. I'm scheduled to paint a couple of demonstrations on the weekend of August 18th and 19th. Just finished one and thought I'd put it out there.
I'm taking a few new paintings to the gallery next month and I will also post them on the website in a few weeks. Stop by and take a look!

Let's Talk About Abstract Design

This is a subject that is dear to my heart. I'm not sure why, maybe it is because that is what I'm seeing in great works of art.


Ovanes Berberian sure has had an influence also I must say. This past May while in the France he took us to Paris by train from the Burgundy region, to see his favorite works in the Musee' du Louvre, and Musee' D'orsey. Before that I took my class to see the Edgar Payne exhibit at the Crocker Art Museum. We practiced this concept by sketching his paintings in Notan. But before that, when I began to understand the concept, it really affected me, and my work. I began teaching this way a while ago. I'm not sure how long.

I believe that our eyes are drawn to this abstract design. Or maybe it is our heart that sees it first, through our eyes. For example, if you notice a painting from across the room, and you are compelled to walk towards it and get a closer look, it is because it has a beautiful abstract design.


What is an abstract design? I'm not sure I can describe it perfectly, you see, it is rather ah, should I say, abstract?


When I first began to see the importance of this concept I was finally getting the idea of the Notan Sketch. I heard the term first mentioned in some reading material I acquired from Barry John Raybould. This was the beginning and I think a very helpful concept. These past few weeks I have begun to teach the Notan sketch to my students. (Peggy Kroll-Roberts also talks about the notan design.)


When you take the time to do at least two or three of these during the initial design of your composition you will begin to see the abstract design of what you are trying to say. You will begin to see the pattern of light and pattern of shadow. I think of this pattern, this design, as a description of the musical sort. (Think of musical notes, moving in a rhythmic pattern, not a concise design.) Never should it be less than, or more than that. Hint: This is what our eye sees across the room.


A Notan is divided into large value shapes, using only 2 or 3 and not more than 4 values.

Study this concept and put it into practice. You will see the results.....




After my trip to France, I had a wonderful week with my husband in New York City. It was my first time to the Metropolitan Museum. I was blown away by the paintings of John Singer Sargent. Can you see the abstract patterns of design?

More Bourgogne, France Photos and some Studies.....

 

 This painting is from a photo I took inside the Musee' du Louvre in  Paris. My friend Joan is at the left, Ovanes Berberian, (my teacher), center and the tall one Nancy on the right. This is just the under painting. I loved the figures, the way they are so involved in the paintings. I hope I can convey this with the finished piece. At this point it truly is all an experiment!

 

This is a study of my daughter, Lindsay.I loved the reflected light in the mirror and how it tells the story of her stance and emotion.

Now as promised, more photos from France. On our first workshop day we traveled a few miles to a nearby village in the Bourgogne Region to paint with watercolors.

 Renee

 Alison and Laurie

Susan with Ovanes's quick sketch of the area. 

Kathryn

Photos From France Trip

Market Day in Beaune, Burgundy

 This is the little river that runs through town. We walked along and took photos on our first day. This is very Monet like!

 The river led to this beautiful pond.

 An evening stroll after dinner. The sky was really that beautiful and amazing.

 The little River again. 

 Market day on Saturday's

I know most of you want to see photos from France. I've been digging through them the last couple days. I guess I'll continue with the Beaune photos because we started there. It was such a lovely little town. I want to go back and paint there next year.
I'm already planning our next trip. We didn't paint this time, but there was so much to paint I want to make it one of our primary destinations for my workshop next year in France.

Beaune (French pronunciation: [bon]) is the wine capital of Burgundy in the Cote d'Or department in eastern France. It is located between Parisand Geneva.

Beaune is one of the key wine centers in France and the annual wine auction of the Hospices de Beaune is the primary wine auction in France. The town is surrounded by some of the world's most famous wine villages, while the facilities and cellars of many producers, large and small, are situated in Beaune itself. With a rich historical and architectural heritage, Beaune is considered the "Capital of Burgundy wines".

It is an ancient and historic town on a plain by the hills of the Cote d'Or, with features remaining from the pre-Roman and Roman eras, through the medieval and renaissance periods and up to recent history and modern times.

Beaune is a walled city, with about half of the battlements, ramparts, and the moat, having survived and in good condition, and the central "old town" is extensive. Historically Beaune is intimately connected with the Dukes of Burgundy.

Landmarks in Beaune include the Halles, the Hospices, the Beffroi, and Notre Dame.

There is a comprehensive "traditional" shopping area clustered around the central square with a focus on gourmet food, fashion, and wine, while large supermarkets, business parks, etc., are situated on the outskirts of town.

Beaune is the center for wine industry services (such as tractors and equipment for vat-rooms) as well as a number of wine-related institutes and education facilities. The train station is served by TGV, through Dijon or Lyon.

Beaune has a major fine food market on Saturdays, where there are a large number of stall holders supplying a broad selection of products and specialties from Burgundy and the surrounding regions. For example, Bresse chickens, Jura cheeses, small goods, spices, produce of every variety as well as seasonal specialties such as truffles.^[1] There is a smaller market on Wednesday, and special-event markets and fetes are held throughout the year.

Although Beaune is not primarily a tourist town but one centred around the wine industry, it nevertheless attracts a large amount of tourism. About five traditional smaller hotels are located within the city walls with around five chain hotels on the outskirts.

Technically Beaune is a commune in eastern France, a sub-prefecture of department 21, the Côte-d'Or department, in the Bourgogne region.

The Bell Tower in Beaune, France

This past month I have been in France. I went with a couple of friends and to begin our trip, we staying in a little village in the heart of Burgandy called Beaune. In French it is pronounced "bone". Or something like that. We went to take a 2 week plein air painting workshop with painter Ovanes Berberian. I have studied with him over the years, but this was his first workshop in France and I just couldn't pass it up.
We started our trip with a 3 day stay in Beaune. I am hoping this little video of the Bell Tower outside our bedroom window where we stayed, in an old Abbey built in 1500, will give you an idea of the beauty of the area.
I will follow with pictures from our trip and share some of what we learned and experienced. It was truly life changing. I just returned home last night so I will post as I settle in and get organized. Can't wait to share more!

Letter to the Student of Painting by Charles Philip Brooks

Folsom View South - Oil on Linen Panel - 12x12"

If you don't subscribe to 'The Painter's Keys', you are missing out on some wonderful writings about art. Here is one example:

"Letter to the Student of Painting"

"Your day contains a great measure of freedom. Your responsibility as a painter is here within the walls of the studio and in the setting of the landscape. You have the opportunity to exercise genuine mastery at every step, and it is in this spirit of grand possibility that I hope you will reflect on the advice made plain here.

Do not grieve too long for the troubles of the outside world. There is important work to be done here. We can best express our care for all others by attending to our work well.

Allow yourself the peace of purpose and the knowledge that to make another attempt with the brush is a noble thing. If you accept the discipline of the truest principles of art, then yours is the reward of an unbroken line of tradition.

Therefore, you may earnestly free your mind of all heartaches, sadness, and transitory despairs. Creation is above these things.

Your vocation is as real and as true as any other. Those who denounce the artist as idle manifest a deep ignorance of the nature of art. Have faith that the civilized will somewhere, at some time, value your well-wrought works. It is a miracle that the world keeps its havens for art and yet it does. Know that to create art is to do a necessary piece of work. The most noble pleasures and measureless joys result from such endeavors. True art is undeniable and it is a gift for all humanity.

The threefold responsibility of the artist is: to creation, to individual talent, and to humanity. For creation - the whole of nature - we must cultivate prayerful awe. This is our source of work and our refuge as well. We should seek harmony with nature. For the individual talent - long hours and years of steady industry hope to find our abilities fulfilled, our minds, hearts, and hands put to valuable service. In this way, we maintain the sanctity of art. Lastly, we make to humanity a willing gift of all we do. Our control over the material world lasts only a lingering moment and it takes a generous soul to build the ambition of a lifetime and then to hand it over in trust to the future.

Painting requires the bravery of solitude. Painting requires disciplined labor. To be a painter is to search the world with a benevolent eye for every subtle beauty that the infinite world offers.

Here is the opportunity to give your honest effort and to add in any small way to the legacy of art. Cultivate patience in your heart and you will improve. Learn to see well and your hand will become sure.

No pain or doubt can invade the honest soul engaged in the communion of creation. We artists must love the world with our deepest selves and forgive it at every turn.

To paint even a little passage with a measure of quality is to achieve a life's triumph.

Spend your days wisely with the best thoughts and works of those who have walked the road before you. Search their paths, their timeless inspirations, and the lineage of their genius. Learn your craft well and your talent will mature into its full possibility. Keep an obedient heart before nature. She is the master above all other masters. Nature is the concrete manifestation of all that remains true and sublime. Let us always be thankful for her abundance and hopeful that we might approach her in our art. Nature will renew every generation of painters, ready to illuminate the minds of those who practice the art with what is calm, rational, beautiful, sublime, and eternal.

Such is the purity of your vocation. Treat every moment before the easel as a quick and tender opportunity. Invest your most noble self. Give your most noble self. To be a painter is to enjoy a precious state of life." (Charles Philip Brooks)

To subscribe go to: http://painterskeys.com/

Color Mixing Exercise

A couple of weeks ago in my beginning oil painting classes at SLC we learned more about mixing color. Most everybody struggles in the beginning to get their mixing skills to a point where they can easily mix a value and color for the painting they are working on. This usually comes with just lot's and lot's of painting, but you can do a few color mixing exercises to help you learn.
This exercise is one of the many simple tools out there to get you started. In some art schools you do this kind of exercise using many colors, for weeks and weeks, before you even begin to paint. We used the everyday paint tube colors that are out on our palette, starting with the warm and moving around to the neutrals. You can do it any way you like. Just begin at the top with white, then, using your first color (yellow) paint the block along the top in the same order and along the left side. The idea is to meet the color in the middle, then add white. Continue with the next color, only this time and on all of the following colors, you will be mixing the color next in line, going across and down first. Then again mix the colors down the left side with the ones along the top, only this time you add white to the mix. You will find that the lower colors at the diagonal line from the starting point and below will be your tints and above that pure color mixes.
After a while you will really start to enjoy the process and look forward to what the next tube color will do when mixed with the next.
You will find yourself getting to the value and color you are looking for faster the next time you paint. Try it! **If you paint your graph on a piece of loose canvas you can roll it up after it dries and easily carry it with you to class.

Using a Transparent "Wash"

Wash Study 

This is a recent painting from a demonstration using a transparent wash. I started the painting using this medium that I make that is glossy and dries quickly. I learned this technique from Brigitte Curt and Ovanes Berberian.

I have modified the wash that works best for me.

In addition to the wash I used a very textured canvas. It is a heavy duty linen. I bought a few of these years ago and never used them. Recently I've begun to texturize my own canvases using gesso and a palette knife. I have enjoyed the texture and decided to give these canvases a try. Turns out it took the varnish wash very nicely. I just dip my brush into the medium and then dip into my clean tube colors, touch it to the canvas and let it run. 

After I finish covering the canvas I let it dry for about 20 minutes and I'm ready to paint. It is very challenging and exciting and fun at the same time. I love how it allows me to approach the painting from an abstract design. The textured canvas gives it a more abstract look and allows me to loosen up and let go of the details in a bigger way.

Staying Connected

This is the first little study I've done for a new series I will call "Staying Connected". I took the photo for this study down in LA a few weeks ago. When I got home and took a look through the photos from the trip I realized that just about everybody in the photo's was on their cell phone. Crazy huh? 
Anyway, this is just an idea right now, but I'm enjoying the idea. Don't know if the idea will come to completion, but I hope so. 
I've been talking about the importance of studies with my students. In my intermediate classes I am teaching them the importance of the study process in making a large painting. I have learned the hard way that it will always pay off if you take the time to draw your sketches in order to create a successful design before starting any painting. Before I was doing this I was just too darn excited about getting started and I didn't take the time. But I was only creating problems for myself and in the end would decrease the chances of a good outcome. So now I do the sketches. When I am designing the painting during the sketching process I  look for a beautiful dark and light pattern. This is what makes the painting strong in design. Next is the color study. I paint a very small color study before I start the large piece. It is important that I stick with the value plan established with my sketch. Don't forget to do this.
So again, the sketch will establish the light and dark pattern for the piece. Very important. Use the color study to set your idea or "concept" while also keeping the value in tact. 
What I learned from this study is that I like the value sketch much better than the finished piece. Now I'm re-thinking the final piece and I will probably not go for that much color. You'll just have to stay posted....
This process will set you up for success...!

School of Light and Color Plein Air Wednesday

Last Wednesday at the School of Light and Color it was a beautiful day to paint outside. Nine of my brave students faced the challenge for the first time. They all did great! I wasn't sure what the weather was going to be like so I set up a still life outdoors.
I demo'd this piece, but finished it at home from a photograph. It would have been much better for me to finish outdoors in life, because you canNOT see the color in a photograph. In addition the values are not the same at all. But sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.
As in last month I took some wonderful pics in the Los Angeles area that came out well, but it was impossible, of course, for me to paint on the spot. (I was on a family trip).
So when we have to paint from photographs we do. It helps if you have spent some time painting outdoors. After I spent a lot of hours out there (and painted a lot of failures), I began to understand the differences in painting outside and painting from a photograph. Because I spent those hours outside painting, I can now judge better what the camera missed, and adjust. But it is very difficult (if not impossible) to do this otherwise. If we don't learn from experience, we have a tendency to copy the photograph. When we copy a photograph, it looks like a copy of a photograph and not a beautifully constructed painting.

Kathy finished up and was heading out, so I asked if I could take a picture. Beautiful painting Kathy!

Looks like we might be painting chickens and hens in the near future!

Now that everybody has had a taste of plein air painting, I am inviting you to join me at the Horton Iris Farm on Friday April 20th for a demonstration and instruction. Please email me and let me know if you are interested as the class is filling fast!

In my next post I'll share with you a study from a photo in LA. I'm considering a series called "staying connected", because almost all the people in my photographs have an iphone in their hands......

Red Light, Red Light, Paris

Finished one up today. I've hardly had time to paint with my schedule lately. Good family time has taken priority, classes too. Last Thursday seventeen of us visited the Edgar Payne Exhibit at the Crocker Art  Museum. We sketched, we studied, we put our noses in up close. We talked about the large value shapes, paying more attention to the dark value patterns. These are the things we've been talking about in class and this was the perfect opportunity to bring the point home.
We also purchased Payne books. The Composition of Outdoor Painting by Edgar Payne is extremely useful for those painters who want to paint landscape paintings and/or plein air paintings. I learned from my teacher Brigitte Curt to do an exercise using the thumbnails in the back of the book. Sketch from the thumbnail sketches in the book but sketch each one three times, changing the composition to work in different ways. In this exercise you will learn to compose a landscape while also learning how to design....
Go to http://classart.org/E_PayneExercise.html   for
 a more detailed description.

Terry Miura Challenge - Final

"Red Light Green Light"

Painting is 18x18x1.5" - Linen

I had fun with this. Each car has it's own personality and shape. As much as I wanted to leave more abstract shapes, I feel that I went a little too far on the cars. This was a great learning experience for me, and I enjoyed keeping it SIMPLE. I try to do this with all my paintings by starting each shape with only two values, and going from there. It is like a building block. Or as I say to my students, start with the silver dollar, on top of that put the fifty cent piece, then the quarter, and only if it is necessary, add more detail. Detail should be only the last 5% of a painting at most.....

Be sure to go to http://terrymiura.blogspot.com/ to check out the rest of the entries for this challenge. Terry is one of the best blogger's out there because he shares his thought process in a very honest and generous way. Much for you to learn on this site. And Terry, let's do this again soon!

Challenge with Terry Miurra...Progress

Here is my attempt at painting from Terry Miura's photo. The challenge is to simplify, and because I am on this path lately to simplify and paint with the concept in mind (rather than to copy), I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I haven't had a lot of studio time lately, but I started with the under painting a few days back. I don't always start a painting the same way, and to me this one called for breaking down the value shapes into no more than "two" values  - why not? I've been using a varnish medium to wash in my under paintings and decided to try it for the block in. The result is nice and transparent. My goal here, other than to simplify and stay out of the details, is to paint the "idea". I love street scenes, and have been admiring Terry's new Street Series.

In fact, I just finished a new street piece, but it had people and not cars. So I decided that I could do this in the same manner, kind of. Or I was hoping for the same type of result, where I would paint "shapes" not people, and "shapes", not cars.

Okay, for the concept. I was in Carmel last weekend where I got to get up close to some large paintings by Ken Auster. I just love the way he can take a city scene in San Francisco and guess what-- SIMPLIFY.

I bought his book and in it he talks about the way he will use warm and cool to bring life into a gray painting. So, I wanted to paint this piece with that in mind. Cool shadows, warm light. I want to do it without going crazy with color, which I have a tendency to do.

Today I had a chance to get back to the piece finally.  I wanted to establish the values again buy comparing the foreground to the middle ground to the background. To create distance you want to be careful to use the tools of a painter - cooler, softer, grayer, smaller, etc., as to painting recedes.

I'm hoping to finish this up and I'll post the final asap.

Challenge with Terry Miurra....Should be fun!

I consider myself very fortunate to be teaching at the School of Light and Color. First of all, Susan Sarback is an amazing artist and teacher. She founded the school in 1989. So not only do I get to teach along side Susan but also Terry Miura, David Lobenburg and others who are just amazing artists.
This week Terry has challenged us to join in painting a city scape in a simplified manner, so read up and join in the fun. I'll be posting my work and progress after I get started....

Simplify! - A Cityscape Challenge

by Terry

OK! Looks like we have a bunch of takers! WooHOO~!

I'm glad so many of you want to try this. I think it'll be very interesting and instructive not only to do an exercise like this, but to see how others solve the same problems. How exciting~

OK, so the photo above is the reference we will all use to do a painting. Everyone is welcome to try - this is just for fun, remember, so don't even worry if you feel like you're too much of a beginner. Just give it a try. I guarantee you'll learn something!

I think we ought to have some basic guidelines.

• Use the reference photo above. If you click on it, you'll get a larger version on your screen. Feel free to download it to your desktop to print it out or whatever you need to do to make it easier for you to paint from.
• Deadline. Let's say three weeks. You have to have it done and posted by March 11th.
• By "posted" I mean you can send me a jpeg via email, or if you're a blogger and you'd like to post your efforts on your own blog, just email me the link.
• Any medium.
• Any size.
• Remember the point is to simplify. NOT to try and render every damn detail.
• You may use some or all of the "rules" that I talked about in my last post. You don't have to use any of them. You can come up with your own set of rules. You don't have to have any rules at all.

Again, this is just for fun so do it in the way you feel comfortable. There are no rules as to technique or methods or sequences. I just want to see how different (or similar) our solutions are.

If you're a blogger, you might post the work-in-progress on your blogs. Might be fun, and your readers may want to try, too. If you do post your progress, please send me the link.

I think that's it for now.  Good luck and have fun~

Cityscapes are hard to paint not only because everything has to be drawn well, but also because there's just an overwhelming amount of information that needs to be processed. Simplification is key, but arbitrary editing of detail can easily end up with a weak painting that lack a sense of intent.   With so much "stuff", it's not easy to know what to include and what to edit out, especially because you know all that detail contributes to the texture of the city clutter.

One way to approach it is to have rules for editing –and you know by now I like rules. This way, you can do it systematically (more or less) and it helps me to get the painting going in the right direction. Here are some that I use often;

• Decide on a dominant color theme (in this case, blue green) and mix every color as a variation of it. (you want violet? start with blue green and bend it towards violet. Think of it as a violet-er version of the original blue green)
• Paint every element (car, tree, asphalt, etc.) in just two values.  Later on you can add a third value to the more important elements.
• Link all similar valued adjacent shapes.
• Have a large passive area. (Forces me to have an area with NO detail, juxtaposed against which the more active areas need less "stuff" in order to look detailed)
• Treat super sharp edges as exclamation points. Don't shout everywhere.

These are not rules for all painting nor are they for every painter. They're just rules that guide me to do what I do, and they work well for me. With another painting, I may have a completely different set of rules. The point is, having this type of structure is helpful in keeping my mind organized and focused. It helps me avoid making arbitrary and thoughtless decisions. 

I had this idea of inviting anyone who wants try this way of approaching the cityscape to give it a go, and sharing your results and thoughts on the experience.  I would post a reference photo for us to use - we'd all use the same photo so that we can compare and contrast how we each respond to the same problems. Wouldn't that be interesting?  Challenging, to be sure, but nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

JUST WHITE by Randy Blasquez

Just White, by Randy Blasquez, 30 x 30 x 1.5"

Just wanted to let you all know that I'm still out here. The holidays this year were wonderful, but I got off to a late start as far as planning goes and I thought I'd let you know what I'm up to lately.

Classes are going great. What a blessing it is to work with a student over a period of time, and see tremendous progress. I'm starting to really see what happens when a student comes in and wants to learn to paint after perhaps many years of thinking about it. It can be daunting to be sure, but with a little encouragement and some continued effort, a little light begins to shine. When I see this little light begin to shine, I know that this particular student has been reading about art, visiting art galleries and museums and sketching. These are all huge in the scheme of things if you want to grow. And the next thing you know this student is stepping out of their comfort zone again and taking another workshop with a new instructor. They might begin to see where their weaknesses are, and address them by taking a drawing class. Or they might try painting the same paintings again, only working out the flaws. But when I have a student that brings in her/his work from home to share with me, I know they are on the train to success. They are on the train to success because they are doing what it takes, making time to paint and paint and paint....

This is when I get excited about their excitement about painting, because I remember how that feels, and still does. It feels like a whole lot of joy!

So, as this year begins to come together I know I want to take some classes with Terry Miura and glean some of that beautiful design juice from him. The way he is painting the figure right now is amazing.

I have decided what shows I want to enter if I can get my act together, but I have not set my sights too high. 

I'm considering renting a studio space close to the school. Just looking around right now.

I'm hoping to go to the Weekend with the Masters event in September in San Diego. 

And I've been busy painting some large scale paintings for a new gallery.  I am ready to make delivery in a couple of weeks so I decided to share one of them with you today. The rest will get posted after all is said and done, and you just never know.

Just one more thing, I'm seriously considering a workshop abroad next year and have been doing the footwork for that, so if you want to know more, just ask! Beginners Welcome!

Better Results using Proportions and Angles

Provincial Vista from the Village

Oil on Linen - 16x20"

I just wrote a short lesson for my classes and decided to post it, even though I haven't taken photos to help with it. I will do some demonstrations in class and ask one of the students to take some photos. So I'll just add those later. 

I painted this scene upon my return from France a couple of years ago after spending two weeks painting in the Villages of Provence. It was like going back in time to walk the cobble stones among the old 15^th century buildings.

BETTER RESULTS using PROPORTIONS and ANGLES

To paint well we must first learn to see well. Part of that learning curve is the necessity to learn how to see and draw proportions and find the angles of our subject.

Really it is just learning how to measure what we see rather than just eyeballing it. I have seen paintings that would otherwise be very nice, but it is always obvious to the viewer when something is “off”.

This can be done free hand using only your brush and your view catcher. Set up a simple two object still life and let’s get started.

1.     First I do a simple thumbnail sketch using a black Prismacolor pencil to block in my composition and values, relying on my view catcher.

2.     After I turn to my canvas and wash in a transparent tone, I am ready to measure my proportions and angles.  

3.     I need to look through my view catcher again, this time use the sides of the opening edges to find the location of the objects. (note*-the proportion of the canvas must be the same as the view catcher, if it is not, change it to match the canvas you will be painting on.) When I say use the sides, compare where to top of the object is in relation to the top/botton and left and right sides of the edges. Mark these one at a time. Do this first for the composition as a whole, and then for each object in your set up.

Note: To make sure the perspective is correct, I extend my arm fully each time I look through the view catcher or brush, then close one eye, and make sure that I stay in the same position while looking at the subject.

4.     Now connect the dots with a light line of paint. This is your composition. Does it fit onto the canvas the way you want it to?

Note: You will have made this decision in your thumbnail sketch, so check to make sure it is approximately the same. Now is the time to move it if you decide.

5.     Now put down the view catcher and begin to look for the proportion of the objects. Your marks are in place. This is an estimate. Now use your brush to find the proportion – which is a measure of increments. You will need to choose an obvious unit of measure, (a length or width of something important in the subject – such as the width of an apple – that you will compare to the width and height of another object in the set up.

Note: Hold your brush and with your thumb and index finger, line it up with the tip and the edge of your object, and compare the distance to the opposite edge, this could be top/bottom or right to left edge. Use this same unit of measure to get the height and width of the other objects.

6.     After you measure, check your original marks and adjust as needed. Now begin to connect the marks to make your drawing.

Note: You will need to learn how to find the angles at this point using your brush the same way as before, only now you are tilting your brush to line up with the edge and then bring it to the canvas to record it. Just mark on your canvas what you observe with your brush.

            **Note: Measure as many times as you need to get the correct proportion. Often you will not get it right the first time, so if you get the feeling that something is off, just measure again. If you continue to use this practice it will become automatic and you will soon be able to accurately depict on canvas what you see. A huge payoff!

Christmas in a Jar

Christmas in a Jar    20x16"

Christmas on a Silver Platter      11x14"

Last week I had two classes, one intermediate and the other a beginning oil painting class at the School of Light and Color. The students wanted to paint something for Christmas this week and it turned out to be a fun exercise.

The first painting, a study in red, was the most challenging. I started with a red and violet wash, which was a mistake I think, because it made it all that much more difficult to get this all red setup to have something else to say. The red wasn't standing out enough, but in the end as I added more darks, the reflections in the warm and blueish tones, and the highlights on the glass, it started to come together.

The Poinsettia piece was a lot of fun. I tried to stay out of the lights as long as possible, and after the block in I began to add some light. I like this way of "sneaking up" on the lights in a painting. I find that I am much more successful at knowing when to stop.

Thank you all who have been a part of my classes this year. You have been a huge blessing to me. Merry Christmas...