Keys to a Successful Painting

Yesterday was the first in a series of four classes held at the Patris Studio and Gallery in Sacramento.
It was a great group of students who wanted to review and learn some of the fundamental elements of oil painting.

For our first day, we painted a 3 to 5 value study of our landscape, with the idea of learning how to train our brains to paint with intention. Our intention in this particular exercise was to plan your painting and make one value more dominant for more interest and to please the eye.
This is just one of the ideas associated with making the viewer move right on over to your painting when they see it across the room.

We had fun experimenting choosing different values for our big shapes.You can see below one study with middle value dominant, one light value and one darker. Keep it abstract, and keep squinting to see those large shapes. Let go and paint the sky a darker color than the trees if you want. Go for it! Keep your shapes simple and if you chose to do this exercise, go ahead and paint a fourth study with equal values. Which one reads best?


A good day!

Next time you start a painting, first choose your dominant value. What else is dominant? Remember the rule of unequal measures. Here are the class notes -

KEYS TO A SUCCESSFUL PAINTING

Composition and Design -

What makes a good composition? How will you plan (design), your painting?  

It is my belief that the original design of big shapes can make or break a painting. 

When you start a painting, take time to consider this design. A good way to accomplish this goal is to sketch or paint a notan.

Establish 3 to 5 large value shapes.

Your composition is the division of space. 

Your design takes into account the following - 

The key, the abstract design, the dark pattern and the light pattern, (notan), contrast, movement, line, unity, variety, expression, and the principal of unequal measures. 

What will be the dominant value? This will determine the key of your painting. Light, Middle, or Low Key?

Pay attention to the Four Plains of the Landscape. The plains of the landscape are - 

the lightest value will usually be the sky (the lightest light)

the land will be light, but darker than the sky (reflecting the sky)

the mountains are darker than the land (slanted shapes)

and the darkest value will be found in the trees (vertical shapes)

Decide on your focal point. Describe it with contrast using value, color, texture and edges. Make the most important thing the most important thing! 

Our eyes only see 15% of what is in front of us clearly. The rest is a blur. This is how we appreciate viewing a painting and this is how you should paint one.

Exercise #1

Sketch your Notan using a prismacolor black pencil or gray markers. Establish your best division of space, in proportion to the size and shape of your canvas that you will be painting on while paying attention to the Four Plains of the Landscape. (For your painting choose an 8x10, 9x12, 11x14 or 12x16.)

Exercise #2

Using a 16x20’ panel, divide it into four rectangles that are the same Proportion as the canvas you will paint your landscape on.

Mix five values of gray in addition to black and white. 

Paint your landscape notan in each area, changing the dominant value for each one. (Remember the value shapes that take up the largest amount of space in your painting is the dominant value.) Try painting a High Key or Light painting, then a Middle Key or Medium Value painting, and then a Low Key op Dark Painting. The fourth study will be equal use of values. Use the same composition - the best one - from your previous sketches.

Consider the Dark Patterns and Light Patterns, Notan. Keep your shapes simple. Which Key do you like best?

Exercise #3

Finding Value in Color – 

We will learn to see color as value in this exercise. 

Divide a 16x20” panel into five squares across and then down

Mix five values

Paint the Light, Middle Light, Middle, Middle Dark, Dark in the first five squares on your panel.

On the next line, paint any tube color mixed with either black or white to match all five of the values on your scale. (Paint directly under the correct gray value, and so on.)

Squint, using your palette knife to compare values.

I'll be back next week with a follow up and more on painting with intention. We will be painting our landscape from the photograph and learning about color.

Email or leave a comment with any questions, I'd love to talk more about this with you!

What I loved and learned in Venice

"Parked"

Oil on Linen  8x10"

I just returned from my first trip to Venice. I wanted to experience Venice as a workshop student, hosted by Il Chiostro, before I teach my own class next year. Our teachers were Susan Blackwood and Howard Friedland. They were the best!

I want to share a few things that I loved about Venice and also some of what I learned there....

1. I loved taking the Water Taxi into Venice from the Airport.

My amazing travel agent, Liz Hoffman, recommended that I go into the city this way. I must say that it was magical! It is an experience I will never forget.

I learned that the taxi only takes about 35 minutes and takes you directly to your hotel. He pulled the boat into one of the canals and took me through the maze of the narrow water system all the way to within a few yards of my hotel. It is expensive, but wow - if you can I would highly recommend seeing Venice for the first time this way. You can hire a water taxi for about 80 euro for a single person - to about 110-130 for up to five. 

I joined three other painters on the way out of the city because two of them had to catch a very early flight, and we split the cost. 

Other ways to get into the city are by shuttle bus to the train station or bus station, which takes you to the Grand Canal where you can catch the Vaparetto, to your nearest stop.

2. I loved getting lost in Venice. 

I loved walking in Venice. It's not so difficult to get around. I could walk out my hotel front door and turn in any direction. I loved the merchants that displayed the beautiful colorful Italian leather bags.... I had to pick up a couple of those!

I loved the mask merchants as well, and I had to get one of those for my daughter and granddaughters..

And then there was the chocolate, the salads (best mozzarella I've tasted), and the coffee.. The rest of the students enjoyed croissants every morning.

I learned that the signs posted on the buildings would guide me to the San Marco Square, the Rialto Bridge or the Accademia Bridge. There are plenty of Art Museums, Galleries and Shops, as well as historic sights galore! 

3. I loved painting in Venice.

Venice is incredibly inspiring! I brought home hundreds of photos to paint from. The water reflections were amazing and I can't even begin to describe how beautiful a place it is.  I loved the light! The Grand Canal was so reflective of the light out there. I could not get over the colors that are impossible to capture with a camera. It is best to do simple color studies.

I learned that it is not easy to choose your scene in Venice. It is better to choose something simple and save those larger scenes for the studio. The views with canals and bridges and boats, the historic buildings with all those windows, can be overwhelming. Too much to paint in plein air. 

4. I loved Il Chiostro! Michael Mele and Linda Mironti bring a personal feeling of care to the group. I have been working with them for a year or so, to create a workshop for my students next October. 

These are truly special people who started the tour company 20 years ago and have the experience to bring a very once in a lifetime experience.

Read and learn more about Il Chiostro here.

Learn about my workshop offered at a discount between now and February here.

These are only a few things I loved about Venice. It has had a never ending impact on my life and my art.

The Color Wash Method, Explained

"Bus Lane"

Oil on Linen, 16x20" 

Color Wash Method

Here are the medium recipes for the Color Wash Method, as learned from Ovanes Berberian and Brigitte Curt. Please note that either of these recipes create the same effect. 

Ovanes Berberian Color Wash Formula

- I have studied with Ovanes quite a bit over the years. In his workshops he taught us how to use this medium. This has a very special effect on a painting that I love.

You can lay in the under painting using many pure transparent pigments to create a glossy wash of color. You then paint with the opaque paint as the final layer.  See more about this below.

The formula:  He uses approximately 2 parts Damar Varnish, 3 parts Gum Turpentine, and .25 parts Linseed Oil. 

Brigitte Curt's Non-Toxic Color Wash Formula

- I've used this formula for years and I love the effect it has on my works of art. It is basically a less toxic version of the Ovanes' Formula.

The Recipe:  To make this varnish you need to buy Damar Resin Crystals. I order them from Blick by Eco House.  The Eco House brand works best with this Varnish. Also you will need to order the Terpene Solvent and Extra Mild Citrus Thinner from Eco House. (Also at the Blick website, but you may find them else ware.)

Start by poring the varnish crystals into a glass jar that has a lid.  (A mayo jar works well) Pour the Natural Orange Terpene Solvent on top and stir. Put the lid on. Continue to stir and mix a couple of times a day for a few days until the crystals are completely dissolved.

Now add the Extra Mild Citrus Thinner. Stir and store in an airtight container. Use more Thinner for a thin wash or less for a heavier varnish (will be more sticky and shiny).

(The amounts are approximate)

1 part Eco House Damar Resin Crystals

3-4 parts Eco House Natural Orange Terpene Solvent

3-4 parts Eco House Extra Mild Citrus Thinner

*note - lately I have substituted Gamblin Gamsol Odorless Mineral Spirits for the Extra Mild Citrus Thinner for a less smelly varnish.

Use either one of these recipes for the Color Wash Method that came originally from Ovanes Berberian:

• Paint your wash on a clean white canvas using transparent oil colors only, no opaque or semi-opaque paints.
• Start to very loosely block in large shapes of wash, beginning with your darks. Go a shade to two shades darker than you think you should.
• Always compare one color area to another- allow warms and cools within each color shape - keep the values the same in the same shape.
• Always compare the values to one another.
• Sometimes for color harmony you can use the complementary color.
• Lay in warm next to cool and cool next to warm.
• Think ahead about what opaque color will come on top of the wash.
• Stay flat with your wash and use the brush without modeling, an up an down motion.
• The values will be at least one shade darker than the final painting, but the relationships must work in relation to each other.
• Focus on accurate values and color temperatures.
• Use the palette knife to scrape an area if it gets too dark. This will allow the transparency to come through.
• The idea is to allow some of these beautiful transparent colors to show through the finished painting.

Below is a photo of the earlier stage of the painting as I was beginning to add the opaque colors on top of the transparent wash...

Here We Go!

It's official. If you have been considering a painting trip of a lifetime this might be the one. I'm working with a wonderful company, IlChiostro, and we have planned a week of painting the wonderful streets of Venice next year. I feel so grateful to be teaching oil painting and to have the opportunity to travel and teach. Read on!

OCTOBER 1ST-8TH 2016

http://www.ilchiostro.com/workshops/the-heart-of-venice-painting-plein-air-in-oil/

Ignite Your Creative Spark in the Fascinating City of Venice

One of the best reasons for an artist to travel is that the experience will most likely ignite a creative spark.  Imagine being surrounded by the beauty of the romantic city of Venice with paintbrushes in hand!

Venice is a great city of the world and it is pure enchantment.  Spend a whole week getting to know the back canals, wandering the quiet streets at dawn and feeling your way through the evening mist.  For centuries artists have come to Venice to try to capture its unique setting on the lagoon.

"Dreaming of Venice"
sold

The simplification of design & composition while learning to “see” like an artist will be our focus for the week. Randy will teach the participants how to interpret the magical surroundings of Venice in terms of paint, while at the same time focusing on the art of simplicity. In her teaching experience, learning to simplify what is in front of us is one of the most important fundamental elements of painting. The other focus will be values, shapes, color and capturing the lyrical patterns in the scene, as they relate to painting in the field.

There will be a brief demonstration each day and one-on-one advice in the field. Oil paint is the medium for this workshop. A complete informational sheet will be sent out with the supplies needed, as well as tips and tricks for traveling with your supplies.  Are you ready to pack your brushes?

General Activities:  Our daily painting in Venice will be combined with other adventures such as:

• A guided walking art history tour of Venice
• Visit to morning fish market
• Visit to selected outer islands in the lagoon (Burano)
• Selected evening activities such as visit to San Marco when the orchestras play
• Studio time to work on the compositions you started on location

Our first gathering will be an orientation at 6pm on the first Saturday followed by a dinner with the group.  After that, most activities for the week will be organized around the individual workshops but all participants will come together for meals and events like the guided walking tour of selected highlights of Venice. Then, at the end of the week the artists will stage an exhibit of their work to share their visual impressions of enigmatic Venice.

Accommodations: The week will be spent in the historic Dorsoduro area, away from the madness of San Marco. We will enjoy great accommodations in an ex-convent and traditional cuisine at local restaurants or prepared by our personal chef.  It will be an ideal place to improve  your painting skills while working to develop your personal style.  Click the Accommodations tab above for more information about the convent where we’ll stay.

Meals: During the week we will have 5 dinners together. To experience a good cross-section of typical Venetian cuisine we will sample diverse neighborhood trattorie and Michael and Linda will host our group for two home-cooked meals with ingredients we find at the outdoor market. Two nights of the week you will be on your own to follow your nose to restaurants or concerts or the opera or whatever else might pique your curiosity. There is plenty of time for independent exploration.  Breakfast is not served at the convent, so we will have vouchers for a typical Venetian breakfast at a local cafe.

Price: $2,495* p/p

Single room supplement – $450 (limited number available)
Non-painting partners/friends are always welcome.  Non participant fee is $2,195.

* Early Bird Special – $100 discount if registered by February 1, 2016

Price does not include:

• Airfare
• Lunch
• Independent meals and sight-seeing
• Museum entry fees
• Workshop materials
• Local transportation: vaporettos, water taxis

To Register:  just click on the Sign Up Now button.  A non-refundable deposit of $500 is required to secure your spot in the workshop.  Payment can be made on line with a credit card, or you can follow the instructions to send in your registration and payment by mail.  Once we receive your deposit we will send you a formal Registration Confirmation with further information about the program.  You will receive 2-3 other correspondences by email prior to the workshop with information about Italy, a supplies list and an electronic invoice for the balance.  Final Balance is due by September 1st.  Any time prior to your arrival, if you have questions about anything regarding the trip or the program, you can contact us by email or phone and we`ll be happy to assist you.

http://www.ilchiostro.com/workshops/the-heart-of-venice-painting-plein-air-in-oil/

Contact us for more information:  info@ilchiostro.com or speak to us live at 800-990-3506.

The Exploration of Painting....

New Painting - Lily's and Light
Oil on Linen     20x20x1.5"

When I first started painting and I was in the middle of studying other artists and their work, I noticed that (almost all of them), their work seemed to move into a more abstract style over the years.

I think it's true that, after you have a very good understanding and some experience with the fundamentals of painting, you can then go beyond the rules (I call them guidelines), and get out of your comfort zone as a way to develop your skills and creative imagination. This, in turn, will lead to better self expression in your paintings.

A good example of this is Dan McCaw. His was one of the first books I purchased, and I'm glad I did as it is and has been out of print for many years. (He is supposed to be in the middle of writing 2 more books). Anyway I will post some examples below:

The first painting is closer to the way he was painting 15 or 20 years ago. The second one is a more conservative example of the way he paints today.

You can see that even 20 years ago he was not a representational painter. But also you can see the obvious progression into a more abstract style. On his website he differentiates them by calling one traditional and contemporary.

Another good example is C.W.Mundy. I've had the privilege of working with C.W. and he is all about exploration, as is Dan. I also love painters like James Kroner. Very abstract. I love this!

Today I am enjoying this experience. Not that I am or will ever be where I want to be, but I do find it very freeing to get into a painting, put away the photograph, and play. The problem is that my brush wants to automatically go back to representation. So I have to stay very conscious of my effort.

Use new tools, try the palette knife, a rubber spatula or a roller! I think it's a great way to develop your skills and your imagination. You have to go over the top at first in order to get out of the rut, so go wild!

Doors Are Open....

Spring Snow at Squaw Mountain
Oil on Linen    30x36"

I've been home for a week from a family trip to London and Scotland. Both were beautiful. Now that I'm back in the studio I'm happy to be painting again. 

I am participating in the First Annual Truckee Open Artists Studio Tour this weekend. I started this piece a couple of months ago and allowed it to sit around the studio, and decided to finish it up for the Tour. 

Today, our first day, was a good day. I love meeting new people from out of town who love art. If you can, do try to come by. The tour dates are this weekend and next, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10-5. 

I have a guest artist in the studio, Susan Bloom, who has some wonderful plein air pieces on the wall. We are both taking 25% off each painting we sell. A great deal. Also, come hungry, we have too much food and some wine too. A great way to spend the day, hmm?

Truckee Open Art Studio Tour Coming Up Next Month

I would like to invite you to make plans now for a visit to the first annual TOAST next month!

All original paintings will be discounted by 25% for the tour, and I will be putting together a bargain bin!

Meet Susan Bloom, a guest artist in my studio. 

We hope to see you on one of the weekends, July 17-19 and 24-26.....

How To Clean Your Brushes and Keep Them Like New

I promised a few people that I would re-post this blog so here goes.....

I use a product I found through my lovely plein air teacher, Brigitte Curt. This product is amazing. The best part is that it is ecologically safe and harmless to your brushes. It even gets out dried oil paint in your brushes and clothes. This means I don't have to make all my clothes into paint clothes, ha! I will tell you how to use it on your clothes and dried up brushes that you thought you'd have to throw away at the bottom of this post. But first, let's go through my procedure for regular brush cleaning.

I've also had some of my students tell me that Murphy's Oil Soap works very well and is available in most stores. 

Cover the bottom of a small bucket, can or jar with Brush Flush.

Now, dip your brush into the Brush Flush and get it saturated well.

Usually I've been using the same brushes all week, and I do clean them with mineral spirits, but to get them in good shape you need to remove all of the paint. 

Next, take a leftover kitchen sponge and wipe your brush into it, back and forth. You will be amazed how much paint is still in your brush.

Rinse, and repeat until the brush and suds are paint free. The soap suds will turn white.

Rinse with warm running water.

Then wipe to make sure all the paint is removed. Be gentle with your brush. Alway wipe away from the ferrel. 

Now your brush is clean. It might be stained, but the paint has been removed and your brush will last you! Wipe it dry, gently.

Lie flat on an absorbent surface.

After you have cleaned all your brushes, dip your fingers into the Brush Flush. Now wipe your brush with your fingers, shaping it.

Squeeze the tip, and the hairs will stick together and dry correctly.

Give them a day to dry in a sunny place if your can. If the paint is dry because you forgot to clean it at all, just saturate the brush hairs with the Brush Flush and let is set for a day, dip again, loosen into the soap and let it set again. When the hairs are nice and soft, follow the above directions.

If you have dried paint on your clothes, pour a little Brush Flush into the paint, scrub, and let set. Repeat until the paint loosens up. Then wash as unusual.

PLEASE NOTE

When you are in the middle of a painting and you are cleaning paint from your brushes, take care not to cram you brush into the mineral spirit can. 

BE GENTLE and swipe it back and forth inside the spirit can to remove the paint. NEVER push your brush into the can and never leave it in the can. The MS will dry out your bristles and make them brittle. 

When you take the brush out of the can after a few swipes, sop up the extra moister with your rag or paper towel. One more tip, if you will get into the habit of wiping your dirty brush with a paper towel BEFORE you dip into the can you will save on Mineral Spirits. 

See ya next time.....

Find Out What Your Palette Can Do For You....

We have been talking about our palette and color mixing for a couple of weeks. This week I wanted to share a very useful exercise that will teach you what your palette can do for you.

It is not a quick and easy exercise. But I promise you, it will open your eyes!

Here is how it goes:
Grid a sheet of gessoed canvas, about a 16x20" with about one inch boxes. You will need to have at the same number of squares across the top and side of your grid, as the number of paint colors you use on your palette. I used my basic palette colors in addition to some mixed colors (in quotes below).

Keep in mind I don't have all these colors on my palette at the same time and I don't always use tube greens. Also note that I always like to have 1-3 mixed grays on my palette for mixing purposes.

The paint colors across the top and down the side are exactly the same and in the same order. In the example above they are:

White                            W
Cad Yellow Medium    CYM
Yellow Ochre               YO
(mixed Orange)            O
Cad Red Light              CRL
Rose                              R
Alizarin Crimson          A
(mixed Violet)              V
Cobalt Blue                   CB
Ultramarine Blue          UB
(mixed violet blue/gray)    VBG
Pthaylo Blue                  PB
Viridian (I think?)          VG
Pthaylo Green                 PG
(mixed neutral middle gray)    NG
Payne's Gray or Black    B
Transparent Oxide Red   TOR

What happens next? A whole eye opening experience. It starts out tedious but believe me when I say, you will develop a rhythm and you will have so much fun when you begin to see what you get with each mix.

Begin by painting each square across the top in the order on your usual palette, (use your own palette paint colors), and then paint them in the same order down the side.

1-The first square - white is already done.

2-The second color is CYM. Mix white with CYM and paint the box where the two meet.

3-Now, move to the third color, YO. Mix white with YO and paint the box where the two colors meet. You will be mixing each color with white first, and you paint that in the square where the YO along the top and the YO along the side MEET! Above you can see this, the YO light is painted in the square where the two meet. Think of a crossword puzzle.

It can be tricky, especially as you get going and you are mixing more and more colors with each other, so use your finger on each hand to find the middle square by starting at the top and side and then follow to the center where they meet.

You will mix each color (along the top) with those colors that are along the side. What you will find out is that each color will get mixed with every other color on your palette - in addition each color will be mixed with every other color PLUS WHITE. You will get the idea after a while.

4-Still working with YO, you will then mix YO with CYM, the color that is above the YO tint box. If you put your finger on the YO on top and the YOM on the left, you will paint this box with that mix.
Now mix a little white into that mix and paint the box left of the YO tint, where the CYM on top meets the YO on the side.

5-Continue with one color at a time. I found that if I mix the original color with white first, it kind of helped me set the pace and keep my place. After I painted in the tinted color, I began mixing the pure color with the color that meets it from the side. After I mix two colors together, I paint the box above the tinted version of this same color. THEN mix a little white into it and paint the box on the left side of the tinted color. Move to the next color!

You will find in the finish that the color mixes that are below the white mixes will all be lighter because they have been mixed with white. The color mixes above are pure color mixes.

I don't know how to explain it any better my friends. It is not as difficult as it sounds, especially after you get going. I had so much fun discovering these new mixes, and was most of the time surprised at the beautiful colors that would evolve.

What you will learn through this exercise is much more than you might expect. Your mixing on the palette while painting will be much easier and smoother. You will discover new ways to get the mix you are looking for with less effort. You will save time.

If you paint this on a sheet of canvas or board you can take it with you or post it in your studio and use it as a reference.

I hope you give it a try. Please send me a note or just leave a comment if you do, and ask questions. Let me know if I said anything that doesn't make sense. Best of luck to you!