More on Dan McCaws' book - A Proven Strategy for Creating Great Art...

"Happiness"
Oil on Linen  36x36x1.5"
Available at Gallerie Amsterdam

Chapter 4 - "Mastering the World of Color"

• Mastering Color Theory is important, but don't let it get in the way of using color to personalize your paintings.
• Any color has four main properties: hue, value, intensity and temperature. There are a number of reasons why you will want to know how to change or modify any of these qualities, but learning how is fairly easy since there are only one or two techniques related to each property. 
• You can mix color opaquely by combining colors on the palette before it's applied or on the canvas as it's applied. You can also layer transparent glazes of color until you've arrived at the color you desire.
• The colors appearing throughout a subject often need to be harmonized. This can be achieved by allowing the color of the light to touch all of the elements or by mixing a common color/temperature into all of the elements.

My Thoughts - I love how Dan uses color to personalize his paintings. I think the most important or one of the most important things about color theory is Color Harmony. Learn how to harmonize your paintings and you will get wonderful results.

Dan suggests that you can mix a color and/or temperature into all of the elements. Another way is to use a limited palette. But I love how Dan uses his way of allowing the color of the light to touch all of the elements. I think by elements he is talking about each shape. This will take some experimentation for sure and you will discover how this technique works.

Another thing I love about Dan's paintings is the way he mixes his color directly on the canvas. This is something that I have not done a lot of. I'll try to get in some practice time with that.

Chapter 5 - "Making It Your Own"

• By using contrast, exaggeration and proportion, you can help your viewers understand what you're trying to say.
• Communicate your point of view with one or two types of contrast, such as dark against light, bright against dull, a color against its compliment, warm against cool or hard edge against soft, just to name a few.
• Don't be limited by copying what you see in your subject. Exaggerate shapes, sizes, color and so on to emphasize your main point.
• Balance and support the main direction of a painting by simplifying less important areas.
• Never stop striving to express that tie between heart and mind. It will imbue your work and life with creativity and satisfaction.

My thoughts - I like his ideas on contrast. This is what makes a painting dynamic. There are many ways to create contrast in a painting. Make an effort to create contrast where there may otherwise be none. This will help you get out of rendering and into creating.

Exaggerating will help you as well. Try to keep the main focus or interest in the focal area. This is where you want to express your idea. Other areas are not as important and should be simplified. Simplify by keeping the shapes in less of a contrast and with softer edges.

Chapter 6 - "Putting It All Together"

• Taking the time to work through all five stages usually results in a better painting with less effort wasted on correcting mistakes.
• Thumbnails and other sketches are the ideal means to explore opinions for presenting your idea in an individual way.
• You can ensure a powerful design foundation for every painting if you do a value study before you begin painting.
• Only after you've covered your canvas in flat blocks of color, either true to your subject or exaggerated as you like - should you start to develop the forms and add detail. Stop when you feel your painting says all it needs to say.

These are the concepts I've been teaching for years, and I am committed to this way of starting a painting. I can't express enough how important it is to prepare for your painting with exploration of design, composition and value by sketching or painting a value study or studies.

Let me know your thoughts and questions. I would enjoy talking more about these ideas with you!

A Proven Strategy for Creating Great Art by Dan McCaw

"Roses for Sale", Oil on Canvas, 22x18"

A great book. I recently posted about my two favorite books that I took with me to Arizona. I have been re-reading them and have come to appreciate them even more. Especially this one.

Here are a few notable points to remember at the end of each chapter:

Chapter One, "Opening Your Heart"

• Creating expressive art demands more than just rendering. It requires you to develop and give voice to your points of view.
• Individuality comes from having plenty of options. You can increase your choices by broadening your perceptions, raising your awareness and exercising your imagination.
• You probably won't be successful in expressing your individuality in every painting, but don't let that stop you from trying. Your ongoing efforts to express yourself will keep you motivated for a lifetime. Trust in your innate ability to bring out your voice.

My thoughts - I'm surprised he put this topic at the beginning of the book. It is the last thing I learned and was confusing to me when I first read the book. Now with a lot more experience under my belt, I know what he's talking about.

At first we are doing our best to "render", but with experience comes the ability to "exercise our imaginations". 

The best thing to remember while learning this concept is to let go of the outcome and just experiment with paint. Know why you chose your topic, and try to express that concept. It will come.

Chapter Two,  "Understanding Light and Form"

• Three things in the light source -- color, strength and location -- will influence the way you perceive the forms in your subject.
• To make the forms in your paintings look three dimensional, exaggerate the planes and push the contrast between light and shadow.
• If you do want to recreate depth and dimension in your forms, visualize and break them up into planes. The planes on the light side can be categorized as lights, half tones, and highlights, also known as the properties of light: the planes on the shadow side can be categorized as reflected lights and shadows, what I call the properties of shadow.
• Remember to incorporate the color of your light source and any reflected color from nearby objects when mixing your forms' colors.

My thoughts - We all use different words at times to describe the same foundational elements in painting. When he says location of the light, he is talking about the direction of the light into the painting. 

You need to understand how light and shadows work in life and in your painting. It really does help to break your form into planes. It's like carving of the rounded parts with a knife. Each plane has it's own value, but is also either in the "light", or the "shadow". The values in the light are usually mid-tone, light-tone and highlights. The values in the shadow side of the form is mid-dark to dark, and reflected light that is slightly lighter than the shadow.

The color of your light source is either warm or cool. Ambient light is warmer than outdoor light. Use plenty of color in your reflected light, but remember to keep it "in the shadow".

Chapter Three, "Designing With Shapes"

• Value and design are the two most important tools in holding a painting together.
• Design is based on the large masses or shapes in your subject, which you can easily see when you squint. Squinting eliminates the details and show you the big areas of similar values.
• Drawing quick thumbnails and/or painting value studies will help you modify, link, crop and balance your shapes for a better design that supports your intentions.
• Unequal proportions is key to a good design. Have more dark than light or more light than dark. Play active areas against passive areas.
• You can modify several elements into one larger shape by softening the edges between them or painting them in similar values so the edges seem to disappear. Use harder edges to separate shapes. This will help you retain the flow of your design.

My thoughts - This covers a lot in painting. And we've only talked about one chapter! I've been teaching these concepts for years, and I can't believe I haven't picked up this book for at least that long. This is very good stuff.

These are the first three chapters and we still have three to go. I will cover those in the next blog that I post. Meanwhile do reply with any questions or if you'd like to talk further about any of these topics.

"BLISS 2"sold

I am so happy to be blogging again. I do love writing, and this blog has been a learning tool for me for ten years. Mostly, I talk about my inspirations and growth as a painter. In the beginning, I started the blog because I thought it would be helpful to my students. As it turns out, it has been helpful to me.

Let me explain. You understand that journaling can be a personal journey into self, self growth, etc. I believe that this is very good for an artist. A look inside one's self. 

It is so easy to avoid self exploration. Mostly, it can be painful. And let's face it, we all want to avoid pain, yes? But, at the same time it can be a way and means to self growth. 

As an artist, I have learned that I cannot avoid looking into myself. I need to reach into the real life stuff, and not always the safe areas of my life. I suppose I want to continue to grow and be true to myself. This is why I must continue on this journey. 

We all have a choice. Avoid the deep contours of one's life and remain on the surface, or dig deeper. I guess art has been a vessel in which to dig that trench into who I really am and what really matters.

This is art. This is why we paint. This is what it takes to grow as an artist. It takes, I believe, an inward journey into who we really are and what we want to say.

These past few months I have experienced this kind of self exploration while painting my large formal pieces. As it has turned out, I have discovered that this journey is a worthy investment and I am excited about where it will lead me.

Flowers are one of God’s most beautiful inventions. He knows what beauty is. I am enjoying every minute of the little discoveries that can be found with paint while learning to see the flower in a new way.

I have embraced this journey to explore the color, shape and movement of the flower. Also I am working at learning to see the subtle changes of warm and cool, harmony, edges and variety of shape while keeping my brushwork loose. 

I am using a special medium that I make and I call “the sauce”. This is a thinning agent that keeps the initial block-in very transparent. I finish with plenty of impasto, while keeping some of the initial transparency.

It has turned out to be a never ending discovery process that is so interesting to me, I cannot wait to finish one and move on the the next.

I believe that these florals will continue to evolve as the year progresses, and I can't wait to get back at it on my return to California. Especially because flowers will be abundantly available this Spring.

My Two Favorite Books...

When  I left California to spend 6 months in Arizona, I grabbed my two favorite books. "Sketching from Square One to Trafalgar Square", by Richard E. Scott and "A Proven Strategy for Creating Great Art" by Dan McCaw.

You understand.  You are leaving your home to a second home for 6 months! What do you really need to take? When it came down to it, I chose these two books. Which says a lot, yes?

'A Proven Strategy for Creating Great Art' has been a long time favorite. If you are not familiar with the artist Dan McCaw, you must look him up. Look at his older works. He has become a real abstract expressionist is the past few years, but I love it all, especially his older works.  They are very impressionistic with lovely musical balance and color. He knows how to break it down to "seeing" and is a master at color.

This book is very well written with all the basics that you need to create good art. I love the heart work involved. This is where art happens. Unfortunately, this book is no longer in print. The good news is that Dan is writing a new book that should come out fairly soon.  He has two sons who are very good artists themselves.

"Sketching From Square One to Trafalgar Square", is a newer book that has captured my heart. As a teacher, I recommend this book quite often. Richard E. Scott is not an oil painter, but he teaches sketching along the same lines that I teach oil painting. This is a must have!

He takes you through a sketching adventure that will teach you how to see as an artist. Very good stuff.

Do make it a point to study these two books, if possible. Good foundational teaching at it's best.

How I Paint These Days...

It is my belief that once you have a good understanding and practice of the fundamentals of painting, you can go beyond that as far as you want.

What do I mean? Well, it takes years to get this far, but you can get there with practice. You need to work with these elements: VALUE, COLOR, SHAPE, DESIGN, TEXTURE, LINE, EDGES. I could go on. Understanding comes first in your head, but you need to practice to the point where your brush also gets it. So practice.

So when I say you can go beyond this point, I am talking about freedom of expression. You must then learn to work within yourself, and dig deep. Trust it. And trust what you know.

This is a journey that I find myself on. And let's face it, it is all about the journey, yes?

When I took the workshop with Derek Penix last week, he talked a lot about this kind of painting. I was right there with him. I understand that CW Mundy and Quang Ho are on this kind of journey, and I can so relate to their philosophy of painting. I'm excited about this because I have a lot of admiration for these painters.

Not that I will ever get close to their level -- but that doesn't matter. I want to paint from the heart.

The catch?  It can hurt. You must be willing to make mistakes, lot's of them. This is what it takes to grow. So let go of your perfectionistic thinking and go explore.

Some ideas that may help - (some from Derek and some from myself)

Paint with no outlines, and mass in your shapes instead.

Use your whole arm to move the brush and not your hand.

Focus only on about 15% of what the eye can focus on.

Use the dialog of color, shape, value, edges and line....make them work TOGETHER.

Simplify

Keep in mind the quality of light.

Rely on your technical ability while tapping into your intuition.

Hold your brush at the tip for freedom of expression.

Use the elements of light and shadow.

Variety in EVERYTHING.

Don't over think.

Fracture your brush strokes for more interest.

Squint A LOT!

Scrape with a knife from time to time.

Weave all the edges together.

Paint everything at once.

Make changes as you go.

Build the paint as you go.

Make no two things alike.

Use less information in the background.

Step back A LOT!

Use a Mirror!

Use your edges to move the eye around the painting.

Build and destroy, and rebuild.

Expression is a learned technical skill too.

Everything is subject to change.

Keep some of the underpainting showing through.

Keep some areas simple and others more complex.

Explore the elements of design.

Photos are a starting point.

Make every stroke different.

Explore

Don't be rule based.

Paint mistakes with confidence.

Enjoy the process.......

New Classes Coming Up.......

"Abundance" Oil on Linen  36?x36"
Available Here

2017 SUMMER CLASSES IN TRUCKEE

Some exciting news.......

DREAMING OF SUMMER IN TRUCKEE..... Well, as much as I love the desert, I am getting excited about coming home to California next month. And with Spring in the air, I'm putting together some plans for my Summer and Fall classes in Truckee.  I will be teaching a morning class on Wednesdays from 10 am to 1:30. Cost - $50 per class payable on day of class. 24 hours cancellation is required and I will take a waiting list. Buy 4 classes for $185. and use the class by the end of the season. The dates are as follows: May 3rd, 10th & 17th June 14th, 23rd & 28th July 12th & 19th August 16th, 23rd & 30 September 13th, 20th & 27th These classes will start with a review of the basics, painting from the still life set up or from a photo. We will also spend some time learning to paint specific things, such as trees, clouds, etc. I believe that it's worth time spent practicing some new exercises that I have designed - which will result in better paintings. We will focus on the creative passion side of painting, keep it fun, and stay out of judging our own work too harshly We will learn how to identify what it is you love about what is attracting you and paint that! Write it down and post it in front of you.  I'm excited to see all of you and I can't wait to teach again! To sign up, send me an email or give me a call. My new studio will hold 6 to 7 students at most. After I get a full class, I will send out an email with the supply list and the specifics.

---

CONTACT INFORMATION: 

Contact: Randy
Email: ranblaz@hotmail.com
Phone: 916-952-7914

Derek Penix

I recently had the opportunity to take a workshop with Derek Penix. I have long been watching his work evolve over the past few years and I love where he is going with his paintings.

It's no wonder that I love his work, he has studied with CW Mundy and Quang Ho, my two most favorite painters of our time. I loved his paintings of boats from the French Riviera, but he is now painting some wonderful new subjects.

Derek taught at the Scottsdale Artists School here in Scottsdale, near our Winter home. It is great that the school is so close by because they have amazing artists from around the United States who come and teach workshops here. I have been following the school for more than ten years, so I had to take advantage of the opportunity. At any given time, they offer 5 or 6 national artists workshops, in addition to weekly classes and open studios. It is located in the heart of the art district in Old Town Scottsdale. I plan to take another workshop when we return to the Phoenix area next October.

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed the three days working with Derek. I could tell in the first few minutes on the first day that he was a very relaxed teacher who shared my philosophy about painting. After all, I adore the philosophy's of CW and Quang as well. Their influence on his work and thinking about painting is very apparent.

The first day of class, he demonstrated a boat, and I painted from one of his boat photos. Be sure to check out his website.

I'll talk about the philosophy in a later post. In the meantime, happy painting!

Going BIG

I've somehow lost my previous post. Has that ever happened to you? I think I must have deleted it by accident. Ugh! I do apologize. (I kinda liked it too!)

At this point I will just move forward.....

In my last post I talked about painting studies before taking on a large canvas. I painted two 10x10 pieces in preparation for the two 40x40" paintings of New York. I was happy with the studies, the values and shapes were working for me. My large canvases had been delivered. It was time to paint big.

Rainy Day Crossing Study 10x10"

Rainy Day Crossing  40x40"

Available at Gallery Amsterdam, Carmel by the Sea, California

"Fresh Fruit Hot Food" Study  10x10"

 

"Fresh Fruit Hot Food" Oil on Linen 40x40"

Available at Gallery Amsterdam, Carmel by the Sea, California

Some key points to remember -----

Paint small studies, and pick the ones you like to go big.

Pre-mix your "mother" colors. You will need large piles of paint for this.

I find it difficult to hang on to the freshness of a small piece when I decide to paint it larger. This was a challenge and a big learning experience.

I did not grid these pieces, but I might give that a try the next time. I did mark the canvas into quarters so I guess that is sort of a grid, but I only marked it on the edge of the canvas. This is important to get the scale of the piece.

I wanted to use more paint. Sometimes I forget! Next time right? A good way to do this is to use your palette knife to get the paint on - then the brush.

You really need to put the big piece as far away as you can when you look at it. I had to take mine into the house to get far enough away. The studio is pretty small.

You have to LOVE your subject matter.

Know that you can paint over a mistake, so it's okay to take a risk. The more you allow yourself to try new things and make mistakes, the more you will realize that you CAN fix a mistake. So take the risk.

Allow the large piece to take on a life of it's own, and don't copy.

Stick with a very large brush! The bigger the better.

These paintings are getting easier, and I do enjoy them, so I will continue with this series. I'm hoping to get much looser with my next piece. (I think I was more successful with the first one with this.) I've already started a couple more studies that I am liking. Remember that studies are the way to go!

You can experiment and get the look you want. Paint from your best studies. 

Now go for it!

It's that time of year again....

Simply Red, 12x10"

Available here

Christmas is in full swing and I would like to wish you a very joyful time with your family and friends. The New Year is just around the corner and I want you to know that I've got a few more classes scheduled for the Truckee Studio in January and February. 

I'll be teaching on Wednesdays for 5 weeks starting January 13th through February 10th. Join me if you can from 10-1:30 in the Studio.

 Just send me an email and let me know to expect you. Classes are limited to 5 students. I hope to see you!

Also I will be teaching in Sacramento on a more regular basis, on the second Friday of some months, beginning with March, April and May. Again, let me know via email if you want to sign up. Classes are from 10-2.

All classes will be $50. You can buy 3 classes for $145. and they will be good for a year.

I will be traveling to Sacramento from Truckee for these classes and so I will have to ask for a sure commitment of 8 students, while asking for pre-payment with a 50% refund on cancellations.
*pre-payment is not expected for Truckee classes.

Classes may be cancelled due to low enrollment, in which case I will provide a full refund, or you may use it as a credit for your next class.

Imagine being surrounded by the beauty of the Tuscan hills with paintbrushes in hand.....

My workshop in Italy next October has changed venues. I had an opportunity to schedule a workshop in Tuscany in the Chianti Classico Region during the Autumn Art Festival. We will stay with the same dates from October 1st though the 8th. 

One of the best reasons for an artist to travel is that the experience will most likely ignite a creative spark. 

If you are a beginner, this experience will take you to the next level. Intermediate students will gain from the experience and be at a level to build a painting that has emotional impact. 

• Winery tour and tasting, featuring Dievole`s Chianti Classico

• Italian Opera Appreciation classes every evening before dinner

• Excursion to Siena

• Dinner in the old cantina

• Various topical excursions with your class

• Special evening events and surprise entertainment, TBA

• Pig Roast celebrating the harvest and the arts

Go to the webpage (link below), and read about the region and the tour. I talked with some gals at the Venice workshop that had been there and they couldn't say enough. This will be a special Tour!

Il Chiostro Website

Also Check Out this website on more about visiting Tuscany in the Fall...

Walks of Italy Website

If you sign up for the workshop by February you will save $100. I will then add you to the private Facebook page where we will continue to share about our plans, answer any questions you may have about packing your art supplies, traveling to Italy and more. 

The sooner we get started the better!

Meanwhile, may your Holiday Season be filled with Peace, Love and Joy!

About Paint Manipulation

Paint Manipulation -

Exercise #6

Learn to Paint Layers 

A soft touch and a loaded brush will help you layer wet on wet paint.

Edges - 

Be in control of the viewer’s focus by creating a sharp focal point and softening edges around the painting to move the eye around.—

Edges can be manipulated with the practice of your brush.

An edge is where the positive and negative shapes meet.

A good painting has hard and soft edges.

A soft edge is a soft transition from one shape to another.

How to make a soft edge —

  —blend an edge by stroking over it with a clean brush.

  —use a light touch (soft application)

  —scrape with a palette knife

  —“dust” your canvas

  —create a bridge of color (mix the two colors creating the edge)

  —scumble

  —can you think of more ways to create a soft edge?

Texture -

Thick and Thin passages

One Stroke at a time

Impasto

Brush manipulation

Exercise #7

One Stroke Exercise

This will change your life! 

Paint a small painting of one still life object. 

Pre-mix your mother colors.

Sketch a simple design of 5-8 shapes only - use a #2 filbert.

Use a large brush and begin filling the shapes, one by one. 

SEE HOW MANY DIFFERENT STROKES YOU CAN MAKE.

COUNT YOUR STROKES.

Don’t be stingy with your paint.

Adjust the value and/or color after EACH STROKE.

Exercise #8 6

Paint a Color Chart - It is not a quick and easy exercise. But I promise you, it will open your eyes..

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.

Here is how it goes:

Grid a sheet of gessoed canvas, about a 16x20" with about one inch boxes. You will need to have the same number of squares across the top and down the side, (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. I painted these colors:

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 Green               VG          

Pthaylo Green (or mixed)       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 and your brush 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.

All About Color

We had fun learning how to "key" a painting last week, but this week was all about choosing a Color Scheme for our paintings and mixing Color....

Color Theory -

If you work well with value, you have 90% of the color work done. 

The Four Aspects of Color:

Value - The Lightness or Darkness of a Color

Chroma - The Intensity or Brightness/Dullness of a Color (gray has less Chroma)

Temperature - The Warmness or Coolness of a Color (most often light is warmer - shadow is darker)

Hue - The Color Name or Local Color

Create Harmony in your painting by using Color - 

Choose your color Scheme in advance and Mix your Colors before your begin your painting. Use your first pile, or Mother Color, to mix your next pile and then your next.

Color Schemes That Work -

Complimentary

Split Complimentary

Analogus

Triadic 

We practiced by painting little studies using any of the four Color Schemes...

Color Mixing -  MIXING the color you SEE 

To mix the color you are looking at, isolate the color if you can. Now describe what you are seeing….. 

What is its hue? (common name of local color)

What is the value? (light, middle light, medium, middle dark or dark?)

What is the saturation? (brighter or duller?)

When I want to mix a color that I see, I will first name it – comparing it to the color wheel. Does it lean toward red, yellow or blue? Is it a secondary color (something between one of these?).

I start with a dab of that. Now I ask myself – is it lighter or darker? Adjust, then ask again – is it warmer or cooler.

** If you are mixing and comparing and you are close, you’ve got the value right but it’s not yet there, then consider if the color you see is warmer or cooler than the color you mixed. If it looks warmer than your mix, add a warm hue. Depending on what colors you are working with go with yellow ocher or orange, or something on the warm side of the color wheel. If it is cooler, go to the cool side of the color wheel.

Practice mixing your Palette Colors and Mother Colors.

Exercise #5

Neutral Colors or Grays 

Don’t forget, color does not shine without gray! Do this exercise to find out why…

Paint a gray box. Then paint a bright red color around it. 

Now do this again and try painting the gray a different value.

Find out what happens with two compliments when you change the value and chroma of one.

Paint a green box. Then paint a bright red color around it.

Now try painting the green a different value & with less chroma than the red.

What happens to the red? It will become more intense.

Also, you will notice that if you make the gray a different value than the color (hue) it will be more pleasing to the eye.

Remember this..

Colors relate to what is around them. 

Painting Light -

When you are painting a subject that is dealing with light and shadow, think temperature. The shadow is usually cooler and the sunlit area is warmer.

Certain things just start out being light or dark, that is value.

But, when you are dealing with a subject under light and shadow, think more in terms of temperature.

Most often an object, when the light is not hitting it - it will be cooler.

When your object is hit with light, it will be warmer.

Preparing to paint - Mother Colors - 

The best paintings are the more Simple Paintings. Choose a simple design, a dominant Value and a Color Scheme - then premix your Mother Colors.

These are the piles of mixed paint that you premix. Squint at your subject and mix what you see (while squinting) in the large shapes. Go for Value before Color. 

I know this is a lot to think about before your even start your painting. Do your design and value study and you will be most of the way there. It will become automatic if you practice this every time. Before long you can do it all in just a few minutes. Trust me! It’s worth the effort!! You will save time and frustration later on.

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!