Wednesday, March 31, 2010

value does the work/color gets the glory


The drawing and the small pastel painting (link here) were done en plein air, while the grisaille was completed in the studio. It may still need some small value adjustments. Doing detailed grisailles really makes me become a part of the painting early on. I really like that aspect. Plus I have always loved to draw. I am not quite sure why I stopped doing it for its own sake. hmmmmm
I continue to wait for the return of all my oils from Florida ( I shipped them UPS ground- Thursday is the due date)  Meanwhile I am chomping at the bit to get the color on these grisailles!
 The chant, one I learned long, long ago from Richard: Value does the work, color gets the glory.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

open grisaille/swamp painting

6x6 oil on board
Using my many swamp studies and my detailed drawing I have created an underpainting for a new painting. I pushed myself not to just get the feel but to try to get as much information as I felt necessary to read swamp, fog, quiet and a heck of a lot of mystery. I did a detailed drawing on the board before applying paint.
Sadie's blog talks a lot about surfaces so check that to learn more. For this one I am painting on a gesso board that I sanded and am painting with turpentine and transparent brown oxide (instead of the raw umber and ultramarine blue I used last week.)  Landscapes need a warm underlayer.
The effect is much like the monochromatic watercolor underpaintings I sometimes did for pastel.
I was VERY careful when painting the edges. Decisions about edges are made last. If you make sharp edges in an underpainting it's hard to lose them.
Still missing Florida!

Monday, March 29, 2010

our muses

Back at home I immediately returned to the lake. I never really noticed (till now) that my real muse is simply water and sky with bits of land. It probably is obvious to everyone else. It was the same in Florida...all that beauty, same muse. Have you thought about it? Other people have muses and I can guess what they are. Carolyn's muse is the sky of Scotland and Casey   loves his trees.
What's your muse? And why?

Sunday, March 28, 2010

early evening at the swamp and my passion for drawing revived


When drawing with long straight lines you start by estimating the longest tilts. Sadie calls it "building an envelope." Remember to spend at least 75% of the time just looking. Put your hand down between strokes. Figure out the major decisions first. gradually, as you whittle down the form, a contour begins to appear. Remember strength and integrity comes from the drawing. Color can not support poor drawing.
I have always done thumbnails. Now I will add a contour drawing to my repertoire. Sadie said that 25% of your painting time should be spent drawing. Integrity in your lines and form, that's the key. You need to look, look,  and look more. Why is it doing what it is doing?
This drawing was made on tracing paper with an H pencil. The tracing paper was taped to BFK. It is in it's "almost done" state. A little more refinement is necessary. In it you can see the straight line block in on the right. Some of the lines have disappeared and become more refined on the left. I will try a small landscape using my studies and this drawing. (sorry for the bad photo, it's difficult to photograph tracing paper.)

One last Florida painting. This one was done in the early evening and the drawing was done that same session. I will miss that swamp pool.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

early morning at the swamp pool

It will be hard to leave my little swamp pool. I never knew Florida could be so beautiful. I could paint these swamp pools forever. I leave today. When I return home I will blog more about my amazing workshop with Sadie. I really feel this can be a life (art) changing moment. I have big plans. If you haven't seen her blog or website, sit down and give yourself a real treat. Here's her link.




oil on board
This is my small painting of my Nova Scotia rocks. While not a beautiful painting, it was an eye opener about many things. More about that later.

Friday, March 26, 2010

the nature of organic form and sunrise in florida

6x6 pastel on BFK
This is the pastel I did yesterday morning. The light haze rising from the water was so compelling. I sit now in Starbucks waiting to see what this morning's light will reveal.

While I wait, here are more tidbits from Sadie's wonderful workshop... Enjoy!

Put aside your verbal knowledge of nature. Visualize and remember these most important notes from Sadie.

The nature of organic form, whether the human arm or a sycamore tree, follow these tenets:
*It is always tapered, never parallel.
*It is always convex or pushing out, never concave. Even when something looks concave it is really made up of a series of convexities.
*Everything spirals-trees and arms included. It spirals in both directions although one direction is more prominent.
*Everything is interlocking.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

florida fog

6x6 pastel on BFK
Yesterday morning was thrilling...fog!!!!!  The air was so moist that my paper actually buckled.  I am waiting for the sun to rise so I can go back to the little pool of water!

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Florida color studies

two small Flordia studies: left 7x7, right, 8x10 pastel on BFK
When I am not painting in the studio with Sadie I am always managing to keep working to study my true love-the landscape.  The painting on the left is early morning- the values of the trees and mosses are so very close I had to nudge them a little to create more space. The painting on the right is an early evening painting, again the nudging took place. It's always amazing to me how very hard it is to acclimate to a new landscape. It takes a while to understand its nuances.
Sorry to answer everyone's comments so late. This morning I drove to Starbucks (which has free internet) at opening 5:30 so I could get it done before my morning vitamin. I value your input.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

drawing tidbits; day 2

tidbits of the day:
*sketch your object, person, or landscape with straight lines. The mind does not accurately record curves...it understands angles.
*You want to make clear decisions so you need to work with a precision instrument. Sadie taught us to sharpen our pencils like a lance.
*Put down your hand between strokes, whether paint, pencil or pastel.
*Draw a portrait of every shape.... don't fudge it.

Monday, March 22, 2010

classical realism workshop

So here I am in Florida. I am taking a workshop with Sadie Valerie , a classical realist from San Francisco. I chose this workshop for many reasons. One, I read so many wonderful things about Sadie. Two, I wanted to learn more about glazing and traditional working methods. And three, it was the right time for my schedule (since I teach part time my time off is scheduled.)
Sadie is a wonderful giving teacher. She is here to share all she knows and we are here to absorb it.
The process I am learning is slow and somewhat pain- staking, but I am loving it. She says."art is investigation: the final painting or drawing is simply the result." "Look, look, look and when in doubt look more."
The whole day was spent in the drawing stage on a tiny 4x6 piece of tracing paper.  She encourages you to draw with straight lines and gradually find your way to the shape. Exact. Don't settle.
I am drawing my favorite beach stones from Nova Scotia. (Thanks Leah!)
The last moments were for transferring it to the board. When I have time I will write more...of course I have been painting landscapes on pastel when not in class. I will also answer past comments when time allows......till later!

PS sorry for the bad photo:-D

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Oil underpainting/ spring sunrise

8x10 pastel on oil UArt
Painted a quickie sunrise. I used the oil underpainting I did a couple days ago as the base. My focus was on warm and cool. The whole thing was in my mind before I began since I have been watching this every day so it quickly painted itself.
I am at the airport, on my way to Florida... more about that tomorrow!
Spring is here and life is good!

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Spring and Wolf Kahn lecture in May

6x12 pastel on BFK
Spring begins today in one something in the afternoon. It's easy to see how the colors are changing. Warm oranges and pinks show tiny buds on trees. The tree barks are warming with slight amounts of green. (nice contrast) When I arrived at the lake it was filled with fisherman, first time since summer. The kingfishers were talking in the trees. Oh, this time of year is glorious!!!!!
Heads up for anyone in the DC area and surrounding states. I just learned that Wolf Kahn will he at Glen Echo's Yellow barn to give a lecture May 21. The price is steep. $70.00, but well worth it. Here's a link. If you come in town, let me know. I bought my ticket already.

Friday, March 19, 2010

value masses and oil underpainting for pastel


All this talk about underpainting and paper possibilities makes me branch out and rethink.  Here is an oil underpainting for my next pastel....on Uart paper.
And.......
8x8 pastel on bfk
With the time change sunrise is much later. It makes timing quite easy for stopping my the side of the road for a little quickie sunrise painting while on my way elsewhere. This little hill is down the street from me. I tried to focus on what was important and not fuss with details. You ask, what was important? It's the two masses of contrasting values. I tried not to break up the land mass too much even though the house was lighter. Just a study.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

spring's coming

6x10 pastel on BFK
Soft is the word I can use to describe what pastel on top of pastel can do.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

thinking about underpaintings: watercolor vs. pastel

8x8 pastel on BFK This morning's sunrise.

 pastel on watercolor underpainting, Uart

This week Richard wrote about pastel as an underpainting (link here). And then, Sam, after reading it, had some questions in my comment section. I have been fortunate to work with Richard for many years. I consider him my mentor. He is a very gracious, generous teacher with a great sense of humor... not to mention all the amazing information he has stored in his head. (WOW) If you can, treat yourself with one of his workshops.
I learned watercolor underpainting from him. Watercolor makes a vibrant surface from which to work. When used loosely, slip and slosh (the Richard way), it makes a perfect underpainting from which a pastel can evolve, little by little as if solving a mystery. Oil works the same way and is great for studio works. The stain it leaves on the paper is even more intense. Drips and wonderful accidents are all part of the process. To underpaint with either watercolor or oil you need to use a sanded paper. Big paintings must be mounted and small ones can be taped done to a board (UArt paper works great for this.) I used that method to create the bottom painting. Pastelmat accepts watercolor and oil beautifully, although I find that the marks made are firmer and harder to blend.
 Rives BFK is my new favorite. Smooth, yet lightly porous it's a wonderful all purpose pastel paper. When using it I underpaint by rubbing in large shapes or bands of color with a paper towel. It creates a soft feeling (top painting.)
Other options are putting your pastel on a sanded surface and rubbing it in with a paper towel - some times paper towel bits also remain, which is a minor bummer. Pipe insulation is a great tool for blending pastels on sanded paper. It does the work so your wounded fingers are saved. (try that Sam)
Using alcohol or turpentine to move the pastel over the surface is another option. Once again you need sanded paper. I did try this method long ago. I couldn't get past the idea of making pastel do  paint's job...why not use paint? A bias of mine I guess.
Water is a method  for moving pastel which I don't like. I think it is clumpy and my bias is still there.
Everyone has his/her preferences and those are mine. If you have a new way to add please let us know.
Happy painting, whichever way you choose!

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

differences in paper, differences in style, diffferences in thought

8x8 pastel on BFK
Changing my paper from a sanded surface(wallis, Uart)  to a smooth surface (rives BFK) has changed my work style in many ways. It's funny because it changed my style and then it changed my thinking. First, I no longer do a watercolor underpainting, instead I underpaint with bands of rubbed in color (pastel) which I believe has helped my color harmony. The second change is harder to explain and I think that has happened because now I work in glazes of oil as well (on separate paintings). It relates to how I view layers of warm and cool. The methods I am employing in oil are part of my repertoire in pastel.
One more good thing about smooth papers is that I have fingers and fingernails without abrasions or scraped off nails. And that feels really good.
Oh, by the way Daniel Smith Artist Materials has a great selection of papers, of which I ordered a plethora last night. They have 20% off till tomorrow with the promotional code WR0310CT. Enjoy!
Bottom line, change is good. Shake up your methods a little, take chances and have a little fun.

Monday, March 15, 2010

more close value trees, a little Tryon and a little Wolf Kahn

This is another painting from yesterday's plein air painting. I was thinking, no obsessing would be the correct word, about that row trees I painted on Saturday. It sparked comments on my blog about trees, painting, Dwight William Tryon and Wolf Kahn. So I sifted through Wolf Kahn  and Tryon images in books and online.
Here is one of each Tryon's and Wolf Kahn's paintings. While there are many differences in these paintings I believe there is one thing we have in common. The love of the ordinary: painting something others would just drive by. This is what these trees are about. There is no reason to go driving about looking for grandeur.  Recently I saw a wonderful blog by Rachel Maxi. She paints dumpsters. Yes folks, dumpsters! Each one beautiful and unique with personality.  The ordinary seen with beauty.  Here is a  link. 
I guess it makes me once again examine what I paint and why. Have you thought about why you chose your subject?  What draws you to it? More later.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

close values and big daddy

6x12 pastel on BFK
Still raining, sometimes it's pouring and sometimes it's just a slow weep. Therefore I painted "en plein car" again. The overcast rainy land has close values with layering of warm and cool. Springtime is evident in the blush of rose now in every tree.
This is "big daddy" again. He still stands even though the construction around him is still in full force. Here is a link back to my Autumn version of "big daddy." it's funny how I find him most attractive when the light is low, especially in rain.
Thank you everyone for all your support and your comments about my work. I REALLY appreciate that you take the  time to give your thoughts. No thought or idea is too small or insignificant. You keep me thinking and wondering... but without being in a vacuum.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

adjusting what you see and Dwight William Tryon

6x12 pastel on BFK

Pouring rain and strong winds kept me in the car this morning. I only had a few sheets of 6x12s, which made it a challenge when I chose to paint a straight row of trees. Decisions about placement and how to break up the strong horizontal straight line feel were important. Colors and shapes were manipulated. Very subtle changes of warm and cool were used to make it calm yet still visually exciting (hopefully.) I couldn't help but think of Dwight William Tryon.
While writing this post I searched online and found this image of his. Doesn't it just make you drool? It really makes me feel small, like I should just stop now. Still, I never give up. I will use it as inspiration for my next piece. I think I need to go downtown to the Freer Gallery to take in a little more Tyron.While many artists say Spring is the hardest time to paint...just too pretty,  I think Tryon relished it. I found this blog when searching for  images to share. The Blue Lantern, arts journalism for the love of it  was an enjoyable read, check it out when you have time.

Friday, March 12, 2010

griailles and what I have learned

8x10 oil grisaille
Practice has taught me that a grisaille needs to have VERY soft edges. It is much better to make the decisions of sharpness as the painting evolves. When they are pre-decided it's almost impossible to change.
I have also learned that, for me, warm is better. I have experimented with mixtures of burnt sienna, transparent earth red, alizarin crimson permanent, and transparent brown oxide. Who knows what will be next? Each painting demands a slightly different mixture....it's like cooking. Do you ever put the same spices in each dish? Nope. 
Ideas come first, but yet the grisaille must be allowed to speak. Make a "mistake"...who knows that could be the most wonderful change. Follow your heart and your brain.  They lead differently and they will take turns if you value both;-D

Thursday, March 11, 2010

drive and stop, quiet divas

8x8 pastel on BFK
I decided it would be better to go to the same place as yesterday. It was overcast and certainly not an ooh la la moment. I chose the sky to be the diva. She wasn't the kind of sky that yells, "look at me." Oh no, she was a whisperer in quiet clothes. Her beauty was in her quietness.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

drive and stop

8x8 pastel on BFK
Today's challenge was to drive only 5 minutes and stop- make a painting.  What I chose was Candy Cane Park. The geese were enjoying  the field and its giant puddle. Color harmony was my main goal.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

another much better nocturne and more whistler quotes

6x16 oil on wood
Another try at a memory nocturne. Pushed the value of the land to be darker which implies about 4:00am, while yesterdays' was right before sunrise. I am working on wood again..birch this time-love it!
Scratching, rubbing and stroking the oil paint to experiment with what it will do.


I will once again end with two famous quotes from James Abbott McNeill Whistler in reference to his nocturnes:

They are "not painted to offer the portrait of a particular place, but as an artistic impression that had been carried away [from the scene]."

I wanted to indicate an artistic interest alone, divesting the picture of any outside anecdotal interest which might have otherwise attached to it. A nocturne is an arrangement of line, form and colour first. the picture is throughout a problem, that I attempt to solve. I make use of any means, any incident or object in nature that will bring about this symmetrical result.

He said these quotes during the court case Whistler vs. Ruskin. This was the case where Whistler became bankrupt. He risked everything for an opportunity to assert the supremacy of art over the increasingly powerful domain of criticism (Ruskin). Yay Whistler!

Monday, March 8, 2010

memory nocturne

6x11 oil on wood
Memory  just takes in what's important. I keep practicing to heighten my awareness to the initial impression. What made the impact?
Here is a small painting done solely from memory. I used a scrap of wood  given to me from my buddies down at the lumber yard. I LIKE wood. Firm, not fragile.

I close with a favorite quote from James Abbott Mcneill Whistler.
"To say to the painter that Nature is to be taken as she is, is to say to the player that he may sit on the piano."
He must have been quite a character!

Sunday, March 7, 2010

writing, painting and postcards

10x12 pastel on BFK

The colors at the lake are changing rapidly. The violets are giving way to greens and rose blush. It's an exciting time of year. My different way of working is helping me. Each time I arrive at the scene I take time to observe and just write down exactly what I see, rather than start painting. I must admit it's a difficult thing to do since I can't wait to paint and the light is just perfect and changing fast. It's a good discipline though. After the light changes I now rely on my notes.

Now to the postcard.......

First a thank you to folks with written comments:

Chris
Ipskipskyblue (Domi)
Leah
elly
Marie
Anonymous

I have posted their blog links. If you don't know their blog, please take a moment to check it out. These artists are doing great stuff. From Janelle's luminous landscapes to Mario's Pastel News to Sam's dogs and things to Jala's serene abstracts to Casey's well watched "The Colorist," they all all making art news. I can go on and on. All are interesting, worthwhile blogs. (PS the gray ones are links)

Thank you to emailers and verbal commenters, all very numerous. Carolyn, the person who helped me with the creation of a press release, made astute comments that Katherine reiterated. They swayed the vote. Two images are being worked with for the postcard at this point are:
Buttercups and Needwood. The show is about the transition times of light, dawn, dusk, and  twilight. And a postcard image needs to be eye catching and recognizable....enough to make a person want to look twice it eliminated slough (my personal fave.) It's funny too that I had to eliminate daisies/mom... it was too personal. It is named Hope and Longing and was painted for my Mom who fought cancer and died.
The graphics people will take over from here and decisions will be made based on other factors I am not able to fully explain.
Once and THANK YOU!!! xxooo Loriann

Saturday, March 6, 2010

green tinted morning and whistler

10x10 pastel on BFK
Whistler's method was to go out at night, stand before his subject and look at it, then turn his back on it and repeat to whoever was with him the arrangement, the scheme of color,with as much of the detail as he wanted. The listener corrected errors when they occurred, and, after Whistler had looked long enough, he went to bed with nothing in his head but the subject.  The next morning, if he could see upon the untouched canvas the completed picture, he painted it; if not, he passed another night looking at the subject.
So today when I painted I first looked closely and took written color notes.  After completing that I did some work and later finished it in the studio. I will use the "sleep on it" method next.

I will post the outcome of the voting tomorrow. I have to compile the online, emails and verbal votes. Thanks everyone for all your input. I really appreciate the time you took to look and comment. Voting closes today at 8:00PM . Have a wonderful warm weekend! (Here it's finally warm!, Yay!)

Friday, March 5, 2010

dipytch, oil, in process

each panel is 16x16, oil on linen
This diptych has been on the easel for a couple of weeks. Each day I have painted and rubbed out most of the work. The glazing combined with scraping and rubbing has made richer, more complex color. It's especially noticeable in the reflections in the water.
This painting was inspired by all my work at the slough when I was in Washington State this summer. These links will take you to the pieces that inspired everything: link 1 , link 2 , link 3

It's funny that while I admire the quiet colors of the Tonalist. I will never be one, it's simply not in my heart. My colors are just different.

Thank you to everyone for all the votes I received about which postcard image. I will take votes till Saturday and then send the image. So if you haven't had a chance, please give me your feedback. K?

Thursday, March 4, 2010

picking a postcard image-I need your help please

Second post today, a plea for help. I am picking a post card image. Sometimes you just know...this time I don't. I think it is because I have been working on a painting, hoping it would be the one......that IS ALWAYS dangerous! Well the time is here and these are the choices.
Please everyone come out of the the woodwork and comment on your choice.

code:
top left- buttercups
top right-needwood
second down left -slough
second down right-snow
third down left- topaz reservoir
third down right-daisies /Mom
bottom- green fog

march melt

10 x10 pastel on BFK
The lake is melting and the light was low. The values were closer than I showed. I darkened the tree mass in front to create distance.
Spring is in the air. You can see it in the tree edges. They have a pink/red tint; in sun, it appears orange. Love it!

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Dwight William Tryon, mystery and memory


10x10 pastel on gray BFK

I was down at the Freer Gallery of Art the other day, there to get my hit of Whistler, and I was led astray. It was  Dwight William Tryon who captured my heart and made me go NUTS! These small images can't possibly do justice to what was there. Tryon is often considered a Tonalist, although his palette is much lighter in value.. He painted with close values, thick paint and very soft edges. He believed in "less is more" and mystery.
Later I read that he marked these words to remind himself as he worked in his studio:
The value of memory sketches lies in the fact that so much is forgotten! In time we must learn to leave out in our finished pictures these things which we now leave out through ignorance or forgetfulness. We must learn what to sacrifice.”
Ah ha! That says it all doesn't it?
Perfect!

I have posted a recent value study. To keep the values closer I chose gray paper. My goal was to play with edge and shape. It was inspired by sketches done last summer at one of my favorite fields on Whidbey Island.