Saturday, April 30, 2011

study of sunrise

8x5 pastel on twinrocker
 I have been working on a large oil painting of sunrise and feeling like I have it all wrong. So I will be spending more time sitting in my favorite mall parking lot studying the light. Here is today's 6:00am study. The clouds were coming in so quickly (from the left) that it required more memory than direct observation.
I will return to my list next week.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

angles of the sun and how they relate to painting

Did you ever wonder why the winter light is so much more exciting? Well  just look at this chart and you will know...it's the amount of time we enjoy long shadows and interesting angles.
I found this chart in a gardening book and it demonstrates fully what I mean. It's the same reason why we painters love sunrise and sunset.  When the sun is low on its arc,  as in the time from 3pm to 8am in winter or much less so from 7pm-7am in summer, the foreground is a darker and the upright trees have this incredible glow of light.  The pleasures of side lighting and back lighting abound! Long shadows, beautiful color and details! Long live winter and the transitional times!
 The least favorite time of most painters his high noon. This is when all the colors wash out and the landscape becomes FLAT!  This "top lighting" makes tiny shadows and uninteresting landscape. The ground plane is flooded with light and even the upright trees and structures are not the darks we typically count on to help make interesting pictures.

That's it ...now for a health update. I have received numerous emails inquiring about my health. Thank you everyone for your support and concern through this challenging time. I am working up to full health, but that takes a lot of work. Between constant physical therapy appointments (2hour including travel), doctors appointments and all the walking I am supposed to do to increase my lung capacity I am exhausted. Still I am teaching part time and trying to paint full time (harder to do). Good news, I am finally able to paint at the easel for short periods of time (YAY!) and when tired  I place the painting on the floor. The best part is I am forgetting about any limitations and pushing forward. I feel fortunate to have my health back and will make it through the long recovery.
The health related appointments have often taken away my morning plein air time (whaa), yet I continue to work on bigger works in the studio. Posting on my blog has been a little less I realize...soon I will be back completely!
A big thank you to you, my blogger friends!!!!

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

what kind of light are you painting?


6:30 am

12 noon
afternoon

late aftenoon
about 6pm



right after sunset
sunset
early evening

The color of light changes gradually during the day, with the most dramatic changes at sunset and twilight. In the early morning you will see a lemon yellow (cooler) light. As the time increases the warmth of the light also increases; a warmer yellow to a sort of yellow ochre in the mid day sun. Sunset time has more reds and oranges and gradually when evening falls the color moves from magenta to violet. Early evening becomes very cool again flaunting deep blues with greenish horizons and later those blues edge to black. Keep in mind these colors show like this on sunny days. The light is very different on an overcast day.
I have posted a few from the same site different times.
What are your ideas about the color of light throughout the day?


Where light originates and how the angle of the sun changes throughout the day and even more importantly, the seasons, will have to be saved for another post. Back to the studio!

Monday, April 25, 2011

what mood do you want to create?

22x36 pastel on marble dust

detail
I once read somewhere to allow motion to equal emotion. It seems to be true. A calm surface produces a more tranquil feeling and a surface full of "happy dance marks" makes one feel warm, good. The mood of the painting is in direct correlation to the mood of the painter. For example the painting (above) is named Hope and Longing. It was to be called just Longing for it was begun on what should have been my Mom's birthday. She had died 8 years prior so I was thinking about her a lot, as I do each July 29th. After returning from my annual trip to Washington State I was filled with ideas about my favorite field, a place filled with daisies and love. I returned home to the studio and played my Mom's favorite arias and painted. It was one of those times when the painting spoke to me and the course of it was altered. A bright spot of diffuse sunlight appeared in the distance- alas, hope was here. My Mom left too early and I still miss her now, but that painting was a turning point for me. The surface is made up of a combination of scratched and smooth marks.
 This one, a painting from another favorite field on Orcas Island was all about happiness. The mark is like a dance.
Another component to creating mood is carefully choosing your color scheme. Does it reflect the mood you want to create?  To me, Rothko was a the create creator of mood with his exquisite choice of color. Oftentimes I feel warm deep down to my stomach when I view a Rothko.
When painting a mood you have to really feel that emotion and use every tool necessary including:  music, writings, smells,whatever you have in your toolbag, The viewer wont's see it if you don't feel it.
There is more to creating mood in paintings. Please share your ideas in the comment section. Ciao for now!

Saturday, April 23, 2011

concept: studio and plein air

18x18 pastel on Uart

There are two ways I look at my concepts for painting. First, is what happens in the studio and how the ideas grow from the small seeds planted earlier. Second, would be the concepts that I plant into the daily plein air paintings, the challenges I give myself.

I will start with studio concepts. In my studio you will see my many piles of sketchbooks. I keep all my ideas in these books. Inside one you might a description of a nocturne or sunrise, a beautiful line from a poem or story, an idea about color or combinations and, of course, many observed or remembered sketches. All of these ideas may sit on the page until finally the right moment comes when they take root. Sometimes it takes years or just a day or two.
Let me give you an example. Long ago I was reading a children's book. I can't even remember the name of the book right now although I wish I could. I wrote down one line that really struck me. "Dusk slowly pours the syrup of darkness." Oh how I loved that line and still do! It haunted me. Then, when I was in La Conner painting at dusk, in my favorite slough I couldn't help but think..."Wow, that's just how it feels! Deep thick sugary syrup of orange covers the Earth." During that trip I did many plein air works  at dusk and upon returning home created the one that made that feeling so clear. (see above.)
9x11 pastel and watercolor on Uart, plein air
My plein air work does not have that same type of concept. Instead, sometimes it is simply a study of the way clouds move or the desire to explore reflection and its relation to color harmony. While driving to my location I normally have some idea or challenge in my mind. In the painting above I was in southern California during the uncharacteristic "Pineapple Express." I was loving the fog and the way it enveloped everything. I remembered seeing this marvelous hill the day before and feeling obsessed about painting its "disappearance." Disappearance and its relationship to fog was the concept of this small plein air painting. It may one day be fodder for a bigger painting or it may not. Sometimes it's just an exercise.

Whether studio or plein air the common thread is a dedicated focus to an idea.

That's today's thoughts on concept. So far I have covered 3 items on my list...three more to go! Any thoughts?

Friday, April 22, 2011

following the path and knowing the destination

oil on wood, 12x24
I have been working on this one for a while now. It's funny I know that glaring sunsets are not what the judges want in a competition and that they are frowned on in galleries for many reasons, but I can't resist sometimes. More than anything I wanted to work on the "glow" and experiment with what I can do.
Above are glazing tries I do to experiment before laying down any paint.

On another note,  I am simply wandering down my path, smelling the flowers and sometimes tripping over stones. I have a destination, yet I am not sure how to get there. You are on the trip with me (in a way.)
I hope you have been enjoying my recent "planning a painting" list and posts detailing each step. Please feel free to note your thoughts. I am certainly not the expert.
Tomorrow is  my favorite step- concept.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

why use a dominant color?

8x8 pastel on Uart, plein air last summer
4x8 pastel on Uart, today's plein air
 Since saying that I would write about dominant color I have been doing  quite a lot of thinking and organizing of my thoughts. Above you see two paintings each with a clear dominant color.  When you choose the colors for your painting you do so with thought as to which color scheme you want: complementary, split complementary, triad, analogous, and monochromatic. After deciding on your scheme you next choose which color or color family will dominate. It's important to remember that all colors need to be present (some in a very limited form, or completely grayed) in order to have balance in a landscape. The one (dominant) color can appear pure (above ) or neutralized (below.) If another color begins to creep take over, you have to restrict it, even if it is in the scene....it's the two divas rule.
The bottom line: having a dominant color makes for more harmonious paintings.

Oil and watercolor painters will often choose a "mother color" and add that in large or very limited amounts to each color. This too creates harmony. Both pastelist and other painters can use the underpainting to unify the whole. I often "lean" my colors to the dominant side. For instance if I see blue, but my dominant color is violet (and dominant temperature is warm) I will lean towards violet.
Please add your thoughts for dominant color n the comments section. I am certainly not the authority...just sharing what I know.

That's it for now...I have to go off to teach my wonderful 5s. We are once again outdoors painting. I leave you with Luchianna in climbing mode.





Wednesday, April 20, 2011

what do you think about when you plan your paintings?

21x21 pastel on Uart
This is one of my favorite paintings. I created it about 2 years ago and it was an awakening of sorts. I show it again now to lead into my next post.

What do you think about when planning your paintings?

I was considering that the other day when I spoke about dominant value. I thought about it and  made a list.
Here goes:
1. concept- why are you painting this?
2. What is the mood you want to create?
3. Where is the focal point?
4. Where are the two supporting characters that lead to the focal point? Remember you may have only one real diva.
5.What kind of light are you painting and where does it originate?
6.What is the dominant value?
7. What is the dominant color?
6. What is the dominant temperature?

Each day I will take one of these ideas and talk a little more in depth. I did number 6 (dominant value) yesterday.

After writing the list I realized that the funniest thing about painting is it requires a lot of thinking...yet the goal we aim for is to let the painting speak and take over, let go of the thinking. I guess it is once again like cooking-you need the ingredients (or reasonable facsimiles) and then you can wing it.

Monday, April 18, 2011

"Eighty percent of the painting is color."

6x6 pastel on twinrocker
Sunrise, ah, isn't it wonderful? It made me think of Wolf Kahn and all the reading I have been doing regarding his thinking and ideas.
Eighty percent of painting is color,” says Wolf Kahn, quoting his mentor Hans Hofmann. “The problem,” he cautions, “is that when you mention color, people automatically assume you’re talking about bright color–colorful, loud, or boisterous hues. Color used in an uncontrolled way, without proper concern for the tone and structure of a painting, comes across as garish.” (American Artist 1997 magazine)
I think this quote by WK summarizes everything. I know I talk  lot about neutrals being very important. One must remember that it is  the neutrals that makes the pure color glow. No need for garish color to make a statement.

PS Here is another WK quote I thought appropriate after my last postings.  "Keep the childlike vision and remain true to your ideas". 
PSS This painting is from the canal at sunrise.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

the secret and a tip


Do you want to know a little secret? A pastel painter's secret tool is a feather duster. No, I have never used one at home (dusting is not a regular activity here), but when my good friend Christine showed me this little gem it was love at first sight. Lightweight, can be carried anywhere, the feather duster cleans a pastel box in a moment or two and then you are good to go. Store your little duster inside an old paper towel roll and voilah! All for only $2.99!
Another small story ...... yesterday when I was once again plein air painting with the five year olds we had another brilliant moment. A different little boy had his painting with him and he was sitting down by the pond. He sat just looking for a long time. Then he calls me over and says, Loriann people think water is blue, but it's not! Look, it's brown with green!"  A little tip to learn from our 5 year old painter- take the time to look, look carefully before picking up a brush or a pastel.

Friday, April 15, 2011

the joy of plein air

6x8 pastel on somerset
I couldn't sleep so my visit to the river was super early and I was delighted! Late April and early May are the times for the fog. The water is cold and the air is warm...beauty results when this happens. The allure of the Spring colors was strong. I had to make clear decisions and to what was the dominant hue and the supporting cast. Moving other colors towards those hues is important. The hardest thing about plein air is so much information.
On a separate note, I have  story that I just have to share with you. As you know I teach part time. Yesterday I was with a group of five year olds. I must admit I LOVE this age! We are studying landscape painting and went out to do some plein air sketching. The children know to find their focus, talk about it then begin their sketching. One little boy chose a place on the hill, far from the others. When I visited him he began sharing, "Oh , I love plein air! I can feel the air on my cheeks and hear the birds and then here I am drawing. I am so lucky!" Now think how wise that little boy is already. Embrace the moment..feel each morsel. He went on to create a very detailed drawing of the stream and bridge!   Two other 5 year old girls later went and sat next to the boy. They were giggling and talking. He turned around and let them know they could stay there if they could be quiet. He needed his concentration. 
WOW! Doesn't that have a familiar ring plein air painters? So now plein air painters, go out and celebrate. It's Spring!!!!

Thursday, April 14, 2011

spring colors

4x8 pastel on somerset paper
Spring colors in the early morning are soft, sort of whispery. It's so tempting to add more chroma, but that' s not really the feel of the land now. As the earth wakes up from its long slumber the apple trees are slivery in the shallow light. I was careful to avoid the temptations of all those beautiful  colors  and instead bring them down to  two basic hues. Enjoy the arrival of Spring!

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

playing with colors in the studio

Here is a studio version of my plein air piece from 2 weeks ago. My goal was to simply play with different combinations. See how far I can push the range and still read sky and depth. I always keep in mind the shape of the Earth when creating a sky.
Oh, and I haven't showed you the girls in a while. Here they are with the striped king...caught in the act of being cute.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

planning a studio painting


12x24 value study, pastel on somerset paper

To me a studio painting takes a lot of planning, then later, sometime in the painting, the paint takes over. and does all the deciding. You probably wonder why go through all that bother of planning when I will allow the painting to take over? I think it is because when I do all the planning, I sharpen the concept. I work so long deciding what is really important. I hopefully find the pitfalls before I land flat on my face mid-way through the painting. The composition needs to be well planned, values secure and the "color map" decided. To help me get that luminosity I crave I am now  making glaze strips before I put brush to wood.
On a wonderful side note, I just learned that I once again was juried into the Mountain Maryland Plein Air Event in June. Four days of painting in beautiful western Maryland is a dream. There are many very talented artists in the group so it is always a little nerve racking. More about that later.
composition studies

Monday, April 11, 2011

challenge by the river

10x10 pastel on wet watercolor Uart
This was yesterday's  challenge  that I never had time to post. I was to look to identify the overall color - rosey red and green.Next I had to find all the variations in temperature and hue, without trailing off to other colors.  Cloudy days are good for this kind of challenge. Stable light source  makes my focus so calm.
I find it amazing that nature constantly works in complements. In particular these Spring colors are delicious.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

tips for painting clouds

8x10 pastel and watercolor on Uart
Clouds have been a real draw for me ever since my sky memory studies this winter. I think all the time I spent just watching has helped me understand  so much better. Now I love painting them outdoors and finishing in the studio. I began this one in the mall parking lot at sunrise. I have found that the mall lot is a wonderful place to go to observe the sky since it is one of the only place we get a "big sky."

As the weather gets fine and attracts more plein air painters outside I offer a few tips:
*clouds are about warm and cool transitions, often within the same value
*clouds have mostly soft edges, remember they are simply moisture
*you have to know your light source and not get confused
*clouds that are closer to you are larger and have sharper edges

Studying clouds in value (gradations of black and white) will help you become a better painter of clouds (in color.) As we all know, "value does the work and color gets the glory" (quote from Richard McKinley.) I find that simply knowing the color design of a basic sky will help you understand so much so that when you next paint clouds it will all make sense. Most important just watch skies, you don't always have to paint.
Memorize. It will stick.

Friday, April 8, 2011

seeking luminosity

6x6 oil on wood

As I still continue to puzzle through the idea of building luminosity through the use of various grays. Here I show you my recent try.
I am starting to notice that when I am trying to build luminosity without darks I must use more grays and only have a small portion of pure color. The opposite color of the wheel must be the predominate maker of the grays. Softer helps. This may need a harder edge or two...but for now it will be soft.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

the slough and the secret of life

18x18 pastel on art spectrum
Neutrals are the secret of life. It's as easy as that.

Each summer I spend as much time as I can in the Northwest, in particular La Conner and Orcas Island. Those two places just fill me with awe and inspiration. This painting had its start in the studio last summer. Memories of my favorite slough ignited the work. It's the same slough where I lost my key, met the baby bear (while looking for the key) and painted with Casey.
Since summer the painting has sat in the corner (staring at me) for 8 months. Yesterday I looked at it and I knew what to do. It was simple. The secret was in neutrals.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

How much information do you need?

9x9 pastel  and watercolor on Uart
How much information do you need to read landscape? I was able to complete this much on site last night before I had to leave to go to a meeting. When I left I thought it was incomplete.  Now I think, how much do you need to "put in" and what is superfluous? Rather than just add more I will let it sit and think then add if necessary.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

cloud study in value

9x9 pastel on somerset paper
Evening cloud study, this time I worked just with value. I played with wiping and erasing to make subtle marks.
Even though it is just a value study, I still needed to follow "the rules." Group the values into interesting shapes. Remember the land will always be darkest (exception- snow). And if you want skies to feel light you need to always keep in mind that skies are light built in a sphere. To show this the value and the strokes are very important.
This sketch was actually  a lot of fun to do. Clouds are simply fascinating!

Last night I was enjoying the beautiful photos on the website of the Cloud Appreciation Society. Check it out!  Here is the link.

Monday, April 4, 2011

goals, vibration, and Hans Hoffman

6x6 oil on board
One of my goals for painting is for it to be impossible to tell if the painting is oil or pastel. That means the  most important vibration  must be present in both. A couple of years ago I determined that in order to do this, it was important to learn glazing techniques, rather than painting in the way I was taught long ago- alla prima. I thank  Deborah Paris and Sadie Valeri, both master painters and teachers, for all of their guidance and patience helping me as is I struggled through that learning curve. I am not saying that I have finished learning...but now I understand the basics and can see through the layers.
Yesterday  NJ  sent me this great quote from Hans Hoffman.  He had once said, "My aim in painting is to create pulsating, luminous and open surfaces that emanate a mystic light, in accordance with deepest insight into the experience of life and nature." Now doesn't that just say it all?
Did I mention my next goal--- that of mark?  Within the vibration there can still be mark. Next I will focus on mark. toodles for now!

Sunday, April 3, 2011

back to the river, yay!

10x10 pastel and watercolor on Uart

Finally, I am really out there, ready to paint outdoors! Still I can not use my easel so i have found a way to sit and work (for now.)
I, of course, returned to the river in the early morning, my forever muse. My husband came with me and lifted my stuff down there; but, now I have a plan for next time. Solo.  I must say it felt so good to be out there and be part of nature while I painted. The sounds, the light, the cold, it's all part of the feel. This is the best time of year. The neutrals are the most splendid of all. Violet grays, red grays, orange grays, golden grays, blue grays, all amazing. Today's grays were mostly violet and gold...beautiful complements.

Friday, April 1, 2011

a painting is a beautiful mix of fact and feeling

12x24 oil on board
As I continue to work on this painting I keep coming back to quotes I have written in my sketch books, quotes by the master, George Inness.
 George Inness insisted that the beginning artist fully understand the underlying structures and systems of nature, he called these the "strict and sober facts." It's so true. Since only after  achieving this mechanical skill is the artist  ready to edit and interpret what she/he sees and experiences. It is  the  marriage of realism and individual interpretation  As Inness wrote, "a painting must possess both the subjective sentiment-the poetry of nature- and the objective fact."

A painting is a beautiful mix of feeling and fact. - the new words on my studio door.

While this painting is still unfinished it perfectly demonstrates those words. This is a painting that has taken over. It started from a plein air piece, but now is completely its own animal. Memory, knowledge of how the landscape works and feeling are the food for its creation ...the plein air piece has no use for me now..