Trying new methods

7x7 uart paper

I absolutely love summer! There is simply so much more time. I do enjoy teaching, but I must admit that when I have only one brain to wear- the painting brain- I feel my art work can take off. All I think about is painting! Hike at the lake in the morning to plein air sites, then during the heat of the day settle into the studio for a good work session.

Since I am hiking I am trying different papers and using only watercolor. Back in the studio I just put my mind back there and paint with pastel. I am exploring all different base surfaces...more about that later. 

I will also write about the Mountain Maryland Plein Air soon.

consider the paper

This week I am teaching a workshop with wonderful, eager teenagers. Teaching is a valuable and fulfilling activity in many ways. In addition, it makes us think and break down the action of painting, what we do intuitively, into small incremental steps.
First look at the paper color. There are endless possibilities. Rather than teach a more complicated underpainting technique we chose one paper color to direct the painting.Above (top) is the standard white (Rives BFK). Below is a black paper (Canson I think). Tomorrow we will use paper colors we make.
After doing a small (1"x2" sketch) and a notan the goal was to block out the landscape into 5 colors. First, choose the darkest dark mass and the lightest mass. The darkest mass was about a 3-4 on the scale and the lightest (sky) was 9-10. Choose the remaining 3 colors along the value scale and arrange according to light to dark. If this is done correctly there is a sense of distance, foreground and background - already.

After the masses are blocked in and rubbed down to the smallest amount of pastel possible on the paper and then sprayed, the students are ready to move forward. The next step is to use new colors(and some of the already selected 5) just to give an idea of volume. No detail.
After that is laid out the painting can already read well. Last step is when the artist really answers, "why am  painting this?"(concept)  and makes the diva (focal point.)
This is a basic outline made for the younger artist but applicable to any age beginner.
Have fun painting!

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.