distilling, Japanese woodcuts, and changing your thinking

6x6 pastel

Oiso- Hiroshige

The hardest thing to do is to distill the landscape down to the elements that are most important. My movement towards a new interpretation of the landscape constantly challenges my habitual ways of looking and creating. It involves some trust to tear me away from my normal ways of working. The first big change is working in the studio rather than outdoors. I often get stymied and frustrated. Recently I find myself turning to the Japanese masters, especially Hiroshige.
So I will share with you my research and realizations. It's ironic how my road paintings are my vehicle to move in this direction. (heehee)

Kambara-Hiroshige

 During the later part of the 18th century the European artists were heavily influenced by the Japanese woodcuts.
The Japanese introduced a whole different way of looking at composition. Some of their devices were:
*the extreme vertical
*truncation  of major parts
*use of large empty space
*very high or very low viewpoints
 *a many paneled painting (while this was not new -think Giotto, Piero della Francesca or the Ghent altarpiece by the van Eycks)

In my next post I will talk more about these and the whys.  Till then....

cumberland

about 7x10 pastel on Uart (no underpainting too wet outside)
The Maryland Mountain Plein Air Festival is right around the corner so I knew I needed to go scout out the area. I prefer not to go in "cold" to an event. I need time to wrap my mind around the possible landscape. I spent the morning driving around the county then called the organizer, Kelly Moran. She graciously invited me on a personal tour of the best places to paint. I not only saw the best places, met people, learned a lot of the history of the area, but also spent time with the witty dynamo - Kelly. Lots of fun!
By the time I was back to my hotel it was pouring...but should that stop me from painting? Nope. Good thing my shadebuddy covers my whole easel (but not me)...pastels hate rain.
I thought about what WK said on Friday. So when I began this painting of Cumberland in the rain and fog I began with what probably was an area of trees-left center, instead of the bridge or buildings. It was a total struggle, till it whispered to me.


More new WK tidbits tomorrow when I return home.

reasons for using an underpainting

10x10 watercolor and pastel on twinrocker watercolor paper
As many people know I am back to using a watercolor underpainting. Why? It's transparent. I love the luminosity that watercolor creates. The beautiful accidents that I can use or cover. It seems foolish to have left this method.
The reasons for doing an underpainting, whether pastel, oil or watercolor, are numerous. First, I get to establish all my masses. Second, I make the skeleton on which the pastel will lie.  The skeleton, what's underneath is very important. Third, I can create a tension between warm and cool quickly. Fourth, I can see my composition without making commitment. Changes are easy. And fifth,  I set up the value relationships.
PS It has been days of rain...very unusual for here. This painting was done in the dry, warm car.

as the sky continues to weep

4x10 pastel and watercolor on Uart
I was thinking about temperature of color as I painted inside my dry car. The drizzle that began light turned to a downpour later. I stuck to the overcast drizzle feel of the painting. The sky has been weeping for weeks....if only this rain was snow.
I can't wait for my first snow plein air landscape.

finished- Big Daddy through the Raindrops

12 x18 pastel on watercolor
Yesterday the rain slowed down to a dribble and a crack of light formed in the sky. I was lucky to have returned to the field...just in case. Big Daddy didn't need much work just enough to make the space deeper.
After I finished painting I returned to the other side of the destruction. This time I had my invitations to distribute when asking for permission to walk back on the homeowner's land to paint. With great sadness I listened to people's stories of what has happened.  One woman, Shirley, told me of the giant black walnut tree that stood in the field behind her house. Her now 28 year old son had his tree fort in it when he was quite young. One day the construction/destruction crew came with a huge machine.  With a monstrous yank of it's claw they took down that beautiful, gigantic tree. Shirley said they all watched and cried, even her 28 year old son. Sad. I cry with them.

Big Daddy through the Raindrops

12 x18 watercolor underpainting
It has rained for 3 days now and my patience is wearing thin. I couldn't stay in the studio one more minute, so even though it was raining I drove to the field. Due to the rain I didn't take out pastels (even with the umbrella), but using watercolor was fine. Maybe the drops of water even added to the atmosphere. Pastels tomorrow.

Tip of the Island

8x10 pastel and watercolor on Uart paper
It's raining outside...which is one of my favorite weather conditions to paint. I parked myself under a dense tree with my humongous umbrella. First question : why did you choose this spot? Answer, I loved the place where the warmer, close mass of trees (the island) meets the far away land. Make certain that area has the detail. Refrain from uniformity of detail. The chant still is warm/ cool, dark /light. It took forever for the watercolor to dry, so I dove in a little early. It taught me a new way of utilizing slightly damp pastel:-)

May 13, 2008 To the Toy Store

6x8 pastel and watercolor on wallis board
Rain, rain and more rain makes for nice reflections.
Tomorrow I leave for a painting retreat in Pennsylvania. I am sure there is no Internet simply because there is no electricity or running water in the cabins! Beautiful scenery though. Therefore this will be the last post until after I return on Saturday.

May 9, 2008 Through the Windshield

4.5x8.5 pastel and watercolor on wallis paper
This morning it rained hard. So I parked at the train station and painted in the opposite direction (from yesterday.) The bottom one is the watercolor underpainting. I think I like it better than the finished,: it's rainier.
Funny thing happened, I sat listening to the radio and wipers going for so long that my battery gave out. Called AAA and went to get a chai. When I returned it started like a dream and I canceled AAA. Chais can cure everything!!!!

April 22, 2008 Waiting at the Curb on Connecticut

8x10, pastel and watercolor on wallis board
Connecticut Avenue right near Bread and Chocolate and Child's Play, it's a happening corner. There is always a good umbrella or a running pedestrian. Check out Childe Hassam's amazing rain landscapes, they are inspiring!

April 21, 2008 Violet Reflections on Connecticut Avenue

7 1/2 x9 pastel and watercolor on wallis board
Standing on Connecticut Ave in the rain is a challenge, especially when you are using pastel and watercolor, both incompatible to rain. So I finally decided to take the picture and go back to the studio. Anyone out there have any outdoor rain tricks to share? I am really starting to like the watercolor underneath. What do you think?