More work on the lady to our left - her torso, hand and the coat (or whatever it is) draped over her arm.

Awenda Inspired - Part 1

On Saturday, September 26 I participated in a plein air painting event in Penetanguishine, north of Toronto. The event was held at Awenda Provincial Park.

At first it seemed we would be getting some rain - it was a very cloudy day. Fortunately, we had only a few minutes of very light sprinkling.
The temperature was a bit cool, so with many layers of clothing I was quite comfortable and had a great time working surrounded by the beauty of nature in Awenda Provincial Park.

I don't know how many participants there were but it there was a pretty good turnout and the artists worked in a variety of mediums, including oil, pen and ink, watercolor and graphite. There were also a few photographers, one of whom was taking shots for his wife who is a rug hooker.

I used my oil paints on gessoed masonite panels, using a couple of 9x12 boards and one smaller 5x7.

I must admit that landscape is not my forte. I am never really pleased with my results, but I believe it is good training for the eye with regard to color and value and will therefore improve all my other work. Perhaps if I persist in this discipline, eventually I will start producing more satisfying landscape work.

Out of doors, the value range is so immense and detail so profuse that you really have to edit and choose in order to get a good design. The tendency for many is to put everything in which does not make for an effective painting.

My new mentor, Dawn Whitelaw, who is a plein air afficionado, once told me to choose what your painting is about - what makes you want to paint this particular scene and focus on that. For this first piece, for me, it was the sky, so my composition reflects that.

Looking at this painting now, I can see I ought to have moved the front land mass more to the right as I have inadvertently put the place where the two masses meet almost in the middle, which is a no-no. Sigh.

Awenda Inspired - Part 2

This painting needs some work. I need to balance the large, dark mass of the trees on the right by darkening some of the shrubbery on the slightly lower left. That rock on the far right needs some definition as it looks too round and dark right now. The grass on the sand in the lower right hand of the piece needs more color, detail and some darks. Also, the sand needs a slightly cooler color note given the grey day we had. I think I might tweak it a bit and will let you know if it is improved.

Awenda Inspired - Part 3

This is my final small painting of the day and I whipped it off in about an hour. There were a lot of reeds in the water that I at first painted stalk by stalk, which looked awful. In a fit of frustration I smooshed them all together and blurred them out, which is an improvement. Still no masterpiece, but I have to view every painting as a learning experience that will hopefully lead to some kind of mastery eventually.

Here is my very cheap (free actually) brush holder - just an old piece of 2x4 I found in the garage.

I drilled a variety of hole sizes to fit different brushes with the smaller diameter holes at the front.

If you drill all the way through (try not to) just put a piece of duct tape on the back to keep the brushes from falliing through if you happen to pick up the holder to move it around.

Sorolla inspired painting in progress. The girl on your right is further along, at least her upper half!

Color Block-In for this Sorolla inspired painting.

I am still just trying to keep the light and shadow separated, but adding some of the local color and with the influence of warm sunlight giving the piece the correct feel and light key.

My other homemade cigar box pochade holds a 6x8 panel. I use this one on my lap or on a table.

I went to a building store and purchased this clasp to hold the box shut.

Here is a shot of the back of the box with the small piece of wood I glued on to support the lid.

Here are two views of my square pochade box, made from a cigar box I obtained from a local store for a couple of bucks.

This one holds a 5x7 panel. I usually use 4 pieces of doubled over masking tape behind the board, to ensure that it stays put.

You can see how the little square pieces in the lid serve two purposes: to hold down the palette when the lid is closed and to support the panel you are painting on. I cut four 1/2" pieces off the wood that came with the box for some reason (maybe someone who smokes cigars can tell us?) and carefully adhered them using carpenter's glue. That same long piece of 1/2" square wood was glued at the back so the lid of the box will prop open, supported by the wood. I will post a photo of the back also.

The square frame that inserts into the bottom of the box, and to which I have glued the paint sticks, serves also prevent the panel from falling into the paint piles on your palette when you shut the box. This square frame is very thin and fits outside the square pieces glued in the lid.

There is room under the palette for small tubes of paint and maybe a sawed off brush or two, although I usually carry another small bag with supplies like oil, a viewfinder and paper towe or ragsl.

The nut in the bottom was really easy to install, just drill the right size hole and hammer it in (there are diagonal claws that sink into the wood to hold it in place). I used a little glue as well to make sure it stays put. Take your tripod to the hardward store to get the right size.

MAKE YOUR OWN INEXPENSIVE POCHADE BOX

I recently heard from a painter who would really like to work outside but cannot currently afford the pricey easel systems sold in art supply stores. I think it is a shame that she feels hindered by her situation, so I wanted to share a few ideas I have for alternatives to expensive easels.

I am going to tell you about a couple of projects that are relatively easy to do and can work almost as well the French Easel, Open M Box, Easyl, Soltek Easel, etc., all of which cost up to many hundreds of dollars to purchase new.

I have made myself a small pochade out of an old cigar box I picked up at a local tobaccanist for free. All you have to do is ask nicely - they will cost you a few dollars at the most.

I hammered in a nut that has teeth at the bottom of the box (some glue is not a bad idea as well to ensure it stays put) so I can attach it to my tripod. If you already have a tripod, this could be a really cheap way to go. If not, tripods can usually be had for as little as $30. Take your tripod to the hardware store and tell them what you want to do - they will help you find what you need fast.

You are then able to prop or clamp a small canvas or board in the box and either hold your palette, or do what I did and cut up an old paint stick to prop up a small board to serve as a palette in the box. I also glued in small pieces of wood (cut from a piece of wood that came with the cigar box) in the lid to hold the palette down when the box is shut, so you don't have to clean off the palette until you get home.

The down side of this is that the palette is pretty teeny. It also takes quite awhile to work out where to position all the little pieces of wood and to cut them up in the correct sizes.

I also glued a piece of wood (which actually came with the cigar box for some reason) on the back of the lower box to keep the lid propped open. Depending on the depth of your box, you may even be able to fit some tubes of paint under the palette and a brush or two that has been sawed off. You may come up with a better solution - let me know if you do!

A second idea is to simply use a piece of 12" x 16" hardboard (to which I glued a 2 1/2" square of 3/8" board after drilling a hole in it) and then I glued in a nut that the tripod can screw into. I simply clamp my painting panel, which can be any size less than 12" x 16", with sturdy clamps and I can paint a variety of sizes.

I am not even remotely handy, but I found these projects fun to figure out and easy to accomplish so I think even the worst handyman or woman can do it. And, of course, there are always friends with tools to ask for a favour - maybe you can do a painting for them in return!

Studio Painting
Oil on Stretched Canvas
20 x 16 inches

If you scroll down, you will see the small plein air sketch I based this larger painting on. I have to say, it came together very quickly.

Studio Painting
Oil on Stretched Canvas
20 x 16 inches

At Sunset

Plein Air Sketch #7
Oil on Panel
10 x 8 inches

Early Morning

This was a magical spot where the stillness created beautiful reflections in the water.

I started out painting on a wooden pier but had to change positions due to light on my painting. I then moved back into the shade, but my painting fell face first off the dock, narrowl missing the water. After climbing down and retrieving it, I moved to a third location. A short time after I began, the wind came up, a boat roared by and the scene changed completely.

All part of the joys and tribulations of plein air painting! I plan to blow this one up into a studio piece.

Plein Air Sketch #5
Oil on Panel
10 x 8 inches

I liked the interesting pattern of the trees and the gorgeous light glowing through at the end of the day.

Plein Air Sketch #4
Oil on Panel
10 x 8 inches

Early Morning

When I got back indoors after painting this sketch, I became aware that glare from the strong sunlight and wearing dark lenses had caused me to misjudge the values. I had to lighten things up after the fact.

Lesson learned: No sunglasses, bring a hat and make sure you have shade for your palette and support!

Plein Air Sketch #3
Oil on panel
10 x 8 inches

Here is a lesson for all you painters - when you are using your plein air sketch to work from in the studio, make sure it does not get sprayed with tiny specks of white paint as I did here :(

Plein Air Sketch #2
Oil on Panel
10 x 8 inches

Just before the sun went down, it went behind some clouds and I quickly scrubbed in this impression.

I was in the paper!

Download Newspaper (.pdf)

I am going to be painting a large piece, loosely based on a work by one of my favorite artists, Joaquin Sorolla.  I have a tiny reference photograph of the painting, so I will be doing my own interpretation of two women in white strolling on a windy beach.  The underpainting was done with gesso mixed with phthalo green and burnt sienna acrylics.  Using  a lot of gesso with just a little pigment means that the surface will accept oil paint readily.  Acrylic paint alone does not make an archival underpainting for oils.  I chose to use this method rather than using oils because I thought the support could use more gesso and I would be accomplishing the underpainting at the same time! 

TUBES AND BRUSH
7"x5", oil on panel

Here is a quick sketch I did some time ago in natural, north light.

Morning at Agua Caliente
8"x10" oil on panel

Ah, what could be better than an oasis in the desert.

This was painted on a gorgeous and sunny but very chilly day and turned out to be the last painting I did during the workshop.  Unfortunately, we ended up painting value studies on the afternoon of the final day, after watching a demonstration that morning.  Doing value studies at that point seemed a bit backward to my mind, as I was pumped to do a stunning masterpiece at that point!   We had a great afternoon despite this slight disappointment, as we enjoyed a sheltered, warm and sunny location in Catalina State Park with stunning views of spectacular mountains!

Quick Sketch - Tucson East View
7" x 5" oil on panel

After laboring for a couple of hours on the previous painting with the asylum on the hill :), I whacked this one out in about 40 minutes.  In my opinion, the end result is much better, which shows how editing and simplifying is key to capturing the essence of a landscape.

Tucson Valley - Looking North
7" x 5" oil on panel

Saguaro at Honeybee Canyon
7" x 5" oil on panel

Capturing this backlit cactus was lots of fun - the highlights on the sides of the saguaro are thick white paint with a touch of raw sienna.  

Notes from Gabor Svagrik's Workshop
January 28-February 1, 2008

NOTE:  I plan to decipher all this at some point in the future into an article!

His Materials:
Maple panels - bookbinding glue, acid free
Miracle Muck (sourcetek), Lineco (utrecht)
Claessens #66 oil primed linen
gatorboard, light stain (50/50 burnt sienna, ultramarine blue)
Open Box M, carbon fiber tripod (light weight)
Holbein thinner container (better seal) Sourcetek
REI backpack - guaranteed for life!

take photo first - 1 1/2 hours to two hours max on subject
IT'S NOT WHAT YOU PUT IN, IT'S WHAT YOU TAKE OUT
Capture the essence, not literal translation
1/2" brush from hardware store for 1.50

Thomas Moran
Matt Smith
Kevin MacPherson, Carlson

For your legacy you need to have some monumental paintings
Be selective - back it up!! (photographs)
Monitor - Apple Cinema Display - 23" middle size
plein air study, color and value more accurate than photo

darkest dark first
crosshair division of panel
It's all about color and value relationships
generalize areas - rocks all dark - add lighter tones/highlights at end
charcoal drawing, indoors - change with towel, can move it easily
draw it out - start with darks figure out value of mountain, add midtones and lightest areas
top to bottom, leaving out the sky
as things recede, cooler and lighter
need to push value/color in paint
need mountain to sit back, lighter to get the difference in value
white cools and muddies
white - atmosphere
use yellows to create warmth, get feeling of sunlight
think to thick - thick lights

Palette:  Titanium white, lemon yellow, yellow ochre, raw sienna, ultramarine blue, cobalt blue, alizarin crimson
reserve yout lights - opera singer, all high notes where do you go?
 
10 foot tree?  30 feet back
Rocks - 80/20  or 90/10
need hard edges
pull the brush for tiny branches
three bushes are better than two
vertical dark brushmarks break up the block in
add variety to base - go over with lighter color, sand
use side of brush, parallel to panel
rolls the brush in an arc for light on a shrub
white kills light
use yellow to lighten
big shapes dark to light

small sketch to plan positioning
Laura Robb - master of edges

keep brushes very clean when doing sky
palette knife to put long narrow highlight on saguaro, thick mixture of white and raw sienna

EXCITING NEWS!

I received an unexpected and welcome telephone call today from Marilyn Whitaker, the registrar at Scottsdale Artist's School in Phoenix, Arizona.  

I have been awarded a scholarship, based on talent, to a plein air landscape painting class held in Tucson.  I am very excited about this opportunity and have to quickly make arrangements to attend as it begins in less than two weeks!

Georgian Bay Beachscape #1
40x30 inches
oil on canvas

PINK PEONIES
14 x 18 oil on canvas

DIANNE'S PEONIES
14 x 18 oil on canvas

MONET'S JAPANESE WATER GARDEN AT GIVERNY
5x7 Oil on Board

I sat on a bench in Monet's absolutely gorgeous garden on a lovely day in April and painted this tiny sketch with a palette knife and my fingers.    

The scene includes the famous willows, the green curved bridge and the water lilies (which do not bloom until later in the summer).  It was a glorious, sunny day and the tulips were out in force, rafts and rafts of coordinated colour everywhere.  It was easy to see why this garden was such an obsession with Monet.  An unforgettable experience.

WHITE TULIPS - OIL ON PANEL - 12x16 inches

This painting is not yet complete. I started with a monochromatic wash-in to establish the composition. This is the second layer of paint and establishes most of the elements. Next, once this is dry, I will add highlights to indicate the brilliance of the metal tin on the left side and adjust the values if necessary.

CANDLE - OIL ON PANEL - 5x7 inches

This little exercise illustrates why you cannot always paint white objects white. In order to get the effect of brilliance that a flame produces, you need to mute everything else. Candle flames are much brighter than white paint, which is the lightest value a painter has at his or her disposal. Therefore, this candle is more of a middle tone than a light tone. The "white" tulip is also a middle value. It probably would have been even more effective if I had used a darker background and an even darker value for the candle, but since I wanted to use this color for the background, I had to compromise a bit.

Martini With Lemon
Oil on panel - 9" x 12"

Personally, once in awhile I like an extra dry vodka martini with about 8 olives, but I needed the lemon for the compostion.

A Flopsy Bunny for Baby X - 12x16, oil on canvas

Way too cutesy, I know, I know - all modern painters should be producing edgy, disturbing or even downright disgusting images to be considered relevant, but my friend Isabella gave birth to a little girl (at present nameless) and this painting is part of my gift to her.

Lloyd's Red Door

Oil on Panel - 5"x5"

This is a quick plein air sketch I did while sitting on the patio at Lloyd and Gwen's beautiful cottage. It was late in the day and rather cloudy and dull, but, as you can see, their gardens are spectacular!

With my garden currently overrun with Echinacea, I thought I'd stick a few of these gorgeous fuschia flowers in my recently acquired Czech bud vase and do a study, indoors, under north light with a dark background. This one is oil on stretched canvas, 10x14 inches.

White Roses - 9x12, Oil on Panel

Stem Tomatoes
Oil on Panel

Limes - Oil on Panel

Paris Flower Shop No. 3 - 12x16, oil on canvas

Paris Flower Shop No. 2 - 12x16, oil on canvas

Paris Flower Shop - 24x36, oil on canvas

Late Afternoon - Oil on Panel

Provincetown with Cedric Egeli

Late Morning - Oil on Panel
Provincetown with Cedric Egeli

Cloudy Day - Oil on Panel

Provincetown with Cedric Egeli

Breezy Day at the Beach - Oil on Panel

Provincetown with Cedric Egeli

In August, 2005, I travelled to Provincetown, at the tip of Cape Cod to study with Cedric Egeli. He is a master colorist and portrait painter who is continuing to expand on the work of the Impressionists. I am going to post several examples of studies done from life on the beach. In each, you can tell from the light key what the weather was like and even the time of day. Also teaching during the workshop was Joanette Egeli, Cedric's wife, who is also a skillful painter and who keeps everyone on track.

Pear - Oil on Panel

Palette Knife
From Life

Apple - Oil on Panel

Palette Knife
From Life

Flowering Tree - Oil on Panel

Done "en plein air" with a palette knife.

Spring Fountain - Oil on Panel

After a very brief period of experimentation with acrylics, I switched to oil paint. I had always wanted to paint in oil but was scared off by the toxicity of the solvents I believed to be necessary to the process. I was delighted to learn that not only is it possible to paint without turpentine or mineral spirits, it is actually preferable for the longevity of the painting, so I happily began my journey painting in oils. As it turns out, brushes can be cleaned with oil just as well as with solvents and I take care not to eat or drink while using pigments that are risky, such as lead based white, cadmiums and cobalts. I love working with colorful, thick, buttery oil paint and find it much more forgiving than watercolor, where you really have to get it correct right away.

Copy after Mary Cassatt - Acrylic on Panel

This is one of the few paintings I did in acrylic before switching to oils. I think I did less acrylic paintings than you could count on your fingers. I found the medium somewhat frustrating, with the main problem being the value shift between wet and dry paint. The fast drying time is both good and bad, depending on what you want to do - it's great for glazing in transparent layers, but not so good for blending and mixing on the support.

Watermelon - Watercolor

Teddy - Watercolor

Poppy - Watercolor

Seagull - Watercolor

Pansies - Watercolor

Mayan Riviera - Watercolor

Lemon - Watercolor

Echinacea - Watercolor

Granny Smith Apples with Drips - Watercolor

Mexican Geraniums - Watercolor

Plum - Watercolor

Basil Pot - Watercolor

I am going to post some of my older paintings, since I started learning to paint in watercolor (watercolour for my fellow Canadians and the Brits.) I had already gained a lot of experience with drawing, which is about 90% of any representational art, but learning to work with color has opened up a whole new world for me.

The samples shown here represent the tip of the iceberg as to the number of watercolor paintings I have done. You really need to do a lot of them to gain a modicum of skill with this medium, which is quite difficult to get right!

Even though I now prefer to paint with oils, I think these older paintings are surprisingly consistent with my body of work, which really shows that you don't choose a style, it chooses you.

Blue Nose - Oil on Panel

This small "plein air" painting was done with a palette knife "alla prima", in one painting session. When painting outside, you need to move quickly in order to capture the scene as the light effect changes very quickly, especially at the beginning and end of the day.

I grew up in Lavington, British Columbia staring out my bedroom window at this mountain. If you look carefully, you will see there are at least two ways of seeing the "nose". Have fun looking for the options!