Two Good Ones - The Takeaways!

Fall Is My Time

Finally, two successes in plein air painting!

Shore Colors 8x10

Recently I completed two plein air paintings which led me to feel as though I finally have made progress. I really concentrated on the composition, staying focused and limiting my painting time. Both paintings were completed outside in 2.5 hours (8x 10) in 15+ MPH winds. This was not an instant success, I have spent weeks plein air painting and reading and asking questions. Only now do I feel all that learning and thinking and frustration has led to a teeny bit of success. 

My key takeaways:

My wagon full of plein air stuff!

• Thumbnail sketch (most of my Instructors have told me this!)
• Red Value Viewer (helps me see lights and darks)
• Limited Palette (White, Cad Red, Ult Blue, Cad Yellow, Black, + Naples Yellow, +Yellow Ochre Light) I chose the additional yellows due to the yellow fall colors. (again Instructors like Limited Palettes)
• Talk to Art Friends: Talking to other artists is invaluable. They have encouraged me, suggested the red value viewer, shared plein air thoughts and expertise, shared notes from workshops -what wonderful resources! 
• Persistence (it is tough to go out and paint alone for hours) and while I have asked many art friends to go with me, it has not worked lately - I have gone out alone.
• Keep Looking for Spots to Paint Close to Home (I do not like to drive too far and have recently discovered a great new place a mile from my house!)
• Be ready on sunny days! (My Plein Air Kit is different from my studio kit - I take less paints, smaller palette, less brushes -anything to lighten load when painting outside). I watch the weather & if sunny and 60s70s, I will try to find time and go out!

Sometimes You Have a Moment

Sometimes you make great painting plans - packing paints and canvas and camera, gathering all your things together...Thinking, "Go Me, I have it all together!" And then the storms of life come along and rain on your parade.

Oakland Twins 8x10

I recently had a trunk of art stuff and was ready to go on a lovely sunny 60s October day (rare and wonderful). Paints, canvas, medium, brushes, bfast bar and viewfinder in backpack, camera, umbrella, clothing layers, sun hat and borrowed wagon -all in the trunk and ready to go! Needless to say, I was thwarted. Noooo! Oh the heartbreak! My day was ruined.

Determined to paint, I went out the next day, near my house, just a mile away. It was warm and the sun was out, but the winds were 20 MPH (a bit gusty). My hat blew off, I barely caught it and it went into the wagon under the backpack. With winds coming from the South I had to turn my easel so that the umbrella was behind me brunting the wind (and still would have lost umbrella if it hadn't been tied down).

Finally settled against the wind, after taping my canvas to the easel and taping my Gamsol jar to the palette, I was ready to paint! First I made a simple thumbnail sketch of darks lights and mids. Then I checked the scene with my red value viewer (this really helped me to see the lightest lights). Next I washed the canvas with Gamsol and a small amt of Gamsol Gel then wiped the canvas with a paper towel. Then I painted in some loose placeholders - the edge of the pond and the darks of the trees. Finally we get to my favorite part - the color! Yes! I spent about two hours in the open - braced against the wind, painting happily.

I was bedraggled when I got home, but I really like my work!  After weeks of struggling with plein air (painting outside alone  for hours), it finally came to fruition! I had my moment!

One thought that I had was that perhaps my success was due to the fall color. Maybe the color was the breakthrough, as I have struggled with my greens...I took a ton of fall inspiration photos--maybe I can still paint "fall colors" in the studio this winter.

Sadly, I see leaves already falling from trees! No! I need to go get more pictures! Stat!