Incorporating New Ideas

Inspiration is Everywhere if you are Open to it

Thumbnail sketch & thoughts

I have been reading about art quite a bit lately, I need to glean as much as I can. My mind is craving art information. I recently starting getting Plein Air Magazine--yes I love the articles and read the magazine from cover to cover. My latest inspiration comes from an article I read in the last issue of Plein Air Magazine.

In the article, there is an artist who writes the following on her thumbnail sketch (before starting painting): her Inspiration, Title and painting "Why". 

Often, when painting en plein air, I create a thumbnail sketch first. Thumbnails help determine composition and value in a very quick manner. Honestly, my thumbnails aren't perfect or beautiful, they are fast loose sketches using 3 black to light grey value markers (and the white of the paper). I am only looking for composition and value, fast as I have to get to painting!

This week I incorporated the ideas of the 'inspiration' and 'title' and 'why paint this' to my quick thumbnail sketch. 

Pictured are my thumbnail sketches, I tried a vertical and horizontal for composition (I chose the vertical). 

My inspired by: "Believe in The Power of You"--taken directly from my tee shirt. 

Title:  "Touch of Yellow". 

Why? Sunshine. First Day of Spring. 

Where do you find your inspiration?

Amp Up The Color

Touch of Yellow, 10 x 8

and Fight The April Beige

Today was the first real Spring day, the  first nice day this year featuring sunshine and warmth -- it's time to plein air paint!
Weather forecast: 60 degrees mostly sunny winds 5-10mph

You know me, I emailed all of my art friends, setting up a time to meet to paint at the local park. I was thrilled to receive 6 RSVPs.

Our Biggest Challenges: 

WIND
It did not feel like 60 and the winds were gusty at least 20 MPH! Bummer! We had to keep our coats on; luckily only one easel blew over!

The Beige Brown Park

APRIL BEIGE
Some artists like the tonal challenge where everything appears to be a shade of beige or brown--I am not that artist! Everything was dull and un-spring-like... not much color to be found.

Personally, I did not want to paint a beige brown painting, so I decided to amp up the color. I found a lone tree with yellowish leaves and decided that could be my focal point. The far land was a muted orange and the trees afar where muted purple. I made my colors a little more exciting, less muted and I like the brighter springlike look I achieved.

So this wasn't the perfect sunny day that I had envisioned, it was still a great day to get out and paint.

Recognize Your Artportunities

Take the ARTportunities that come your way!

September at Matthieu Bridge

A few weeks ago, I attended a one day workshop with national artist, Kenn Backhaus. In my opinion, one of the benefits of attending the workshop was a Critique of my work by Kenn. Imagine my surprise when Kenn asked the workshop attendees to raise their hands if they brought art for critique and only 6 of 20 people raised their hands.

Why wouldn't artists take advantage of this artportunity?  I was very surprised that many chose not to participate in the critique. I understand that critiques can be intimidating, but who better to point you in the right direction than a successful national artist? And while there was a crowd of 20 fellow artists, I still think it would be worth it to show your work (artists are the nicest people I know).

For the critique I chose one of my plein air works that I felt fairly confident about.

My Critique:
Nice greens (a good compliment as all were mixed by me-- no tube greens)
Nice lead in with yellow and balance of yellow
Water is not convincing
Trees in back are equal/symmetrical, make one smaller
Similar brushwork, be more deliberate and move different directions
Find artists who painted similar topic

The critique was done in a friendly and kind way, and I very much appreciated the feedback. And, because many attendees did not participate in the critique, I got a full 10 minute critique--what an artportunity!

I will not change my painting but will try to keep in mind the feedback for a future painting because I know that I will go to this location and paint this bridge again!

I suggest that we as artists should approach each opportunity with a positive attitude--be brave! All workshop artists are where you are or have been where you are; do not be intimidated to share your work.