Think Small:Defy the "Go Bigger" Movement

Four 2x2" works in the Northville ArtHouse Small Works Juried Show.

It is no secret, I don't use the largest canvases or the biggest brushes. I have friends who use full sheets (16x20") of water color paper to create lovely portraits or still lifes - those seem large to me. My works by comparison are much smaller. Lately my portraits range from 9 x 12 to 12x16 inches in size. I have been happy with many works that I have created in these sizes. I also want to emphasize that smaller canvas sizes do not necessarily mean spending less time on a painting. Small still means planning and often hours of hard work.

Recently I entered several of my Mini Still Lifes into a Small Works Show. I was thrilled when 4 of my small works were juried into the show-the show prerequisites being art that is less than 12x12" in size (framed). My mini paintings were done on 2 x2 inch canvases -very small. I had to think about how to best present those as they were not condusive to framing. So, I found some mini easels and noted in the entry form that the canvases would come with little easels and would need to display on a flat surface. While I was at the show opening two of my works got the red dot--sold! Very exciting.

Many artists encourage larger paintings - I have heard " You Need to Go Bigger" but lately I've found more success in thinking small. At this point, I say if you are creative there is no size limit but don't always go larger--how small can you go? What can you achieve with a 3"x3" or 2"x2"canvas?

These little wonders are studies in color and composition and yet they are wonderful little works of art. These little works took hours to create, took the same thought and skill only to a smaller scale. And, for some of my still lifes I think the 2x2 inch versions are more successful. Next time a painting isn't working for you or you want to try out a composition I'm suggesting that you think in reverse --perhaps you should try a mini painting. You may be pleasantly surprised!

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!

Enjoy The Moment

Hey! Hey! Say The Geese

Indian Summer Rocks I  8x10

The last few weeks have been gorgeous, sunny blue skies with temps in the 70s. Ohh how wonderful! Each week I have been taking a morning and plein air painting. The beautiful weather has helped me attain a meditative and positive mindset. And piqued my curiosity about Landscape Painting.

When I plein air paint, I give myself permission to paint without a purpose. I enjoy the time outside and often have to pause and reflect on nature's beauty. I find that I do not need music as the breeze in the trees and the geese honking creates a soundtrack. Each time I go to the farm there is one goose who flies by, lands on the pond all the while honking out to his fellow geese "Hey Hey Follow Me!" Silly Goose!

Indian Summer Rocks II  8x10

Plein Air painting is freeing. I enjoy finding shapes and laying down expressive brushwork.

Only once home to I allow myself to deal with my questions about plein air painting. I note the questions and try to research them via Google. I also ask my experienced art friends my questions. Recently I have purchased my new favorite book - Oil Painting With Light & Color by Kevin Macpherson - a fantastic resource! I know in time I will develop and become better En Plein Air.

Some questions I have asked:

How do I paint the light?
What greens do I use for sunlight verses cloudy day?
What greens do I use?
How do I paint sunlight?
How should I start a painting?
Lay in shapes? Lay in darks then lights?

Hey! Hey!

Ode to Permanent Rose

A Much Needed Palette Color!

Blooming Rose
Permanent Rose used for hat, rose, cheeks & pillow

Every painter has a preferred color palette. There are simple palettes and there are complex palettes. Most artists will agree that you can mix many colors from the primary colors and white, you don't need tubes and tubes of colors. For example, many delicious greens can be mixed with blue, yellow and a touch of red. Additionally, yellow mixed with red makes gorgeous oranges. There are so many color possibilities that when painting I rarely use a tubes of green OR orange. 

However, getting a lovely pink hue is another story. Adding red to white paint does not result in a beautiful pink! Typically it results in a washed out red-ish (because most whites lean toward blue, the red color gets dulled down). So, I asked my artist friends what color they choose for luscious pinks! From oil painters I got two answers: Quincidrone Rose and Permanent Rose. Very specifically, Windsor & Newton Permanent Rose was strongly suggested. 

I do need to point out that Alizarin Crimson is part of my color palette. However, it also is does not mix with white for a perfect pink. Alizarin Crimson is a dark hue that some artists call "dirty". I love it and mix it often with my darks, but when you add white (which has a lot of blue) it remains dull, lacking vibrancy.

I went out and found the Windsor & Newton Permanent Rose (typically for me it is cheaper to buy paint online but if I need just one tube I take a coupon to Hobby Lobby or Michaels). Once I purchased the Permanent Rose I began to use it often! I hadn't realized how much I needed this color in my palette. In addition to using this color more, it has brought me luck as 2 recent paintings (in which I used Permanent Rose) were juried into art shows! 

The Dude  9x12

Tell Mama 12x16

Ahh Pink, a necessary color when painting portraits and my new color love! Permanent Rose background mouth and cheeks for The Dude painting. Permanent Rose for Tell Mama headband and shirt (a bit in the skin tone too)! 

And It Poured!

Welcome to En Plein Air!
#GOTCHA #RAINONU #NATURESURPRISE #RUNSARARUN #WEATHERTRIFECTA

4 Canoes On A Cloudy Day, 8x10

I check the weather religiously, and today the weather was sunny with cloud mix and afternoon storms. Looked like a good morning to paint so I checked the radar and I headed out.

Once I arrived the weather was grey and overcast, but not stormy, no rain. The heavy clouds made the trees and lake very dark in color (ohh I liked this, very different from last week's full sun). Thirty minutes later I was sweating and spraying on Sunscreen - the sun is so hot! The bright sun washed out the colors which was less exciting. Lastly, it got cloudy again (15 minutes before I was going to pack up) but it didn't look like rain. SPLAT! SPlat Kersplat! The downpour came fast and soaked me and my art! Surprise-ACk!

I am a prepared girl, but my garbage bag was under my backpack (to prevent dirt from getting into my things) instead of covering my backpack...My Camera bag was out, my paints (on paper palette) and brushes got soaked, my painting got wet, my easel filled with water. I had an umbrella in my bag,but by the time I got to it I was soaked and my stuff was soaked.

My clothes were soaked, my backpack was drenched. It took me wayyy to long to pack up - you cannot hold an umbrella and unscrew the legs of a french easel at the same time! The wet pack up was THE worst! Everything was soaked! Once home I had to toss my clothes in the laundry and then unpack and dry all my art stuff. I left my painting and paints palette on the counter to dry (both had beads of water on top). I emptied my wet backpack, hanging it to dry in laundry room. I wiped my wet sad easel down with paper towels. Oh wet mess!

This was only my third independent (on my own) plein air session. In the last few weeks I have come to better appreciate the plein air experience - for me it was about finding the right painting location. I have finally found a place that is full of paint inspiration.

Ultimately everything's fine, I just had to stop painting before I was ready. I'm now inducted into plein air painting!  

I bet every artist has a plein air story....

Back in the Groove

Gotta Gotta Get back in My Art Groove

Just a small part of my inspiration photo!

Sometimes you just need someone to talk to about inspiration and motivation. Sometimes you just have to get out of the house!

I went to see a mentor friend and asked her about art motivation, I was in a slump! She was great and we sat down for ten minutes to just talk about it. It was so great to hear that I am not alone, lack of motivation happens to all of us!

Toward the end of my "Blah, not inspired", I found something that sparked my interest. At the studio one day I fell in love with a set up - a model with an old washing machine. My thoughts immediately went to - "Hmm I need a bigger canvas." I took photos from every angle because while I liked my angle I knew there could be other better or more interesting angles to paint later. Also, I wanted to see how the light hit.

I was able to talk to my mentor about my inspiration piece and showed her my photographs, and it really helped. I was able to get advice and formulate a plan, starting with ordering a larger canvas (I like 12x 16 and decided to move up to 16 x 20). My next steps include: thumbnail sketches, color studies, and even an underpainting (burnt sienna). Much to do! Additionally and very importantly, I took my top three photo selections and we reviewed them, selecting one and deciding on a vertical canvas. Now I am better equipped to get started on my inspiration piece!