Archive for the ‘Oil Paintings’ Category
The Impatient Plein Air Painter
If you are a plein air painter who doesn’t like to wait for your painting to dry, then alkyd oil paints are for you. Alkyd oil paints – or simply, alkyds – can dry to the touch in less than 24 hours. They are ideal for someone who uses multiple layers of glazes, paints wet – into – wet or travels to paint.
Why not just use acrylic paint? Although acrylics have come a long way since their creation in the 1950s, they still don’t handle the way oils do. Alkyds are fully compatible with oil paints. Because alkyds are made with a modified version of the same oils used in traditional oil paints (such as linseed or safflower oil), alkyds can be used interchangeably with traditional oils and their related products (turpentine, mineral spirits and varnishes). And cleanup is exactly the same for alkyds as it is for oils.
Inducing Abstraction (3)
Michael Albala continues. Abstraction is not a quantifiable skill like drawing, value relationships or compositional principles. It involves those principles, but it is also guided by one’s artistic personality. Some artists instinctively see the world in abstract terms while others prefer concrete representation. There is no right or wrong, good or bad choice, but here are some pointers to push your work toward abstraction.
1) Focus on an aesthetic. If abstraction places more emphasis on aesthetics such as value, color, pattern, shape and brushwork than it does on the subject, then making one of these aesthetics the “subject” can move the painting toward abstraction. 2) Apply ultra-limited focus. Landscape painters must always limit their focus to a smaller slice of the scene than is actually visible to them. As the painter continues this process, through an ultra-limited focus, an entirely different world can emerge. “It’s always about the painting as opposed to a literal depiction of place and objects,” says abstract painter Kathleen Earthrowls.
Abstract Landscape Paintings (2)
Michael Albala, in his book Landscape Painting, continues. Abstraction is an approach in which the phrase “You must walk before you can run” definitely applies. Good abstract painting requires a thorough command of aesthetic principles, and the best way to learn those principles is through an interpretation of reality. Learning how to draw, compose, build space and manipulate color teaches you the grammar of the visual language.
A good abstract painting will have effective color, well-conceived design, well-orchestrated values, and perhaps even form and space. It has everything the greatest works of “classic” representational art have, but it is less hinged to narrative form. That abstract painting can communicate as strongly as representational painting is a testament to the fact that good painting is not dependent on subject matter but on the skillful implementation of artistic principles.
Unusual Tools for the Oil Painter
The folks at Artist’s Magazine thought it would be fun to ask some of their friends to share their unusual tools or perhaps surprising uses for common supplies. The following are some responses from oil painters:
Koo said one of her students used a wedge shape cosmetic sponge to lay down a layer of paint. Kirk uses a cuttlebone as a sanding or smoothing device between coats of paint (They are sold in pet stores to be placed in parrot cages). Koo said that careful sanding the surface of a painting can smooth out irregularities and likes micro fine grit of 1500-2000 which can be obtained from www.woodworker.com. Jane’s favorite is the Wipe Out Tool by Kemper. It works like a squeegee to wipe up paint. Robert uses a reducing glass which looks like a magnifying glass but does the opposite and enables him to notice errors he has missed. Michael had a specially built palette, created for the sole purpose of making large scale paintings. His palette is 15” x 22” and he use brushes size 12, 16 and 20.
The Undiscovered Plein Air Painter
Recently I came upon a discussion by some of the many million plein air painters who are trying to sell their art. All felt that selling was the key to a happy life.
However, others disagreed: Someone quoted a friend: “Paintings are sold when they are painted, not when they are sold.” “Why not just take the time to make better art?” suggested Robert. “An artist is one who creates art. Create the best art you are capable of creating, because you must, and for the joy and satisfaction of creating it. The rest will take care of itself.” said Carl. Deborah suggested Deborah Paris’ book, Studio & Business Practices for Successful Artists and can be found on her blog. Virginia mentioned Alyson Stanfield’s book, I’d Rather [Be?] in the Studio also that Stanfield has an informative blog. Lastly, Donald suggested that the books by Jack White, artist and author, are on Amazon as well as on his web site and are highly recommended.
Color Gradations in the Sky
Most of the time, when I paint a sky it is lighter at the horizon and gradually becomes more blue at the top of the painting or I avoid the issue totally and paint the sky pink. But I do plein air paintings and they are finished in a few hours. Perhaps I should take the following advice.
Michael Albala, in his book Landscape Painting, says that “to interpret the sky as a solid patch of color is to miss one of the best opportunities to explore the richness of color available to the landscape painter.” The sky actually undergoes several color gradations from horizon to zenith – namely, red-orange, yellow orange, yellow-green, blue-green and blue-violet. They are not distinct bands of color and vary according to the weather conditions and time of day. They are more obvious in early morning and late afternoons. Color choice can make the sky feel like the luminous light source that it is.
Landscape Paintings on Parade
Suzanne brought 5 landscape paintings to my house today and I will add several of mine and take them to Betty’s house tomorrow. We are getting ready to show our plein air paintings at the Ocean City Library from September 19 to October 31. Betty and some friends will hang the paintings on September 19.
Tonight Betty also received a call from Mary at the Ocean Pines Library asking if we would like to show our work there – during October! Even though the request comes at the last minute, how could one refuse a request like that? Now we are scampering (and rapidly painting) to find enough paintings for that exhibit which will begin October 1.
Plein Air Painting at Chincoteague, Again
What a time we had this week! The weather was cloudy, occasionally misting rain. Katya was coming up the coast producing phenomenal waves. The big problem was that the sky had very thick white clouds, hence no shadows, what we all need to describe form. And when you looked at the breaking waves, they were almost the same color as the sky!
This was the 8th annual plein air event and 45 artists came to celebrate. There were many sales. Paintings in the $75-$125 range were popular, but also many paintings in the $350 and above also sold well. I don’t know the final tally, but Nancy West, the Coordinator, said it was the best year ever! And that is amazing!
In the Studio
Landscapes executed in the studio can be the artist’s most full-bodied expression. In the comfort of the studio, the landscape painter has the luxury of time to resolve all the visual problems that fleeting light and time don’t permit in outdoor work. Studio paintings do not have the spontaneity of plein air work, but what they lack in immediacy they more than make up for with fully realized solutions.
The slower, studied approach of studio work gives the painter options to explore issues of composition, color and paint handling in ways that can bring the visual idea to its most complete state. In oil, for instance, glazing or textural brushwork can take several days to dry. In the studio, there is time to put a painting aside and gain a fresh perspective days or weeks later. In short, the studio embodies everything that outdoor work does not: controlled lighting, a comfortable environment, and time to take a more contemplative approach to the subject.
See It
As a plein air painter, you translate the 3-dimensional world onto a 2-dimensional canvas. We see the objects of a landscape as existing in space: A tree is in front of a mountain. In two dimensions, however, an edge is formed where the tree and the mountain touch.
The first thing a plein air painter should learn is the usefulness of squinting at the subject. Squinting helps to filter out nonessential details.
It is difficult to judge the exact color and value of any element of a landscape out of context. It is easier to see, understand and judge by comparing one element to another. Squint at the scene and ask yourself several questions: Is the mountain lighter or darker than the tree? Is the light on the tree lighter or darker than the sky? Which tree is greener, which bluer? Looking for relationships of color, value and edge instead of looking at objects is thinking like an artist. Not only will it energize your work, but your tree will look more like a tree!