Posts Tagged ‘abstract art’
Going Big from Plein Air Paintings
Last week Robert Genn, Canadian landscape painter, had some ideas about how to change a small 8” x 10” plein air painting into a large studio piece. Here is what he said: Effective large paintings are often merely small paintings enlarged. This is how they gain power and authority. The temptation is to put more elements into larger paintings, thus weakening the overall compositions.
To make better bigs, first consider copying small paintings onto the larger formats you have in mind. Enlarge the size of brushes you use, squeeze more paint – you’re going to need it. Where really large amounts are needed, premix. In acrylics, storage in yogurt cups with lids makes for ease of operation and avoids all kinds of problems. Artists need to eat a lot of yogurt.
Gridding, pantographong and projecting-up are useful tools in the art of bigs. Don’t be embarrassed about using these tools – it’s just practical and intelligent. The time honored convention of the thumbnail is most useful in planning bigs. Go small – and let the sketch tell you what size might work best.
Blind Spots in Plein Air Painting
Landscape painter Robert Genn in his weekly newsletter recently wrote about blind spots. He had successfully avoided someone whom he didn’t like at a party by avoiding eye contact with him. In like manner, a few days later he realized he was doing the same thing with his painting. He disliked some areas, so he avoided them. Other areas held his attention and kept him busy.
Upon checking with his fellow painters, he found that some had the same problem with blind spots. For some, the background held their attention while they ignored the difficult foreground. For others, certain small areas became lost in the shuffle.
How do you defeat the blind spot syndrome? First, accept that you will naturally favor some areas more than others. While your work is in progress you need to move between confident brushwork and rational strategy. It takes both sides of your brain to find the blind spots. Then let a few days pass before final decisions. Cruise objectively as through the eyes of another artist. The fixable blind spots will appear.
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.
Art Class Was My All Time Favorite
One of the best classes I took in high school was art class. The creativity that we were allowed to use was so much fun. Even if we didn’t have any artistic ability our teacher made us feel like we were the most talented kids out there. We worked on all different types of projects.
The most intriguing project that we had to do was when we had to paint a self portrait. Our teacher wanted us to paint it in abstract expressionism format. It was quit entertaining to see what people came up with. The teacher was very impressed with my use of colors and shapes. I didn’t think it looked anything like me, but I suppose that was the point.
Beauty of Nature
Are you looking for a way to enhance the rustic theme in your home? Bring the beauty of the outdoors inside with an inspiring deer art oil painting. Deer are one of natures’ most treasured and beloved animals because of their innocence, majesty and beauty. Now there’s no better way to commemorate the deer than by bringing it indoors, where you can enjoy it day after day, for years to come.
Nature enthusiasts and deer lovers alike can include the elegant artwork of these great animals with one-of-a-kind deer art. It represents an artistic and unique way of adding nature element to your home interior. This abstract oil painting is a great way to bring nature into your home and create the same atmosphere as the great outdoors without having to leave the comforts of home – true beauty of the deer all year long.
Plein Air Workshop
Two weeks ago or so I met an art teacher who told me about a plein air oil painting workshop near Belleville, PA, a bit south east of State College. My friends checked out the information and we decided to attend.
So tomorrow, we plan to leave Betty’s house at 8 am – a bit early for me – and, hopefully, get there in time to paint. We’ll attend all day Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Then drive back in the afternoon. I’m eager to meet the artists involved and get to plein air painting again. However, you won’t hear from me for a few days, but then I will continue this series.
Plein Air Painting Is for Me
The fact the I am a painter is a miracle! All my life I have studied the sciences and never took one art lesson until five years before I retired. Now, however, I love painting en plein air (French for “open air”), traveling and meeting new people.
When I was a child, we lived on a small acreage with a wooded area on a back corner. Occasionally, I visited that area and enjoyed seeing the different plants and shrubs and how the sun danced on the leaves. Perhaps that is when I learned to love trees. Much later I had a wonderful opportunity to take free art lessons at the nearby university. After I moved away, I went to the local gallery and continued with lessons. Several years later I moved to Maryland where I met plein air painters. We actually took our easels out to a field, set up, and I was overwhelmed! What do I put on my 8” x 10” canvas from that vast array of scenery? At the same time, I was hooked! It was exciting to be out of doors. As the poet said, “It doesn’t matter whether I got bee stings or sunburn, lost my brush or my picture didn’t turn out well, I still had a great day.” Now I enjoy beautiful trees everywhere, but when I want to paint, I look for those which grew in an irregular fashion or have seen many years of wind and storms, perhaps losing limbs in the process. Those are the ones that speak to me so I set up my easel and we have a face-to face conversation.
John F. Carlson (1875-1947)
Recently, I read a book which listed twelve US painters of the early 20th century and described their methods of painting. The one which interested me the most was John F. Carlson, an institution in the American art world. His awards in watercolors and oil painting fill a long column in Who’s Who in American Art. His book Elementary Principles of Landscape Painting, written in 1928, was reprinted in 1953, 1958, 1970 and 1973. Recent additions have been titled Carlson’s Guide to Landscape Painting.
His words: “I would rather be in the woods than any other place on earth,” said John F. Carlson, one of America’s foremost oil painters, “ and I’ve spent a good part of my life painting trees. Naturally, I’ve gotten acquainted with them. Trees are a lot like human beings: rooted men, possessing character, ambitions and idiosyncrasies. Those who know trees see all their whims; see their struggles, too; struggles with wind and weather, struggles to adjust themselves to their society. For nature will not allow them to run amok. Heedless of their neighbors, their individual propensities must conform to the cosmic laws within their own democracy. Thus there is a certain rhythm in a wood; a flow between parts, a give and take that is rigidly observed”. What a great love for trees and the out-of-doors he had!
The Edison Estate
Thelma and I have been waiting for today for a long time. Several weeks ago we inquired about painting at the Edison Estate and we were told that artists are allowed on Wednesdays, and the entrance fee would be $5. The classes for which we had registered were always on Wednesday, so we had to wait until class ended before we could come.
Today we arrived at the Estate about 10:30 AM and I went in to pay the fees. One cashier knew nothing about the fee for artists, the other had heard of it, but wasn’t sure the amount. That already told me they have not been overwhelmed with artists. Eventually I paid the money and we found a tree that appealed to each of us. After a couple of hours we had completed our trees and some background and headed home – the rest to be completed in the studio. It was great to be outdoors doing plein air oil paintings again after so many weeks of acrylics in class.
Just for Laughs
Robert Genn, Canadian painter, in his twice-weekly newsletter recently discussed humor in art. He said he had received emails asking, “If it’s funny, is it art?” or, “does art have to be so serious?”
George Condo is one of the hotties in the New York art scene. Critics have described his oil paintings as “goofy,” “really bad,” “creepy” – you get the picture. Meanwhile, the public loves it. At a current show at the New Museum, collectors are buying his work like crazy, everything is selling out, and Condo is enjoying a life of luxury.
As Marshall McLuhan once said when asked about a definition of art, “Art is what you can get away with.” Genn says, “Be funny. Maybe a few laughs is what’s needed right now.” James Kalm noted, “I often find myself at cocktail parties, fantasizing that the person I am talking with is some sort of Condo monster,” Studios, ataliers, art galleries and museums are all full of Condo characters! We’re just not able to see them clearly!