Posts Tagged ‘Plein Air Art’
Drawing Ellipses
One shape that appears often to the oil painter of still lifes is the ellipse. Anytime a bowl, cup, bottle or anything cylindrical, spherical or half spherical is involved, an ellipse is to be painted.
The following rules apply only to vertical cylinders. First, establish your eye level. The ellipse nearest our eye level is the flattest, or the most closed. The further the ellipse is from eye level, the more open or round it is. If your eye is nearest the opening of a bottle, the ellipse describing that opening is very flat and the ellipse describing the bottom of the bottle is the most open. The openness of other ellipses, such as a salt shaker on its side, depends on the angle from which they are viewed.
Drawing a good ellipse takes practice. An ellipse is absolutely symmetrical and the ends are never pointed. You could place the ellipse within a rectangle, keeping in mind that an ellipse is always divisible into four equal quadrants. However, drawing a good ellipse comes only with a lot of practice.
Drawing Through
Being able to draw well is an essential tool not only for the oil painter, but for artists of all genres. If the parts of our paintings are not in proportion, the painting does not look believable.
One of the best ways to create a convincing three-dimensional figure is by using a method called “drawing through” in which you act as though the object is transparent. You draw not only what is seen, but also what is unseen. In this way you capture the underlying structure and achieve a sense of volume and depth in space.
In drawing a silo, you would draw not only the top ellipse, but also lightly sketch the center and bottom ones as well. If you were drawing a barn, you would imagine it as a cube or box and lightly draw through all 6 sides. It is a simple way to prevent a flattened silo or a lopsided barn.
The Basket List
In his twice-weekly newsletter, Canadian landscape painter, Robert Genn, says he is making a “basket list.” Not a “bucket list” of things he wants to do before he kicks the bucket, he is making a “basket list” of things he wants to try in his work. It can be made on the run in a sketchbook of observations related to nature or painterly ideas or motifs or techniques.
Here are a few of his: Foreground snow interspersed with patches of bare ground with green shoots sprouting. High-key green. A moldering stone-based barn with horizontal and vertical boards in a variety of grays. Texture and impasto. The casual use of scumble to add freshness and “think-on-your-feet” sincerity. Be Velasquez.
While words are useful, a quick drawing is also helpful. No matter how pedestrian the observations seem, we need to make them our own. It’s one of the great principles of making art: “Name it and claim it,” “You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” (Jack London)
Photographing Art
Being an artist is more than creating beautiful oil paintings - although that is difficult enough. Painters enter their works in galleries, competitions and shows and post them on web sites and blogs. In order to do this, a photograph is necessary. Either the artist must photograph the work herself, have a husband or good friend do it, or pay a professional – and that can be quite expensive.
Today I attended a class in photographing art. I learned about placing the artwork in relation to the camera and lights, different kinds of lighting, the focal lengths of lenses, the apertures of the lenses and the depth of field a small or large aperture produces. All this and much more are important in producing a great photo of art.
Maker’s Blinders
Canadian artist, Robert Genn, is in Santa Fe but he still receives email from his readers. One wrote this week saying he had “Maker’s blinders.” He sees only one part of his oil painting even though other parts might be substandard – as if he had on blinders.
Genn replied that this is a common malady. It’s human nature to pay attention to what we do well and avoid what we don’t. Here are some tips to avoid that problem: 1) See the “big picture” – the whole work as it might play out, perhaps in many outcomes, 2) See the “whole meaning” of the work so that one part will not distract from the main thought, 3) Regularly refresh and reboot your image-in-progress. Walk away and leave your work for a while, 4) Give yourself creative power over all. When you begin to see yourself not as a technician, but as a master “auteur,” you begin to be one. Don’t consult with someone else. Your consultant may have blinders on also.
A Spiritual Event
Robert Genn, Canadian painter, in his twice-weekly newsletter last week described painting as a spiritual event. He said, “The act has something to do with making a physical tribute – a sort of visual prayer – honoring the gifts that surround us and the life we’ve been given.” Specifically, he mentions the following:
Art establishes and makes tangible a time, a place, a thought, an idea. Art, properly made, enhances and enriches the lives of others. Art gives an opportunity to endow new life and new meaning into the ordinary. Art gives an opportunity to design your own world, and, as in your children, create a significant immortality.
Art is hard-earned work that is its own reward and has a degree of permanence. Art, because it’s so easy to do, and yet so difficult to do well, encourages humility in the human soul. Art is an apprenticeship that can be stretched into a lifelong education. Art thrives on democratic ideals, freedom of expression and rugged individualism. Art permits you to step out of the labyrinth and into a quiet corner of your own private joy. “Work is love made visible.” (Kahlil Gibran)
School’s Out
Last week in my “Paint Your Passion” acrylic painting class, I chose a photo of a group of colorful fish to paint. Today I brought the finished painting to class and everyone liked it! I was happy because I had spent time one day just doing the background. The next day I painted the multi-colored fish and named the painting, “School’s Out.”
The lesson today was to paint one or more figures. Teacher showed us several examples of figures representing people, but certainly not portraits! Some were very flat, some askew, some painted a variety of colors – blue, for example – so that we would understand that there are many ways to paint a person. I chose a photo of a plein air painter to paint because I know so many. The painting in the photo was hastily done so it was easy to replicate it for it had few details. I was able to get a large part of the work done in class, but will complete it soon.
The Questions
In answering the first question (when you look at a painting, what draws you to it?), most of the class agreed with “color” as their first answer. I recently discovered that yellow is my favorite color, but my wardrobe is full of greens, blues and pinks!
I really struggled with the second question (if you could paint anything, what would it be?). Three or four years ago, I did oil paintings of trees with red trunks and skies of pink or yellow. More recently, I have been doing more traditional paintings. I’m not sure which I like better – the traditional or the abstracts. The abstracted landscapes are definitely more whimsical.
Teacher then showed us a variety of pictures and we set out to choose one and paint it as we liked. This time mine has blue tree trunks!
Paint Your Passion Class
Last Wednesday I started a new class entitled, “Paint Your Passion”. It is being taught by Shirley Blake, the same teacher I had for the previous class. Acrylics are the medium of choice.
Some of the students took paintings they had just completed or on which they were working. I took some oil paintings about which I had questions. We looked at all those paintings then answered two questions: 1) when you look at paintings, what draws you to them? and 2) If you could paint anything, what would it be? Answering these questions reveals something perhaps very surprising about yourself.
Repainting
When my poor quality acrylics dried on their light teal background, my abstract painting looked like sad wallpaper. I decided to repaint everything in oils, and it made a world of difference! The colors were bright and distinct the way I had envisioned.
First, I repainted my first abstract, the one with the triangles and letters, which I will post tomorrow. Then, I repainted the second one with circles of many sizes. It looks OK, but when Teacher suggested I put in some small black circles, I think I took her advice to an extreme! My painting looks like it has the measles! We’ll see what Teacher says on Wednesday, and after corrections, I’ll post it soon.