Posts Tagged ‘plein air painter’
How to Critique Yourself – for the Plein Air Painter (2)
My first essay about critique for the plein air painter was last week. Robert Genn continued, saying he felt that a checklist is valuable and that you need to write and follow your own list. His list includes a series of varying questions: Meaningful subject? Strong patterns? Middle tones? Interlocking gradations? Echoing shapes? Flowing design? Alluring counterpoint? Lost and found? Focal point? Big and small? Overall simplicity? Complex shapes? Visual depth? Interesting shapes? Aerial perspective? Sophisticated color? Natural believability? What could be?
His readers questioned him about a few of the above and he continued. “Alluring counterpoint” is where there is a small amount of jumpy detail or “grace notes” that give a secondary area of interest without destroying the power of the whole. I often try for at least one area of AC. “Interlocking gradations” are smaller gradations or blends laid side by side or juxtaposed. They give added, often abstract, interest and mystery to otherwise ordinary subjects. General gradations are gradations or blends in a large area such as sky, water or the general base of an abstract, etc. Interposed with “flats” these general gradations go a long way toward strengthening compositions (also helping areas to “sit up” or “lie down”) and holding the eye. “Interesting surfaces” means texture, shine (final varnish) and evidence of the human hand at work. In my case I like an even, “handmade” look, not too artificially rough, not too slickly smooth. Inconsequential though these concerns might seem, they all contribute to a work’s visual “stickyness.” In the pursuit of making your own work unique, I should emphasize that while your list may have parts of other artists’ lists, your list needs to be your own list.
If you want to see what other readers mentioned as their lists, go to http://clicks.robertgenn.com/critique-self.php
How to Critique Yourself – for the Plein Air Painter
Robert Genn, Canadian plein air painter, in his November 18, 2011 newsletter, answered someone’s question about how to critique one’s own work. Here, in part is his answer:
Quality develops when the artist and the critic are honed into a functioning co-op within the same skull. The “ritual” is to pry the artist away from the critic. The artist can be flamboyant, egocentric and prejudiced. The critic needs to be patient, humble and strict. A split personality may be the price you have to pay to see your work through fresh, unsullied eyes. The operation doesn’t hurt–much.
Divorcing yourself from the preciousness of your efforts and seeing your work as it really is takes time and mileage. This means “alone time” in your working area. No quality work or strong direction will arise in environments where consultants are readily available.
A valuable ploy is to constantly upgrade and rethink standards of excellence, most often done through books and other media. The mere act of holding onto great works or seeing them in museums magically transfers a sense of timelessness and creative soul. Fact is, you will not generally improve by misguided staring at your own efforts.
The Impatient Plein Air Painter (3)
If you are a plein air painter, perhaps you are interested in the differences in painting and handling between alkyds and traditional oils. Michael Chesley Johnson’s article in the December 2011 edition of the Artist’s Magazine lists some suggestions for working with alkyds.
Because alkyds dry quickly, you’ll want to put out only the amount you need for a session. Also, consider a paper palette which you can throw away; a wooden palette is harder to clean after painting with alkyds. You must discard alkyds because they will be unusable the next day. If you mixed the alkyds with traditional oils, the mixtures will take longer to dry than they would with straight alkyds.
Alkyd colors tend to be more transparent than traditional oil paints. Alkyds from the same manufacturer tend to dry with the same even finish. Windsor & Newton’s alkyds have a semi gloss finish; Gamblin’s give a matte finish. Be sure to clean your brushes right away; otherwise, the paint will dry on the brushes and ruin them. If you continue to paint with traditional oils, you may want to put aside a special set of brushes that you use only for alkyds.
The Impatient Plein Air Painter (2)
The traveling plein air painter will find that alkyds dry quickly enough to be easily managed. With a full alkyd palette, the paintings will be wet when you come from the field, but after a day or so, they can be stacked without damage – just use wax paper to separate and protect them.
For the painter who likes to work wet-in-wet, alkyds dry just enough during a painting session to become tacky. The surface then becomes receptive to taking on additional paint. Also, if you play with texture, you’ll be able to layer paint more quickly.
For the studio artist who builds up layers or glazes, each of which is allowed to dry, alkyds are great for establishing an under painting. With alkyds which dry in 18-24 hours, a new layer can be applied the next day. For painters looking to add many layers of glazes, the painting can be completed many weeks sooner than if done in oils. In addition, varnishing can be done much sooner, sometimes in as few as 3 months.
To my readers: look for blogs pots to come out about twice a week in the future.
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.
The Vision of the Landscape Painter
When deciding on a view to paint, the landscape painter must ask self what it is about the view that is exciting and makes you want to paint it. That is what the painting is about. That is the main idea that will carry you to a successful conclusion. Is the main idea a color event, a powerful arrangement of shapes, a profound use of space, or an abstract idea? Is there an “Aha!” moment that will surprise and delight the viewer?
If the subject is simply a barn, then how can the visual language be used to capture the “barn essence”? Will the subject convey meaning to the viewer on more than just a visual level? Perhaps an emotional level?
If you are not immediately aware of an outstanding aesthetic event, you may need to dive in and start working. The best way to get to know a subject is to paint or draw it. Often, the process of painting itself – composing, mixing colors, exploring value patterns, and pushing paint around – reveals visual dynamics that were not apparent when you first saw the subject.
Subject and Vision of the Plein Air Painter
Every good painting is about something, and that “something” is more than the literal subject matter. The most exciting plein air paintings offer a unique interpretation of the world by focusing on an aesthetic experience that becomes the painting’s reason to be.
On the most basic level, every representational painting is, in part, about content and subject matter. On another level, the subject is a vehicle for the artist to explore the visual language of painting: color, composition, value, form, movement, and the paint itself. Is the subject the barn sitting at the end of a field, or is it about a color experience – a red shape poised against a green field? Which event is the dominant statement – the barn or the color experience?
Finding Your Voice – for the Plein Air Painter – Part 2
Continuing from yesterday, Dr. Maisel listed other ways for the plein air painter as well as others to find their voice. A word about these ways follows:
1) Don’t rest on skills and talents. If you excel at painting dynamic dogs, don’t rely on this skill so completely that you effectively silence yourself. 2) Allow risk-taking to feel risky. A risk is likely to feel risky. Get ready for the reality by practicing one or two anxiety strategies that allow you to reduce your experience of anxiety. 3) Articulate what you are attempting – to yourself. By putting what you hope to accomplish in words, you clarify your intentions and will value your efforts more strongly.
4) Finding your voice may be as simple and straight forward as making a list of your loves. 5) Accept never-before-seen results. It can feel odd to speak in your own voice and then not recognize the results. What you’ve created may be genuinely new – and completely new to you – and may look like nothing you’ve seen before. Don’t rush to judge it as odd, a mess, a mistake or not what you intended. Give it time to grow on you and speak to you. Your own voice may sound unfamiliar if you’ve never heard it before.
Finding Your Voice – for the Plein Air Painter
Plein air painters as well as others can paint for many years and never quite find their artistic voice. Eric Maisel., PH.D., in the October 2011 issue of Professional Artist gives 10 tips for finding your voice as an artist. The following are two:
All artists possess an internal library of the successful art works of well-known artists. As a result, a very common problem, and almost always a subconscious one, is the need for an artist in the early stages of his or her career to make art that looks like this “good art” or “real art.” Without realizing what he or she is doing, the artist aims to push his or her art in the direction of those successes. It is vital that an artist gives his or her own imagery a chance to appear.
When you make new work that you think is pointing you in the direction of your genuine voice, try to complete that work rather than stopping midway because “it doesn’t look right” or “it isn’t working out.” You will make more progress if you push through those feelings and complete the work, and appraise it afterward. It is natural for work that is a stretch for you to provoke all sorts of uncomfortable feelings as you attempt it. Help yourself tolerate those feelings by reminding yourself that finishing is the key to progress.
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.