Posts Tagged ‘plein air paintings’
The Edison and Ford Estates
My friend and I decided to do some landscape painting at the Edison and Ford Estates today. Our friends had said they had seen several landscape painters on the Estates and that painters were encouraged to come.
After we parked, I went to pay any fees and ask permission to paint. After talking with 2 volunteers and another who seemed to be a paid employee, I waited for the Event Coordinator who asked me if I would try to sell my painting. I said I did have a web site and hoped to do so. I then had to sign a couple of papers which, in her words, said that if I became a Van Gogh, I would owe the Estates something. I replied that I would be glad to share with the Estates, but not to hold her breath! At least, I didn’t have to pay!
Edison had imported several varieties of Ficus and Banyan trees as well as several other types of trees, trying to find a method of producing rubber, and they had been planted in a grove next to one of the parking areas. My friend painted a giant Ficus tree and I painted a leafless Bo tree on such a gorgeous day!.
The Open House
Several days ago I printed invitations to our Open House today, 2-4 PM, and my friend and I took them around to several neighbors in the development in which we live. We wanted a chance to get acquainted with the neighbors, as we are somewhat new here, a time when they could visit with each other, and an opportunity to show them our landscape paintings.
They came! They talked! They enjoyed themselves! They ate – but not much! They really liked our fruit punch! They asked a lot of questions about our paintings and, I think, they liked them. Best of all, we enjoyed having a chance to spend a little time with the neighbors, getting to know them better.
Delighted!
When I went to the gallery in Matlacha to pick up my landscape paintings, the owner said he would be happy to keep them over the summer if I trusted him. Trusted him? If I hadn’t trusted him, I never would have left them in the first place!
I was absolutely delighted that he would be interested in continuing to try to sell my paintings. My next option would be to try to sell them in Maryland, but how many people in Maryland would be interested in palm trees or banana trees? Only the people who live with them would truly appreciate and love those beautiful whimsical trees!
Red Tree Trunks and Pink Skies
Usually, when I want to paint a landscape painting, I go to a site, find a scene that appeals to me and set up my easel. Then I decide where I want the focal point to be located on the canvas, and draw the lines necessary for the structure of the scene
In the past, I drew the outlines of the tree trunks and foliage, omitting all but the necessary parts. I then painted each part a color. The result was a very flat scene.
Recently, I have been trying to add shading so that the trees look rounded and foliage more natural. I think these paintings appear more realistic, however, I may always paint red tree trunks and pink skies!
The Jaycee Park
We had another warm day on Saturday and my friend and I visited the Jaycee Park in Cape Coral, FL, at the end of Beach Parkway. Here we found some very large trees – Australian pines – that have interesting markings for landscape paintings.
These trees grow to a height of 100 feet and have long branches with a wonderful array of wispy grey-green leaves that look like a giant fan in the sky. The trunks are large, sometimes twisted, and with a variety of unusual marks and scars from long-ago cut off branches. These are the kinds of trees I love to paint for they have personality!
How Color is Affected by Adjacent Colors
A color is affected by the color next to it. Try this: Draw four squares about 2″ on a side and within each, draw another square about 1″ on a side. Paint the middle square of each the same color, say red. For the surrounding squares, use yellow, green, blue and gray respectively. Notice that the red appears different against the yellow background as compared with the others.
Another suggestion would be to set up a simple still life. Look at the various shapes of light and shadow. Mix one color and put it on the canvas, then another. Don’t worry if the color doesn’t look the same on the canvas as it did on the palette. Continue until you have the whole canvas covered. Then go back and make the corrections you need. Chances are that when you change one color, you will also have to alter the surrounding colors. This is good practice for your landscape paintings.
Colors to use for Landscape Paintings
If you are a beginner, chances are that you may need to buy paint. Inexpensive paint will work just fine as all paint consists of pigment and a binder, often linseed oil. I suggest small tubes of warm and cool varieties of the three major colors plus raw umber and white. For example, alizarin crimson and cadmium red light, cadmium yellow hue and cad yellow pale hue (cadmium is a heavy metal and is toxic, therefore always use the hue, if possible), ultramarine blue and cerulean blue.
Titanium white is probably the best white for all around use and you will probably need a large tube, but bear in mind that titanium is also toxic, so if some gets on your skin, try to wash it off as soon as possible. Personally, I use Flake White Replacement, as it is non toxic, but more difficult to find.
Also, consider the medium you might want to use to dilute the colors and/or help them to flow. In the past, I used turpentine to help the colors flow, as well as to wash my brush. However, turp is also toxic. Now, I use linseed oil for both purposes. Ordinary canola oil is good for cleaning the brushes followed by washing with ordinary hand soap or Master’s Soap, which is wonderful for getting out even dried paint.
With these few colors, you will be able to mix any color you choose in preparation for your landscape paintings.
Advancing and Receding Colors
Landscape paintings use a two-dimensional surface to show a three-dimensional scene. In order to create a believable painting, the artist must use his/her knowledge of colors and edges.
Cool colors appear further away from us than warm colors when seen from the same location.Mountains in the distance will become cooler with greater distance. Also, they will become grayer, less intense, and with edges that are less distinct. Objects in the foreground will appear to have warmer colors, more intense color, and sharper edges.
Time Out
Every once in a while I have to take time to get myself organized. I have to photograph paintings and put the photos on the web site. That happened last week when I added eleven new photos to my site.
Tomorrow is another such day. I must finish the landscape paintings I started last week at the Preserves so they can dry and be included the next time I put photos on my site.