Summer Plein Airs

I have accumulated a big stack of work from paint outs in July and August, some finished - some not.   I'll show you a few.

Well, time to head back out there and paint!  Thanks for looking + let me know if  you have any questions.

Plein Air in the Park

It's fun to challenge yourself to simplify, let the light and value describe form.  Hyon painted with me in this same park a little more than a week ago and she was talking about 'notan,' which to me means see in 3 values.  'Conversations in Paint' by Charles Dunn has a chapter on it with good illustrations and you can check out the short video below.  My painting ended up a little more complicated but the underlying structure is there.  Some one told me it looked like a very serene little house; I think its a direct result of the light-dark harmony.  Have you ever worked with this Japanese design principal?  It's just getting back to basics, especially if a piece just isn't coming together.  Let me know if you try it :)

Urban Plein Air

    Urban Path - Watercolor = 11 x 14 in

2 Blocks North of the Broadway Bridge and dismantled water tank. 

Wednesday Farmers Market

I was setting up easel and deciding on a composition when a group of street musicians set up right in front of my intended subject. Below is a portion of the finished painting.

Street Musicians - Bottom of the Barrel

14 x 18

Please contact artist if interested in purchase

look for "Bottom of the Barrel" on Facebook

There was so much activity; people, shoppers, dancers!   Oh did I mention it was full blow raining by the time I was forced to quit.   Here's a little tip for watercolor in high humidity (misting or heavy drizzle) select paper that is hot press or bristol and a smaller # like 80 or 90.  You will have a much better chance for saving a few hard edges.  I had a great but brief painting session.

Summer!

Bring on the Sun!

 

Watercolor sketch 8 x 8

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Converting a Camera Tripod to a Travel Easel

Of course I couldn't have done it without help from my brother in law who made the little 4 x 4 wood blocks and counter sunk the 1/2 inch 'T' nuts an eighth inch. Blocks are 3/4 inch deep.  This is how it will look on your tripod;

Last photo shows the bottom of the 'T' nut but when you glue on your painting board with Gorilla Glue  you will cover this up.  Follow directions on bottle and keep away from the screw threads that will mount to tri pod.  My tip here is to buy a ready made frame from a reputable dealer that comes with the 1/8 inch hard board backing and glue that to your adapter.  Those boards are too heavy for a 16 x 20 frame  and they are not archival.  You can put a piece of acid free FC in the frame later.  Now that you have glued on your painting support, clip on a piece of watercolor paper  and take it on for a test run!

I tried it out over the weekend and I am very pleased with  this light weight option over the heavy steel WC easel I usually carry; this one fits in the back pack and will be fine as long as there are no huge wind gusts.  Hope you can try this.
*Plein Air Painting is from below Sitka on the mouth of the Salmon River.

Painting Friends Around Town

Stopped by Muse Art and Design yesterday on Hawthorne Blvd and found Liz Walker doing an Acrylic Demo.  I stopped her midsentence and mid painting to snap a pic!  Liz is participating in the series,"An Artist Day,"  to help Art teachers put Art Supplies in the class room.  For full details look at this link!

You Can Quote Me

'You're an Adult so only use the broken crayons if you want to.'

Pencil Sketch

I had no actual reference as I sketched this. My intent was to just practice hatching lines  (evenly spaced strokes with the same pressure) to create a random shape of value. I started seeing some facial features so I brought some of that out with an eraser.  I did more of the hatching alternating with an eraser till I put in detail in the eyes and mouth.  It  is really just a doodle; kind of fun when they turn out to look like something!  I need to put the iPad down and do more sketching and get ready for getting outdoors.