Blog Views: This week so far...3858 views...from: USA, Russia, Belgium, France, Germany, Lithuania & Ukraine.

Plein Air:
A few weeks ago, my Plein Air class went out to paint along the lake. It was a little windy and cool and most stayed the whole 3 hours. Below are some photos taken that day....sorry I didn't get photos of everyone's paintings.

General Photos:

Liz:

Watercolor

John:

Watercolor

Mary:

watercolor

Karen:

Watercolor

Plein Air:
A few days ago was a very memorable day out Plein Air painting...great company, great art, great experience...I could not ask for a better time.

Here is a visual:....The weather was warm with a slight breeze and lots of shade. The scenery was excellent...water, mountains, pretty sailboats, marina and animals. The birds were singing; a mink fished; a pelican preened; Mama duck with not so little babies, still in protective mode; baby birds chirping for food; Green Heron standing proud and Grebes talking back and forth. No bugs (well, no real irritating ones...just a few wanting to become permanent with the paint), no mosquitoes, no surprises...just a great day all around. Thank you fellow artists.

Our View

Pelican 

Green Heron

Mama Duck

Grebe

Mink

Martha:

Acrylic

 Colette:

Watercolor

 Joni:

Watercolor

I didn't get finished...I usually don't paint when I have a class...but the day was so inviting !!!

I finished it in the studio

Votes: I have received only 2 votes for the  marina composition....you can read them on "comments".  I would like to hear from more of you...anyone from the International community want to vote?

Question: What if I put a wrench in the mix and said....what about the subject matter? The focal point goes to the sailboats, but  is the subject matter the time of day, spacing of the area (background, middle ground and foreground), lighting, quietness, early morning etc? Which is more the contributing factor?...focal point or subject matter?...and how does it change the composition?...or does it?

Foreign Language: Since we are having international blog viewings, I added the language translator button. The countries that have viewed the blog this week are: USA, Russia, Germany, United Kingdom.

Have a great week.

Blog Views: I added a page view count section on the right...so now you can see how many have looked at it. 

Plein Air: Below is my second attempt at painting Elk Lake Marina. I went back on a weekday and there were less people and dogs. I had all the intentions of using my support horizontally, but after a few thumbnail sketches, I decided to use it vertically. That did present some problems...it was top heavy....24" x 11" of 1/2" thick hardboard.  Since I don't use an easel with watercolors, I had to find a tree stump that was at the right height and at the right location to help hold the long heavy support.  The morning light was steamy, but the reflections were there, unlike my first visit (See Posting Sept. 7).. It was cold...it got down to 28* that night..in August..in Bend!!! Ouch....hence, my short visit.

I changed the composition by: painting only 4 boats, using a very limited palette and adding color to the boats (focal points are to have the color and the most contrast by painting the the dark water behind the boats).

Color Palette: I used only 2 colors for the main part of this painting...then added the colors for the boats. I used Joseph Zbukvic palette, but then only a few of his colors. 

Help...This is not a Test !!!   

Vote for Your Composition Preference: 

Leave a comment.

After arriving back home and looking at this painting for a few days, I decided that the composition may not be correct. It looked okay with my thumbnails. Perhaps, I painted to fast (about 30min) or when I got to the bottom half of the painting the support was harder to balance or I misjudged my composition (that's my vote)?

Below are 3 versions of cropping. Which one do you think is the best composition? Leave a comment. 

Vote for:

A...Original Painting.

B...Little cropped off the bottom.

C...All of the bottom is cropped.

                                                                              A

  

B

C

Vote...by leaving a comment (or e-mailing me).

 Plein Air Painting

Plein Air...French for "Painting outdoors or in the air". Now is a great time of year to go out and find your outdoor muse! Here are some (not all) guidelines and helpful hints:

Before you start painting: Look at your view...and then decide:

* What will be your focal point?

* What can you simplify ...you do need to pick the main shapes and let others fall away.

* Composition...how can you change the composition to make a better painting? Unless you have to have a painting that represents your view exactly...you will probably change elements so your painting has a better composition. Natural isn't always best. 

* Value...find your values. Is the sky lighter than the mountain?...is the mountain darker than the sky?...etc.

* Light Source: It will change every second, not only because time tics...but clouds can cover over the sun etc..(you fainted because you didn't drink enough water). 

* Color Palette....use  limited colors. Keep your palette shaded.

* Paint small? It helps when you are chasing the light source, weather conditions and how fast paints dry.

* Do your homework on your area and expect the unexpected !!! (do as I say, not as I did!)!

While camping, I went, during early evening,  to Elk Lake to do a little Plein Air of the marina. The little lake I camp at doesn't have a lodge or marina. As I entered the gravel road into the lodge, I knew instantly I DID NOT DO MY HOMEWORK. The road was lined on both sides with parked cars, trucks, empty boat trailers and PEOPLE....making the road into a one-way only. After backing up several times to let (unfriendly) drivers through....I parked almost as far away as the lake I 

left !!! (thank goodness I pack light). There was a wedding, a concert, day users and campers. Maybe...never go on a weekend??? The shore line was packed....I'd say, 5 people per square foot.  Anyone who has met me know I don't like painting in a crowd....but I said "What would my students do?" I was brave and went for it. I found a little spot with a little stump to lean my board on next to a family of 5 and 2 dogs ( that loved the water...got the picture?). I was lucky the 2 of the children were to young to ask me questions, the older daughter was in the stage of not daring to look at anyone...so I was lucky there too. I only wish I could say as much for the 2 dogs. I did two little paintings in watercolor in about 1 hr and got out of there. I went back during mid-week and found it to be a better experience. The morning reflections were so much better too.

There are a lot of details to learn about Plein Air...the best way to learn is to go out and try it. Have fun.

 I painted only a few of the boats...my way to simplify the composition.

Early evening cast a interesting light...but the reflections were nonexistent. 

Got my Challenge Trees painted!

Share your Plein Air Paintings with us....e-mail them to me and I'll post.