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Painting plein air in your garden.
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Message
Posted
Still hazy sun here, rain later and for much of the week I think!
I know some of you like to see close-up shots, so here is one. It demonstrates how I like to paint, some may call it 'rough', I like to think of it more as 'painterly'. I'm after an impression, not an accurate and detailed representation - my camera does that so much better!
Posted
Looking really good Alan it been nice to see it develop. I’ve started photographing my paintings as I go along I find it great to look at it on the iPad. What I also do is run it through to edit to see if I want it darker or lighter. Great on slideshow as you see it develop very quickly, I don’t keep the photo’s only the final one as a record. Have a try it’s worth it.
Posted
Glad you found it interesting Paul. I’m painting from life here, so I’m basically using the colours, and more particularly the tonal range and balance that I’m looking at in nature.
I’m not too fussed about messing about with it digitally, I generally know where I’m going and call on my experience if anything looks amiss, which does happen!
However, anything that helps you along the way, like digital, can only be a good thing.
Posted
Alan it's the underlying colours that you use that I find amazing. I hope I can learn from that. It will all be an experiment with me, I've done a quick sketch sitting at patio doors, (open) keep getting rained of, just light showers, and taken some photos for reference and will get my canvas ready and prepared then will just take my time 👍
Posted
Well if you mean my ground colour Linda, that’s easily sorted. I generally pick a neutral grey, or perhaps ochres, something that will add some sort of cohesion to the whole thing.
Some of this base/ground colour will stay. Just use acrylic, as it dries quickly and brush or rub the colour over the canvas with a cloth.
I’ve got a Spanish themed WIP in the e-newsletter next week, you may find it of some help.
Shout up if you need some advice! I’m here 24/7.
Posted
Alan - you often say that your various posts must be of 'little interest to other forum members', but as others have, I think, said - you may be totally wrong about that. I always enjoy your posts, AND works in progress generally - doesn't mean I always comment on them, and in some cases I wouldn't presume to. But you carry on posting them - it's fascinating to see how you get the results you do, and the stages you go through to get there. I usually hit a stage of maximum hideousness in my own paintings: and then the fun is pulling around so it stops looking grim, and starts to resemble what I had in mind to start with. The slightly annoying thing is that I often prefer my preliminary marks to the end result - or perhaps mourn their death, hidden under layers of paint - my first attack on the canvas often has a far more impressionistic, even abstract, quality than anything that ensues..... But there we are. If I were your great and famous artist, I'd probably be able to sell those first efforts - but people, unreasonably, do like their paintings 'finished'; can be a bit of a curse..........
Posted
Well thanks guys, appreciated.
Robert, I have to hold back from painting too tight, I’m only just starting to manage it consistently! Nothing wrong with a tight style of course, it’s just not what I’m aiming for personally.
I actually (and I’m sure you’re the same), don’t concern myself with how Joe Public views our paintings, I paint in my style, to please me - fortunately, there are many others who also appreciate my work.
Posted
As someone once said to me, if you don't please yourself, you're never going to please anyone else. I'm not actually sure how true that is: a late friend who was a commercial artist told me that he hated the work he'd had to do to earn a living - he was very good at it, but seemed to take so little pleasure in it that I wondered why he persisted and didn't try something else; but at the same time - I've done my share of pot-boilers too: but really don't want to do any more of them.
Posted
Here's stage three just completed. A bit duller out today, but I'd previously indicated my shadows, so I've stuck with those.
The final stage will see some tightening up of branches etc, a few areas need more depth, finally adding strong sunlit highlights and an indication of a few plants and foliage in the foreground.
