Sunday, June 26, 2016

Jane Hunt Workshop

This weekend I was attending Jane Hunt's Plein Air WS on Bainbridge Island, as always hosted by Martha Jordan.
On Day1(Sat) we went out to Pritchard Park on the same spot we did with Tim Deibler a couple of years ago. I tried to paint the same tree I think Tim painted and I painted last time, but I couldn't figure out how to handle thick layered trunks and branches then leaves. Tried Jane's technique, using a plastic painting knife for lighted up leaves but didn't work well for stones underneath, then timed out.
Day2 was at flower garden for color study with limited palette. From the beginning the ground for sun-lit and shadowed areas are cooler than they're supposed to be. And, of course, I can't figure out how to paint flowers and leaves well. That's why I gave up flowers as subject for long time ago. Anyway, I managed to get this this level (above right photo).

Jane is quite keen about values. She doesn't use much high chroma colors but the result comes up natural because of that. I don't think I would start using knives but I'll study more about value range 1 to 4 more.

Sunday, June 19, 2016

Painting at Potholes Coulee

Last night I stayed at Red Lion in Wenatchee and rode down to Pothoses Coulee area and painted Dusty Lake from above. Shapes are probably ok but colors are not what I intended. Left side bluff is too purplish and the right side is too burnt sienna like. I might try putting burnt umber to the pallet again next time. Darkest dark is always purplish. 

Sunday, June 5, 2016

Eric Jaconson WS - Day 2

Today, I brought the reference photo I took at Skagit river several years ago to the WS, and asked Eric about the composition I should cut out of. The photo includes the embankment of the river and shorter trees on the left side. But if I painted both embankment and the river together, the taller tree (in the image on the left) would come to the center of the frame, which I wanted to avoid.

Eric suggested to use only the river part, which I painted above and also I did on site when I was there. I think that was the same reason I painted that way at that time. Anyhow the rest has come naturally. I think I handled the softer edges better than yesterday.

Saturday, June 4, 2016

Eric Jacobson Workshop - Day 1

Today I went to Bain Bridge Island to join Portland painter Eric Jacobson's workshop, which continues to tomorrow at Winslow Art Center. His style is somewhat similar to Tim Deibler's, even a little less detailed.
But their brush strokes and mark making are not far a part, which I want to get to but almost impossible to accomplish so far.

I tried Palouse Falls from the photo I took from my winter vacation. I could only managed get the drawing and values into acceptable range but not much different from what I've been doing en plein air. I'll try something better tomorrow.

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Keep Improving Middle Range Mountains

Made further value adjustment on mid-range mountains to show the distance but still shadowed by clouds.
Also made the clouds lighter as at the same time.