Blog "Lite"- Just for Fun

I have talked about my photo files in previous posts.  I keep files of paintings by others that I love by subject matter and I keep photos of all my paintings (even the unsuccessful ones) filed by year.

I haven't mentioned my "Fun Things" file.  It is mostly random funny photos plus a few memes that I have found entertaining.  Recently I noticed that I have acquired quite a few plein air photos with a twist.  Unfortunately I failed to note the artist/photographer in many cases.  I would like to share some of these with you but I apologize to any photographers not credited.  So if this is your photo or you know who posted it on FB please let me know and I will edit this post to include that info.   I do not make money on this blog so this is solely for entertainment purposes.

First two photos of plein air artists who are not afraid of large panels-


                                                             

                                                       Fred Doloresco

                            Artist unknown, demonstrating that one can't go too horizontal.


And some close encounters of the animal kind-

                                                                   
                                                            Artist unknown

                                                Artist unknown, it's a mama moose.

                                                   Roos Schuring (the Netherlands)

                                           Artist unknown- this looks like a serious critique...

        He's really getting into it!  I suspect this was taken with a zoom lens.

Artist John Hughs, hopefully still living.

And my own visitors on a Colorado ranch, photographer and artist Karen Toppel.

Maybe someday I'll get a photo of a local alligator critiquing my work, with the zoom of course...

Thanks for looking!

How to Mount a Painted Canvas

I touched on this in a post last year but will now get down to the How To's.  I have been making my own small panels for over a year and have found it to be easy and economical. I use oil primed linen which I buy on sale in rolls and either Gatorfoam or hardboard panels.  Gatorfoam is 3/8" so 2 panels will not fit in one slot in many wet panel carriers, including the ones I like from RayMar. Hardboards are 1/4" thick and though 2 will fit, they are heavier.

If I am going on a painting trip that involves air travel I keep my supplies as lightweight and compact as possible.  An artist friend of mine who travels frequently suggested that I paint on unmounted canvas taped to a support (I use corrugated plastic sheets) and mount the "keepers" later when I get home.  Pieces of canvas weigh almost nothing and take up very little space.  I pack the number of supports I need for one day, 2-3 usually.  At the end of the day I remove the painted canvases to dry and apply new ones for the next day.  At the end of the trip I pack the painted canvases in a large storage baggie with pieces of wax paper in between.  All of the "masterpieces" can be mounted after they are dry to the touch and here is how you do it.  Links to the supplies are at the end of this post.

Besides the canvas and panel of your choice you will need:

The hand roller is called a brayer.  I use neutral pH adhesive by Lineco but many artists prefer a product called Miracle Muck (cannot be shipped in cold weather).

To get set to paint draw a line around your panel on the canvas.  Cut it out with about 1" extra on the edges.

Tape it to a support carefully lining up the tape with the drawn edges.  I prefer white artists' tape but some use blue painters tape.

The exposed canvas is the size of the panel you will use later for mounting.   Tone your canvas and the tape (unless you paint on white canvas).

Now paint something.....

If you decide to send it to the landfill you have wasted very little, maybe $1.  (And you didn't waste your time because we learn from our failed paintings, right?)  If it's a keeper you can mount it when it is dry to the touch.  Remove it from the support and lie flat to dry so you can use the support to get  your next canvas ready.

Here's the tricky part- you want to be able to see exactly where the edges of the painting are on the back side.  Remove the tape from the dry painting and make a hole in each corner with a nail like this:

The nail needs to be big enough to make a hole that can easily be seen on the back side.  Next take your ruler and using the holes as a guideline draw the 4 sides with a pencil.

It should look like this-  these lines show you where the edges of the painting are on the other side.

Now spread the adhesive on the right side of your panel.  One thing I like about hardboard is that it is dark so it is easy to see that you have covered it completely with glue.  I use a cheap hardware brush for this.  Sponge brushes work well also but they absorb (and waste) a lot of the adhesive.  Make sure you get plenty of adhesive on the edges.

Carefully place the glue side of the panel onto the back of the canvas making sure that the corners touch the nail holes and the sides fit within the pencil lines.

Turn it over and use the brayer to adhere it and remove any air bubbles.

Put some heavy books on top of the panel and allow the glue to dry,  overnight is best but at least for a few hours.

Now all you have to do is trim off the excess canvas with a utility knife- make sure the blade is very sharpe.  Do this on a thick piece of non corrugated cardboard.  The back of a large sketch tablet works well.

If you find that there is a small amount of unpainted canvas at the edge of your painting you can touch this up and put other finishing touches on the painting, especially if you want areas of very thick paint.  I think it is best to wait until mounted for that because I don't like to use the brayer over really thick paint.

There are many helpful videos and articles online on panel making.  You will see a variety of approaches but this has worked well for me.  Here is a helpful video by Dr. Nick Chalfa posted on YouTube.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LesUQy6XbwI&feature=youtu.be

If you want to make your own blank panels do all of the above minus marking the lines on the front and back of the canvas.

And consider this-  you can use unmounted canvas for exercises in workshops or for small studies.  Instead of mounting them, store them in a notebook or file folder for future reference to save space.

And now for the supplies-

Any hardware store will have cheap wide brushes (or foam brushes) and utility knives.

A T-square (metal ruler) is good for this and comes in handy for a number of things https://www.amazon.com/Westcott-Calibrated-T-Square-Aluminum-AP-24/dp/B009ONTI2U/ref=sr_1_5?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1488840253&sr=1-5&keywords=t+square+24

For the adhesive- http://www.jerrysartarama.com/lineco-neutral-ph-adhesive?gclid=CjwKEAiArvTFBRCLq5-7-MSJ0jMSJABHBvp0eEUVJMNYdUKAX8RlwuwJgMnwKYyVWnpdkmeB6ITgOhoC27nw_wcB

For the brayer- https://www.amazon.com/Inovart-Roller-Soft-Rubber-Brayer/dp/B0044S5BC6/ref=sr_1_27?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1488841643&sr=1-27&keywords=brayer  There are so many that would be fine, this is just an example.

Plastic sheeting/panels to support the canvas-https://www.amazon.com/Corrugated-Plastic-Panels-16-inch-Poster/dp/B00J4MMZCG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1488298749&sr=8-3&keywords=corrugated+plastic+black
Important- if you paint outside get the black ones so the light won't go through your canvas.  If you are only going to use this indoors clear is fine.  Tip- cut these in sizes that fit into your wet panel carriers.

Gatorfoam-  http://www.foamboardsource.com/gatorfoams--gatorfoam--3-16--gatorfoam.html
I like this product but as I said they are a little too thick to double up in the carriers but are very light and strong.

And I love these hardboard panels.  They are a bit more expensive, but I have found that some of the less expensive brands have a tendency to warp. http://www.jerrysartarama.com/ampersand-hardbord-panels

Artists' tape
https://www.amazon.com/Pro-PRO-5330-1-White-Artist-Tape/dp/B0027AAH5O/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1488850869&sr=8-4&keywords=artist+tape+for+canvas

Many thanks to artists Pat Schwert and Judy Elias for all of their input and helpful instruction.

Thanks for reading!

Workshops #3- consider putting one on.

Back to workshops-  in your neck of the woods.  If you do not have anything going on in your area think about starting something.

It takes at least one committed person but is more manageable with two.  I have been involved for at least 5 years with a very informal local art guild.  We are fortunate to have access to a community center that is not expensive to rent.  We put on 2 a year and I team up with another member to run them.  Gradually we have cultivated a group of local enthusiastic painters who want to take workshops.  This is just a small subset of our guild but the number has grown.  Here is a "how to" list of the process.

1.  Consider artists whose workshops you have taken, who have been recommended by others or whom you follow on social media.

2.  Plan it a year in advance.  The best artists schedule way ahead because they are in demand.

3.  Reach out to the instructors you would like to have and invite them.  Ask them about their fees and how they handle expenses.  This is highly variable in my experience and depends on travel distance, their baseline fees (usually priced per participant per day with a minimum number) and whether or not they will already be in your area.  We put the artists up in our homes and make sure that their transportation needs are met.  We cover their lunch expenses and have one or two group dinners (pot luck type) during the workshop.  Most of our workshops are 3 days, occasionally 4.  We limit the number of participants to 12.

4. Reserve the space.  If you have a space of your own that is great, but if not see what is available near you and what it will cost.  Think about community centers, neighborhood club houses,  meeting halls, friends with large studios or local studios willing to rent space for events.  Keep size and lighting in mind.

5.  Once you have the instructor and space reserved, inform your local artists.  If you do not think you can fill the workshop with locals ask the instructor to post it on his/her website and Facebook.

6.  Pricing depends on your overhead and what the instructor charges.  Require a deposit to reserve a spot. We ask for $100,  refundable until a month before the workshop when the balance is due.  After that nothing is refundable unless the vacancy can be filled.  Be sure that you explain your cancelation policy up front.  Keep a cancellation list and work it if needed.

7.  Make a mailing group of those who have signed up.  And- very important- create a file of all emails sent and received that relate to the workshop.  This will save so much time when participants say they can't find an email or never received one.  😩

8.  Get the supply list from the instructor and forward it to the group at least 6 weeks in advance.  Ask the instructor if the supply list is up to date.  (Participants get frustrated when they buy paint colors and other supplies that are no longer used by the instructor.) Let the participants know if they need to bring their own reference photos.  The week before remind them of the hours, place to meet, lunch plans and evening plans if any.  If you have participants coming from other areas send them lodging information or arrange for them to stay with local artists.

9.  Build it and they will come!  Save an email list of those who have participated in the past and stay in touch with them.  Having workshops in your area is fun and rewarding.

Feel free to post questions!

Here we are in our workshop this month with Chris Groves-

Paint it small, paint it big!

Before painting on a large canvas try a small version first.  It's always good to start with sketches but there are benefits from planning with paint.  You might create a small painting that is frame worthy.  You will have worked out the composition, values and colors before you ever start the big project.  Painting a large painting from a small one requires the addition of more information and it is easier to do that if you have already worked out the rest.

Recently I have been pushing myself to paint larger for the experience.  I have been reluctant because I am not represented by a gallery.  Selling large paintings online is more difficult than selling small ones and I don't want to end up with a storage unit full of paintings.  That is the practical side but there is another reason. Whenever I see a small and large version of the same scene, I almost always prefer the small one no matter how well the large one is executed. Smaller paintings are more simplified because they have to be (unless you are painting with mouse hairs).  With a small canvas it is easier to get a favorable brush to canvas ratio- the bigger the brush the better but you can only go so big with a huge canvas.  Oversized brushes and large palette knives are available but are cumbersome and I find enormous brush strokes distracting.  In theory small paintings can be painted more quickly and thus tend to have a spontaneous feel.  Plein air paintings have to be spontaneous because of time limitations.

So how small and how big?  This is entirely personal.   Start with a small size that is comfortable.   Paint as large as you want to paint or is practical for you.  Consider your studio space, storage space and your easel.  I once painted on a canvas larger than the easel I had at the time could support, so I had to lean it against the wall and sit on the floor to paint.  I do not recommend this.  As I said above, I have been pushing myself to paint larger in spite of my preference for smaller paintings.  The more I do it the better I will become.  I am trying not to worry about storage (up to a point) as long as I am growing as a painter.

Here is a recent project.  My comfort zone is 8" x 10" to 16" x 20".  The small painting is 6" x 8" and the large one is 24" x 36". Note that the proportions are different so I had to add more of the original photo to fill the width of the canvas.  It would have been easier to keep the proportions the same.  This was a big jump.  Some artists paint an intermediate size before going really big.  Also keep in mind that the more you paint a subject the better you will know it, even if you paint it the same size every time.

I encourage you (and myself) to get out of your size "comfort zone" while keeping the practical aspects in mind.

Thanks for reading!

A Useful App

The only app I use that relates to painting is the Art Set Pro.  I learned about it in a workshop last year with Bill Davidson.  He gave a slide presentation that included examples of how this app can be useful.  The cost is around $7.  I am not going to discuss the technical aspects but it comes with a instructional video.  I do not use it to create new digital art but I will show you how you can try different compositions  on photos of your artwork or on your reference photographs.

Last May I posted a critique of one of my paintings (thanks again to Bill Davidson- same workshop). If you did not read that post you might want to take a look now. https://colleenparkerart.blogspot.com/2016/05/take-advantage-of-good-critique.html To summarize, my composition had several issues- a big bad shape, a focal point that was in a bad location, and nothing to lead the eye around the painting.

Here is the original painting-

The bad shape should be obvious- the big green area on the left side.  The moon is close to the edge of the canvas and is too bright.  Some light on the water to the right would lead the viewer away from the focal point.

In my post I said that I painted over the original painting to make the recommended changes, then painted the same painting again on a larger canvas.  What I didn't say was that before I painted over the original I used this app on the above photo to help me make some decisions.

Here is the result-  you can click on the image for a larger view.

I digitally painted the moon in a better spot, covered the first one with blue sky, added some reflections in the water on the right lower side and changed the bad shape. Compared to the first composition this is much better and it served as my reference when I repainted the canvas.

You can do the same thing with a reference photo to experiment with various compositions.  Here is an example of a scene I painted and posted last year in June. https://colleenparkerart.blogspot.com/2016_06_01_archive.html

Inspired by a painting of Monet's of a very similar scene, I wanted to push the trees farther into the distance and exaggerate the atmospheric perspective.

Here I have pushed the groups of trees into the distance by raising the values and cooling the temperatures. The tree in the foreground now has a more interesting shape.  I made more adjustments when I painted the scene but this helped me get started.

Consider the possibilities- you can move trees or mountains, simplify by removing details, make the photo more painterly with digital brushstrokes, and experiment with elements (such as clouds) you'd like to add.  Someone recently told me that when I'm not actually painting I should be mentally painting.  This is one way to do that.

I do not mean to suggest that this is a replacement for sketches and value studies.  It is just another tool to have at your disposal and it's a LOT of fun.  Load your reference photos into you tablet and work with them the next time you're stuck in an airport- a time burner that is productive!

Keep growing and experimenting!

A Helpful Tool

I want to show you a great way to remove a brushstroke that didn't go well (rather than painting into it again and making a mess of things) or make a small revision of a freshly painted area on your canvas.  It is the Kemper Wipe Out Tool-

Inexpensive and easy to find.  I bought mine at Dick Blick- http://www.dickblick.com/products/kemper-wipe-out-tool/  and it can be found in art/crafts supply stores.  I keep one in the studio and one in my plein air backpack.  Note that there is a slanted tip and a pointed tip.

I still struggle with the habit of painting into fresh brushstrokes even though I was taught from the very beginning not to do this.  When I need to revise a large area of my painting, frequently the foreground in landscapes for some reason, I wipe the area with a good quality paper towel or rag.  But I often want to make minor adjustments.  Here is an example of how I employ this tool.

This is a work in progress of shrimp boats and one smaller boat grouped together.  After I got this far I realized that the little boat on the left wasn't right.  The hull of the actual boat was much longer and the bow would have gone off the canvas if I had drawn it correctly. Even if it had been a shorter boat I didn't like the proximity to the edge of the canvas. Most likely if framed the tip of the bow would have just touched the edge of the frame which  is not desirable (a "tangent"- always look for them).  The paint was wet and I knew I'd make a mess if I tried to paint over it.  If I waited for it to dry I would have had an unwanted thick brushstroke to deal with.

Here is a close up-

Here I am removing the thick paint on the boat using the slanted tip of the tool-

And here I have removed most of what had been painted between the boat and the edge of the canvas-

With the unwanted paint removed it was easy to repaint that small area.  The boat is closer to the correct shape and the composition is improved (in my opinion).  Some might feel that the little boat leads the eye out of the painting, but the dominant group of large boats keeps my eye on the canvas.  When finishing the painting I will not to do anything that makes the little boat look important.

I had been painting for several years when an instructor, trying to keep us from overworking our paintings, said- "Load up your brush, lay a stroke on the canvas and leave it alone.  If it doesn't work out, wipe it off and try again".  Bells rang!  I didn't know that was allowed.  I was under the impression that painting alla prima (all at once, wet into wet) meant you had to keep on painting into wet paint no matter what.

You can use the pointed end of the tool to sign your name in wet paint.  I especially like doing this on location but I do it in the studio sometimes as well.  I really don't like signing with paint simply because I'm not very good at it.

Signing this way is as easy as using a ball point pen.

Another use for this tool is scratching into paint for fine lines, such as tiny branches or grasses.  I rarely use it that way, but in a few paintings it has been the perfect finish and it is a fun way to experiment.

                                                                       ********
This is my last post of my first year as a blogger.  I thank everyone who has taken the time to visit and I have appreciated the feedback.  I plan to continue this blog next year and welcome your  suggestions for topics.

Meanwhile, Happy Holidays and Happy Painting!

Exploring Different Palettes

I love to read articles by artists about their palettes.  There are so many approaches to color mixing. As long as there is harmony I don't believe it matters whether an artist uses many colors or just a few, but limiting the number makes harmonizing easier, especially for the beginner.  An added benefit of using only a few colors is the ease of taking inventory and restocking.

The simplest palette is one of each primary and white.  There are more mixing options with a warm and cool version of each primary plus white, such as ultramarine blue, Prussian blue, alizarin crimson (cool), cadmium red (warm), cadmium lemon (c), cadmium yellow medium or deep (w), and white.  I usually use this latter choice (but often with ultramarine as my only blue) with one or more "convenience colors" thrown in.  I like cadmium orange because I cannot mix an orange with this much staining power and I use it regularly to gray my blues.  I also like to include an earth tone such as burnt sienna or raw umber to gray other colors, mix earth color variations, or add to ultramarine blue to make darks.

That said, I always use the palette recommended by the instructor in workshops so I can experiment. Whenever I find interesting articles about color mixing and palettes I save them for future reference.  Here are a few that have been especially helpful or interesting.

Terry Miura recently posted this on mixing greens and I encourage you to read it. http://terrymiura.blogspot.com  He lists the colors on his palette- a warm, cool and low chroma (grayed down) version of each primary plus white.  He goes on to discuss how he uses these colors to mix different greens, a problematic color for the landscape painter. He uses the same palette for his other subject matters as well.

Kathleen Dunphey paints majestic west coast landscapes/seascapes but she also paints still life and animals.  Her palette is quite limited (just 6 including white) and she lists her colors in this post- https://kathleendunphy.com/blog/32062/keeping-it-simple-using-a-limited-palette  Take a look at her choices.  She lists which brand she uses for specific colors (there can be a big difference between brands).  I have worked with this palette a bit and have found it to be very versatile.

Thomas Jefferson Kitts has written a great article regarding the various plein air palettes of contemporary painters.  http://www.thomaskitts.com/2013/04/the-contemporary-outdoor-painters.html  You can see what many of your favorite artists are using in the field.

Try this challenge- paint one (or more) paintings using the Zorn palette:
white, black, yellow (usually yellow ochre) and red.  That's it!  Black is blue when white is added, yellow and black make a great green.  Anders Zorn was a Swedish artist.  He didn't always use such a limited palette but was well known for it.  Look up his work if you aren't familiar.

Here is a scene I painted in the studio using titanium white, ivory black, cad. yellow light and cad. red medium.

I didn't have trouble mixing the colors I needed but I missed the transparent darks I can get with my usual palette.  With practice I could probably get the hang of thinning them down.  This palette lightens the load for outdoor painting and travel. Color harmony is a given.

And last, regarding all those tubes of weird colors that you never use and don't remember why you bought them in the first place, try adding only one at a time to your usual palette to see how it mixes.  You might make new discoveries and you'll use up some of that paint!

I have barely scratched the surface of this huge subject but I hope I called your attention to some helpful links.

Keep mixing and experimenting!