Lori Putnam

Dear Blog-readers: Please Disregard

2013-04-16T07:28:00.004-05:00

Dear Blog-readers:

Some of you may have received a blog post about book refunds. I did NOT create that post and have no idea how it appeared or was sent to you. My apologies for the inconvenience. Please disregard the post.

This is the second time something like this has happened on blogger. I am wondering if others are having the same issue???

Have a great day,
Lori

Lori's Big Adventure

2013-03-09T13:14:00.002-06:00

When I was a little girl, we often got a foot or so of snow here in Middle-Tennessee during January and February. That is no longer the case. Every year my artist friends and I long to paint the white fluffy stuff, and if we are very lucky we may get all of a half of an inch. To those of you who are buried under the stuff, this probably seems ridiculous.

Recently, my friend Dawn Whitelaw and I took out on our snowy adventure. We drove 10 hours north to meet up with Sandra Murzyn, in her small town of Manitowoc Wisconsin.

L-R: Me, Sandra Murzyn, and Dawn Whitelaw on Lake Michigan.

Timing is everything on a trip like this. You need to be ready to jump in the car with a day's notice; arrive to the snowy area to paint with no travel problems; get a few fresh inches so it's perfectly white and lovely; and be able to drive out again to go home. I had my ski pants, thermotech underlayer, wool socks, painting mittens, hand-warmers, foot-warmers, scarf, hat, and warm fuzzy boots and paint gear ready to hit the road. Luckily Dawn and I both have such a sense of adventure, that when we saw the opportunity, we took it. Naturally, on the morning we were to leave, I awoke with a sore throat and crazy head cold. Still, determined to paint this stuff or die trying, I pretended to be just fine.

At 9 hours into the drive, Dawn and I had yet to see any snow. Sandra kept reassuring us that she had plenty, but we were beginning to think we might be disappointed.

Stopped at the Tracks, 11x14, plein air oil

Because we left home at 5:30 in the morning, we arrived in Manitowoc before dark. It was so gorgeous, we were definitely NOT disappointed.

I felt like a little kid on Christmas eve when I went to bed that night, and didn't sleep at all due to the excitement of getting out and experimenting with this strange, new subject matter and light.

As a traveling artist, painting new places and different types of lighting is how I grow. I don't go in to a new setting expecting to paint my best work. Each location has its own set of challenges, and it typically takes a day or two and dozens of canvases to adjust to it all. Because we only had 3 painting days before we had to head home, we had no time to "acclimate." First day, out at 6:30 a.m., ready to tackle whatever came our way.

Painting at Two Rivers

I have to say that the first painting was not so hot :) Being the determined sort that I am, I painted in the exact same spot for the second one, trying to learn from what might have gone wrong the first time. Part of the problem was design, but a bigger problem was adjusting to the snow-blindness. Painting in such bright glare can really throw off value and color. Since I paint often on the white sands of the Gulf of Mexico, I am totally aware that this can happen. The second attempt was some better, Winter Warmth (below) was the result. There is so much yellow-gold from the trees in this area, which makes painting the otherwise cold, neutral landscape delightful.

Winter Warmth, 8x10, plein air oil

At the end of the first day, and many canvases later, all I could think was how exciting the second day would be.
As I lay in bed that night, still not able to sleep, my head, ears, and sinuses throbbing, I repainted every painting in my mind... what worked here and what didn't work there and how I should try this and what to do next and where will we go tomorrow and on and on.

Days two and three were much the same. There is an endless amount of subject matter there. We painted more barns and farms, boats in the harbor, quaint streets, and nocturnal subjects. In three days time I learned so much about what seemed like another world to me. Yes, I have much more work to do to even begin to understand painting this area.

The cold air I stood in for 3 days seemed to kill all my nasty germs, and I was mostly well by the time we got back home. Exhausted but happy, I had almost 20 studies and 2000 photos.

Hopefully there will be an opportunity to take many more trips to Manitowoc, as well as to other areas, such as Colorado and Idaho, where the snow is deep but the light is completely different. That's what my life is. It's one big learning adventure. What a blessing.

This week, I'm in sunny southern California. Here I go again!

Red Current, 9x12, plein air oil

Plein air Sports: Connecting with Nature

2012-12-13T09:34:00.001-06:00

Painting en plein air is so often associated with 'producing a saleable product. However, the sport of painting outside is such a difficult game, and if truthful, most artists would say they have many more 'scrapers,' than 'keepers.' Do not be discouraged. This is, in fact, good news!

Connecting with nature, experiencing the subtleties of ever-changing light, and sketching on location is the most efficient use of an artist's time when it comes to sheer growth. Every painting done outdoors will not be ready to frame, but it will be a great lesson.

Against the Wind, 12x9 local tone plein air sketch

In this oil sketch, "Against the Wind," painted along the coast near Carmel, the light changed often. Fog rolled in and out, over and over again. My original visual statement seen here, was based on local tone.

As the sun cut through the fog, light and shadow patterns emerged. I quickly drew a pencil sketch in my sketchbook to remind myself of the changes. Again, this was an amazing use of my time. In only moments, I had experienced two huge lessons from nature. Either visual statement is true, but note that they are two completely different statements.

The first half of this video demonstrates how to use the sketch to complete a larger studio work with the same visual statement of three relative values (local tone). The end of the video shows how to totally change the piece to express light and shadow.

As an artist, you connect, learn, make choices, and occasionally hit a home run.

Tree Stand, 28x20, light and shadow studio painting

Shipping Your Art

2012-11-02T14:43:00.000-05:00

Especially for first-time shippers, packing your artwork to ship to a buyer, gallery, or exhibition seems daunting. There are so many choices to make and questions in your mind, like "Where do I get boxes? Which shipper can I trust? How do I protect the painting? How much will this cost me?" The truth is, there are many different answers to these questions.

Here you will find 3 ways that I use most often when shipping my artwork. The decision on which one to use depends on a number of factors like how many pieces I am shipping and what their sizes are. On this particular day, I was preparing multiple shipments, and used all 3 ways.

Most self-storage facilities sell boxes. These are much cheaper than the ones you buy at UPS. Buy large 'mirror' boxes ($6-10 each). If you painting is larger than will fit inside one box, you may need to join 2 boxes together to make a larger box. Small boxes for small and medium sized paintings are available at FedEx.

I ship by FedEx and have for several years. They have always treated me well, but I know artists who use UPS too and I have used them a few times in the past. I opened a FedEx account and a FedEx Ground Shipper account so that I can easily make my shipping labels (and return shipment labels if needed) online. I schedule a pick up (an additional $4 on top of shipping costs). To prepare you label you will need the box dimensions and weight of the box. You can give a good estimate if you do not have a scale. FedEx will weigh it too, and charge you accordingly. If you do not have an account or do not wish to open one, take your box to a FedEx staffed facility and have them weigh it for you. Here you will fill out the shipping label by hand.

The first thing I do in any case, is to protect the corners of the painting with commercially made frame protectors. Seen here are the plastic bubble kind, but you are probably more familiar with the cardboard type. Either one is fine. I buy these bubble ones from http://www.twikart.com. They come on a large roll and you tear off as many as you need. If you do not have these on hand, you can make your own with bubble wrap (seen in photo 2) or with several layers of clean craft paper.


Commercially made bubble corner protectors.


Protecting with regular bubble wrap.

Commercial corners can be stapled with short staples to keep them from falling off in transit.

Next I protect the front of the painting with a piece of cardboard, mat board, or foamcore, cut slightly larger than the painting itself. Fasten with tape to the protective corners used above.

Stiff board.

Tape board to protective corner.

I place the protected painting into a plastic sleeve (available from shipping suppliers and frame suppliers) and tape securely. Here I have wrapped the painting with bubble wrap on all sides.

One of the pieces I needed to send was fairly small. I placed protective corners on the frame just like in the example above. I found a box that I had kept when I ordered frames. You will want to make sure you put identifying information INSIDE the box lid or top. I have placed my name and contact information along with a photo of the painting enclosed. This helps if the receiving gallery or exhibition is keeping your box to return your painting to you.

Clean craft paper for padding.

You do not want any 'wiggle' room inside your box. Here I show clean craft paper used to pad around the edges of the painting.

You can also completely wrap the painting in bubble wrap as shown here.

Protected painting wrapped in bubble wrap.

Add scrap padding to the bottom of your box.

Basically I have wrapped 3 paintings in 3 different ways, all very well protected. I am ready to place them inside my box. Start by adding padding to the bottom of the box.

Foam sheet wrapped in plastic.

After I slide in the paintings, I add more protective padding around the interior box walls. Galleries do not accept paintings which have been packed in styrofoam or styrofoam peanuts. This piece of foam has been wrapped in a plastic sleeve and taped securely so there will not be any mess when the gallery unpacks the box.

Continue to add more padding such as foam wrap, bubble wrap, or clean craft paper so that no movement occurs. Seal the box well with packing tape on all seams and sides. Mark it with FRAGILE, and add arrows showing which end is the top. This tell the receiver how it is best to open the box.

As far as cost goes, I ship FedEx Ground. The shipment I am showing in this example took only 2 days to get to Richmond Virginia from my studio in Franklin Tennessee. The cost for shipping for 3 boxes, 2 large and 1 extra large, weighing a total of 52 pounds was $103.42.

If you prefer, you can also take your painting to a FedEx staffed shipping facility and pay for them to pack and ship for you. This costs about 50% more.

This final option for packing is super easy -- Airfloat Strongbox. They come in a variety of sizes. Order one that will have at least 1-2 inches on all sides of your frame. While these boxes may look expensive, if you figure in all of your time and added padding materials, they are a steal. Also, because they sponsor many of the larger exhibitions, you may be eligible for a discount if your shipment is associated with that event.

Airfloat Systems Strongbox

Shown here is the box with the top layer of foam removed. There is a middle layer of 'pluck' foam and a bottom layer of foam under that. There are instructions included inside the box as well.

Lay your painting down on the second layer of foam and mark the corners.

Mark corners so you know where to start 'plucking.'

Remove pluck foam to form a cradle for your painting.

Remove the 'pluck' foam (little perforated squares) inside the area where the painting will rest. Place the painting inside. (Remember, there is another layer of foam UNDER the painting.) Place the top layer of foam back in on top of your painting.. Put your identifying information on the inside of the box.

Tape in 2 places and ship!

There is a 4th way that I have to ship on occasion, and that is by wooden crate. If my painting is really large or has a very heavy frame, I will use this option. Watch for a blog post on that in the future.

Painting the Colors of Autumn

2012-10-04T14:05:00.000-05:00

Here in middle Tennessee, the scent of autumn is in the air. That means fall color is right around the corner. The reds, oranges, and yellows of our maples, oaks, and poplars are a challenge for artists to capture. Paintings can look garish when too much color is pumped into them.

A better way to say "loads of color here," is to use plenty of neutrals. Ask yourself, "What can I sacrifice (in terms of color) to say what I want to say?"

In this example, "Make Like a Tree," there is no question that there is plenty of beautiful fall color happening out there. Yet, look how neutral the orange really is...

"Make Like a Tree," 11x14 plein air

By sampling the orange with my eye dropper tool in Photoshop, I see that I am no where close to full saturation of orange. The small white circle shows the most intense color I used; the little black circle is what color the back hillside is painted; and the yellow circle is my dark accent.

Full saturation of color is shown in the upper most right-hand corner of the color box.

In this sampling, the black circle is the yellow grass on the ground plane in front, and the white circle is the color used for the yellow leaves on the bushes just behind the orange tree.

The ground plane is slightly less saturated and lighter than the yellow leaves on the bushes.

By isolating the actual color used, you can see how neutral it is. For instance, here is an example of just how much orange I could have used. Oh my... that would be awful.

Finally, just for fun, I super-saturated the colors in the painting so that you could see the end result. A bit over the top for my world... don't you think?

3-color Palette... How and Why?

2012-09-17T18:40:00.001-05:00

Following the advice of a mentor and friend, I began using a 3-color palette several years ago. Through the years I have experimented with different combinations for the 3 colors, supplemented other colors for convenience, and changed paint brands. It seemed time to update the color charts and give a more thorough explanation of WHY.


3-color palette plus White using Blue Ridge Oils

Laying out a 3-color palette.
With the exception of white, all of my warms are on one side and my cool colors on the other. Imagine bending my mixing palette in a complete circle and you have the color wheel.

It is important to always lay your colors out in the same order. That way you will not be fumbling around grabbing a bit of violet thinking it is blue!

Using a basic 3-color plus white palette for mixing accuracy.
Working with the same colors day after day has helped me achieve quick and reliable color mixing. I never panic if I mix a color and then run out of it and have to remix it. There is no guessing which green I mixed with which blue to get a certain color. It has become so natural to me that I never even have to think about it. I can even paint nocturnes in the dark because, much like playing a musical instrument, I rarely need look at what I am doing.

Mixing with a 3-color palette.
Even though I use only 3 colors (the primaries), I go to the trouble of mixing my secondaries (as in the photo above). This is not necessary, but it does speed the mixing time for me. I find that most of my world is neutral... nothing 'straight out of the tube' color. At the end of the day, it is amazing to me how little of these secondaries are left on my palette. I use them more than the primaries. That is because almost every color you see in nature has all three of these colors in it. So why not start with a secondary, and then 'bend' it to the proper primary? Bending a color simply means it is no longer in its original state, but has had something added to adjust it. The degree to which you 'bend' your color is dependent on how chromatic (intensity of color) you want it to be.

Color harmony and neutralizing with a 3-color palette.
Artists learn to use complimentary colors to neutralize mixtures. Complimentary colors are those that are directly across one another on the color wheel like the one shown below.

The problem arises when too much of a compliment is added. This is a typical problem with beginners. With a 3-color palette, all of this is easily avoided. By continually scraping together your "mud," and keeping it available, you can neutralize colors simply by adding just a touch of it instead. If your mud has been made by the scraping of colors used in earlier passages of the day's painting, this also lends color harmony to your painting because every color you put down has a bit of the overall color of the painting in it.

Making a 3-color chart.
Recently I switched paint brands to Blue Ridge Oils and I have to say that I LOVE them. Working with the company's owner, Eric Silver, I have found the most beautiful 3-color palette. Cadmium Yellow Medium, Pyrol Red, and Ultramarine Blue (plus Titanium white) will produce 99% of any color you will ever need. Below is a color chart I have made using these colors, along with the key to what I mixed to achieve it. I suggest, you make one too!


Abbreviated color chart using Cad Yellow Medium, Pyrol Red, Ultramarine Blue, and Titanium White.

Imagine what you could get if you tinted each of these colors out with more and more white.

Here is a chart just showing my primary and secondary colors tinted out 10 steps using white.

Added advantage for plein air painters.
Working with a 3-color plus white color palette means your painting gear is not as heavy. It is amazing how much each tube that you decide to add to your basic kit increases the weight of your backpack or bag. Put the colors you typically use every day in your studio in a canvas bag. Now, put just 4 tubes in a separate canvas bag. Pick them up and feel the difference. After walking to the perfect spot to paint, sometimes several times in one day, the exhaustion of added weight will certainly make you want to cut your day short. I never want to miss painting another sunset just because I am worn out.

Another little experiment for you.
Often times I hear from students who have difficulty mixing greens. Living in Tennessee, I am no stranger to the dozens of different greens needed to successfully capture the great outdoors. Here is a little color mixing experiment for you. Start with your green (remember, this is mixed with my cad yellow and ult marine mixed to make the secondary), and bend it with each of the other colors on the palette, making a small color swatch each time (like the squares on the color charts above); then make two tints, using white, of each of those neutralized greens and make more squares. Now, mix all the contaminated color from your mixing area, and make a nice, neutral gray. You may need to add a touch of white to get it to a mid-value. Mix a touch of this neutral with all of those greens... more squares. At this point in the exercise, you will have no less than 36 different greens!

Honestly, the possibilities are amazing with just 3 colors and white. I use this color palette every day. I hope you'll give it a try too.

Follow these links to more information on color charts:
THE BRIGHTS color chart
NEUTRALS color chart

Taking Flight: Tips for the Winged-Artist

2012-08-24T12:39:00.000-05:00

Paint carefully wrapped and placed in zip-lock bags with Security Message.

"How do you pack when you are taking a trip to Europe?" I get asked that a lot. My first thought is always, "The same way I pack for (readers, insert your favorite U.S. painting destination here.) I'm not sure what it is about going over a big body of water that seems so daunting. Maybe it is scary because you are worried you will over pack and have to lug your stuff through train stations, bus stations, and airports with which you are unfamiliar. The solution?

TIP OF THE DAY: Always pack like you are flying to Europe, even when you are traveling by car. You will get better at packing light and will appreciate it even when you are driving to your local beach or mountain range.

NOTE: You will find live links in this post to the brands of supplies I use. I hope you will try them.

PanelPaks, labeled with size. The small stack goes in my carry-on.

Collapsible cooler. Use frozen bottles of water and have cold drinks and snacks all day.

Here are a few more tips for the winged-artist, no matter where you are going:

Pack less than you need. You already know this one and still, you don't listen to yourself do you? Pack no more than 2 bags: One bag will hold most of your clothing and a small bag of paint. The other bag will hold most of your paint gear and a second small bag of paint. You may also pack an optional carry-on, just remember that now you have to be able to maneuver with 3 items. It helps if your carry-on tethers to your luggage easily or is a back-pack style.
Invest in a luggage scale. For $15 you can purchase small luggage scale which could save you hundreds of hours of worry or hundreds of dollars.
Use your paint back pack as your carry-on. In addition to your make-up and jewels, items to be included in your carry on luggage (should you opt to have that added piece) are things that would very difficult or expensive to replace such as your easel (needs to be a compact style for this. I will be posting soon on my latest equipment find!); your brush roll with brushes (be sure to remove palette knives); and 1 or 2 PanelPaks with clean panels (just enough to hold you over until they locate your checked luggage if it is stuck somewhere in transit).

Also pack business cards, event and travel contacts, schedule, maps, tickets, and other information in your carry on luggage for easy retrieval upon arrival.

Pack your voltage converter for whatever country you are visiting, camera, charger, memory cards, and other expensive electronics like computers and iPads in your carry-on (or do without them for a week... even better!)

Remember to pack the luggage scale. You will need it when you return to weigh all of those wonderful souvenirs you bought.
Do not expand your luggage. Speaking of souvenirs, whether or not you are the typical souvenir-buying-tourist, likely you have experienced that things just don't fit right when you pack to come home. You always wish you had a little more room for some reason. If you flew to your destination without expanding the extra expando-zipper on your suitcase, you will be able to do that now and have plenty of room for your stuff to fit. Just don't forget to weigh it!
In your checked luggage you will obviously need clothing (my list is shown below) and your remaining paint gear.
Prepare supplies carefully.
PAINT:
Carefully wrap each tube of paint with bubble wrap and label the outside with the color name. Tubes often punch holes in other tubes if you do not do this. What mess when you squeeze really hard and all the paint comes out of a tiny hole into the palm of your hand.

The length of travel determines how many tubes of paint I will need. For a week-long trip, I will pack 1-large tube of each color PLUS an additional tube of white AND 2-small tubes of each color. Then I place the tubes in thick zip-lock bags; the large tubes in one and the additional large white and small tubes in the other.

Next, I place a sheet of paper in each of the zip-lock bags that reads:

ARTISTS' PIGMENT ENCLOSED.
The US Department of Transportation defines "flammable liquids" as those with a flash point 140 degrees F or below. Artist grade oil colors are based on vegetable oil with a flash point at or above 450 degrees F. THEY ARE NOT HAZARDOUS.

If you need to confirm this, please contact TSA at 866-289-9673 or their Hazardous Materials Research Center at 800-467-4922.

To contact this traveler, dial 615-512-0929.

I used to always include the MSDS (Manufacturer's Safety Data Sheets) with the tubes, but have not done that in a long time. These can usually be found on the manufacturer's web site or on artist supply web sites.

I put one bag of paint in EACH pieces of checked luggage. This is a safe-guard just in case one gets lost or confiscated, I will at least have enough to get me by a few days until I can purchase more. By the way, knock on wood, I have NEVER had a single tube of paint be taken from me.

If asked, never refer to your paints as paints. Refer to them as artists' pigments.

PANELS: 4 or 5 for each day x 7 days = 28 to 30 panels. Put half of your panels in one bag and the other half in the other.

WET PANEL CARRIERS: (for carrying wet paintings) I have 2 PanelPaks in each of the sizes I like to paint. These are thin and lightweight. Each PanelPak will accommodate 2, wet canvases that are the same size. Be sure to throw in some extra bands in case you lose or break one. When assembling PanelPaks with new, clean, panels, place the canvas side out. This will help you easily identify which ones have useable panels in them and which ones already have beautiful works of art safely tucked toward the inside.

OTHER Gear:
Back-pack (can double as your carry-on luggage, or used to provide extra padding in the top of your suitcase)

Plein air umbrella

Rain poncho or jacket

Flashlight and clip-on book lights (for painting nocturnes)

Utility tool and cork screw (seriously, cork screw is on my list)

Painting hat

Palette knives

Sketchpad and pencils

Empty, seal-able, OMS container* and small zip-lock bag

Small roll of wide, transparent tape

Mediums which are allowed by law (see manufacturer's specifications)*

Collapsible cooler (makes great padding for potentially breakable toiletries)

*DO NOT take mineral spirits on flights. You can get them at your destination. Your first stop, after your glass of (readers, insert favorite beverage name here), should be (in order of preference) a local art store, hobby shop, or home restoration store to purchase Odorless Mineral Spirits, White Spirits, or Turpentine and other mediums. In a pinch, use the local olive oil instead of OMS. Just don't confuse which bottle is for your back pack and which is for your dinner!

When you get to your destination, buy paper towels, baby wipes, sunscreen, bug spray, snacks, and water and save your grocery sacks for trash.
FRAMES:
If it is a plein air festival, you will also be required to frame your work. Here are two possible options: 1.) Pack a small box of framing gear which includes hanging wire, strap hangers and screws, point driver, wire cutters, and screw driver. Have frames drop shipped to the location from your supplier. 2.) Pre-wire frames for horizontal hanging (you can always change them if you paint vertically). Ship frames, point driver, wire cutters, and screw driver to your location.

Whatever method you choose, pack extra promotional materials (business cards, workshop brochures, copies of your bio, etc.) to have on hand or affix to the back of your painting.
If I am teaching a workshop, I add 'Workshop Booklets, 1 per student,' to this list.
Pack 3-days' change of clothing and washing powder.
Here is a copy of my personal packing list:

Painting clothes (shorts, jeans, tees, layers) for 3 days. Check the weather reports for the region and pack accordingly. No matter what picture you have of a place in your mind, there is no reason to show up in Carmel in a bikini if it is only going to be 62º for the high.

Under-garments (Okay... so my list actually says bras and panties... substitute boxers or briefs if appropriate.)

Barrettes and hair ties

Belt

Hiking shoes, tennis shoes, or boots (as geography demands) and socks; sandals if appropriate

Sleepwear (Again, not the exact wording I use on my list.)

Dress clothes, jewelry, and nice shoes if needed (for opening receptions, networking dinners)

Prescriptions and over-the-counter remedies such as Advil

Lotion, make-up, deodorant, toothbrush and toothpaste, razor, hair products, and soap (assuming you are not staying in a luxury spa hotel that supplies these for you). Laundry detergent (dry or dissoluble sheet type) and Murphy's Oil Soap (for removing oil paint from clothing).


Once I arrive at my destination, I squeeze paint on my palette and pack my back. I'm ready to paint at a moment's notice.

You will probably question a few of the items I use (like the transparent tape and small zip-lock listed). I'll post more on that soon.

I'm certain there are lots of other great ideas out there. This is just what works for me. It's become routine now. Hopefully it will help you too.

Great Weather for Ducks

2012-08-14T13:29:00.000-05:00

It is amazing to me that most of our country is in a drought. Almost every plein air festival I have attended this year has had rain. It is actually pretty typical that I experience a day or two of rain during an event. It's just one of the perils of the 'sport,' like football games played in the snow and baseball games in the rain. Rarely, if ever, is an event 'called due to weather.'

Here is an image taken by Arthur Barry shows Bryan Mark Taylor and I during the Quick Draw in Easton. It was a downpour! He painted cars on wet streets; I painted people and umbrellas on wet streets. I'm certain we both learned a lot that day. Bryan, for instance, learned that restaurant umbrellas come in very handy and they are large enough to share with a friend. I learned that a quick draw can seem like it lasts forever when you are soaked to the bone.

Below is a very short demonstration of a painting done on an overcast and drizzly day. The colors can appear to be more saturated on those days. There is no bright light blasting out all of the color. Another plus for painting on overcast or rainy days, is that the light stays mostly the same. Unlike painting in a situation where you are fighting the urge to chase the sunlight and shadows all over your canvas, painting in these conditions allows you time to think, learn, and process what you are seeing, then place it confidently on the canvas.

During my recent trip to Art in the Open, Ireland, we had a mixture of, shall I say, lighting effects each day. Most mornings were very rainy, windy, even dark and stormy. But with only a couple of exceptions, as the days went on the clouds parted and presented big, beautiful, puffy clouds and blue sky. The clouds and blue traded places with drizzle and showers often several times throughout the day, which provided endless opportunities for interpreting many different colors of light, moods, and atmospheric conditions. A paradise for anyone seeking growth, southeastern Ireland is a favorite of mine.


Painting in Inistioge. Photo by Toni Hooper.

In the end, you either love plein air, or you do not. Neither makes or breaks you as an artist. For me, personally, I have found great growth by doing so much painting from life. It won't be long until my toes begin to web together and feathers appear on my back. Next this [ugly] duckling (and yes, I've painted plenty of those) turns into a 'beautiful painting' swan.

It's all a Head Game

2012-05-29T15:19:00.000-05:00

I remember the first workshop I signed up for that required I bring a canvas that was at least 18x24. It was a portrait workshop with Michael Shane Neal. First of all, portrait??? Me??? That was already a crazy idea, because I had not been painting long at all and basically, well, was pretty awful at it. But it was the size of the canvas that seemed the most daunting to me. I had been painting so much smaller, 8x10, 9x12, 11x14... 16x20 at the most, and even the thought of jumping up to an 18x24 or 20x24 frightened me.

Summertime, 48x72

It was many years later that my husband built me an extremely large easel. Suddenly, even truly large canvases did not seem so large any more. Previously, when I put a larger canvas on my small easel, it had seemed overwhelming to me, but on the large easel the same size canvas now felt small. I began by painting 36x48. They felt tiny, so I tried 40x60. They were no big deal either. The latest was a 48x72 (shown below). Really, not so much different than painting small.

So here's your pep-talk for the day. Repeat after me... "I can do this. I am in control. It's really no big deal." Now click your heels three times and DO IT!

Forgive me readers...

2012-05-19T08:32:00.000-05:00

...for it has been 6 months since my last blog post. Actually, I have created many of them in my head as I am driving here to there. They just never seem to get written. Of course, by the time I get where I'm going, the thought is either gone or I decide not worth publishing. At any rate, I apologize.

By now you have probably all heard about the Plein Air Convention in Red Rock Canyon. It was truly, an inspiring event, and I cannot say enough great about it. The days were absolutely packed with guest demonstrations, presentations, lectures, and painting. If you have a chance, try to go next year. You won't regret it.

Dawn Whitelaw and I went out a few days early and painted for the sheer joy of painting. What a treat. Here is a quick study. Much to improve on here, but you get the feel of the place anyway.

Red Rock study 1, 11x14, plein air

I learned a lot from observing these value relationships in nature. Let's look at the values. Here is the painting in gray scale.

See how the light and shadow pattern on the background hillside are almost one value? They are recognized as distinct light and shadow for three reasons. One is how relatively warm or cool the passage is; the second is how chromatic one is over the other; and the third is the use of edge.

Try this the next time you want to describe light and shadow in the distance. Mix two piles of paint, one to represent your shadow areas and one to represent the lighted areas. Make the two piles within 1/4 step of each other in terms of value. Be sure that one of the piles is relatively cooler than the other. (I say relatively because no color can be labeled in a vacuum. It must relate to the other colors set around it.) Make one of the piles slightly more neutral than the other. Lay down the two distinct areas of paint without regard for details within the shapes... just flat pieces. Experiment with how close or far apart you can push the values and it still read as light and shadow. How close or far apart can you push the warm and cool, the chroma and neutrality? Take pictures and view them in gray to see how you did.

Happy experimenting!

Travel, Paint, Travel, Paint, Travel, Paint

2011-11-02T16:44:00.002-05:00

Just a quick post here (between suitcase stuffing and unstuffing) to share a few pieces from recent travels. With winter just around the corner, I'll be creating large pieces from many of these small plein air works... in the comfort of my warm studio.

(Yes, I do plan to paint outdoors this winter too. Bring on the snow!)

August in Ireland

"View from the Castle"

September in Italy


"Parking in Venice"

October in Florida

"Scattered and Smothered"

Also October in Carmel

"You Rock!"

Thanks for looking. View more works from these trips by visiting my website at

www.loriputnam.com

Cotton, linen, board, and other painting supports and surfaces

2011-09-04T11:37:00.000-05:00

The Surface Itself

"What do you paint on?" I am asked this question quite regularly, and I am afraid my response usually sounds a bit vague. The truth is that I used to be very close-minded about my painting surface. Over time I have become excited about a variety of experiments on many surfaces. This is due in part to discovering Gamblin Oil Painting Ground.
This "yum in a can" is how I re-coat old panels and canvas so they can be reused. Applied very thinly with either a palette knife, brush, or old credit card, it provides an interesting surface that I really like.

image courtesy www.gamblincolors.com

"Arched Angel" 8x6

It is slightly slick, but not absorbent as the slick surface marble-dust boards. (Yes, I use those sometimes too.) On either surface, I can lay on thinned paint in an almost "scratchy" manner, and leave those underneath layers peeping through in spots. It provides a lot of dimension in the work. Plus, I have recovered probably thousands of dollars worth of old panels. It has become a running joke that these are "magic panels" and when I having a painting that 'fails' I get excited that it will become a re-coat! If the panel or canvas has some texture from an old painting, all the better.

(detail)

So why, you ask, don't I just coat everything with this stuff and build up a nice texture to begin with? That brings me to my next painting surface that I enjoy... linen.

image courtesy www.utrecht.com

Woven from flax, linen weave can show throughout many layers of paint, and there are times when I just want the feel and look that linen will provide. For me, it is strictly a personal thing and I really cannot put my finger on why I choose this sometimes and not others. It has to do with some aesthetic – some finished picture I have in my mind of the painting before I ever even start it. Linen, as well as cotton, yarka, and a handful of other types, come with different types of gesso applied. Mine is a single-primed-alkyd, but you may also want to try double-primed surfaces, oil primed or lead primed surfaces. Until you personally feel the difference, it is hard to know what you might enjoy. Many artists apply their own priming to achieve a personalized surface.

image courtesy www.utrecht.com

For several years, I only used a single-primed-alkyd cotton canvas. I still use it sometimes. All I can say here is that it gives a different finished look. One that is a bit softer than the linen where I can achieve nice crisp edges more easily.

Being one who loves to experiment, I also enjoy painting on prepared boards. I'll not go into great detail here, but will provide you this link to an article on preventing warping and surfacing boards for oil paint. Because of a recent request from a museum exhibition, I am also working with oil on paper right now. It's all quite exciting and fun!

When I have painted a study en plein air using one type of surface and then get to the studio and decide to paint a larger painting on a different surface, I need to consider what problems, if any, this will cause in the final product. Sometimes there are none, but sometimes I may need to go the extra length to make certain I have the proper surface to say what I want to say. Taking a few days or weeks to prepare the right support is always worth the time and effort.

What is the difference between Sizing and Priming?

Size is a glue barrier that prohibits the ground and paint from contact with and penetration into the fabric. In the case of rabbit skin glue sizing, it adheres all the fibers to each other so that they expand and contract together and react to environmental changes as one unit rather than each thread acting independently. When different areas of the painting react separately to the environment, you would get cracking of the paint film, and similar problems.

Priming, also known as the 'ground' or 'gesso' is an absorbent coating which provides the paint a porous, reflective surface to adhere itself to. The gesso is not a size and will not seal or create a barrier: just the opposite, it is absorbent. (link to this article)

Panels vs Stretched Canvas

image courtesy www.windriverarts.com

When I paint en plein air, I always use a "panel" of some sort. These are typically cotton or linen that has been mounted with archival glue on an acid-free backing such as gatorboard or Sintra. I have also used panels with dibond, birch, or multimedia board as the mounting surface. I truly love painting on panels, and the fact that they are so thin and lightweight means I can pack dozens of them in my suitcase. There is nothing at all "less impressive" about having a painting that is on a panel as opposed to having a painting on stretched canvas. Some of the most highly paid artists I know use ONLY panels, even for their large studio work. Just be certain they are prepared properly with non-acid glue and backing. There are many panels that are commercially made, and you will find dozens of links to companies online. A few popular places to order online include RayMar, SourceTek, or Windriver Arts. Or, you can make panels yourself. Follow this link to see how to make your own panels.

In the studio I usually work on stretched canvas. Its response to my brush is very different than working on panels. This is something I don't think about much anymore, but I remember when it was an obstacle for me. I find large canvases are easier than large panels for me to handle in the studio. That probably has more to do with the cumbersome nature of something over 36 or 48 inches than anything else. Follow this link to see how to stretch your own canvas.

So much more could be said here. I have literally just "scratched the surface" LOL. Hopefully this will give you some incentive to do a little research and experiment on your own. There is no better way than discovering for yourself!

Reflecting on Italy and some older works

2011-08-31T10:44:00.000-05:00

2008 piece, View from La Rondanai, plein air. Learned some difficult things on this one.


2008 piece, Taking Leave, plein air with Dawn's encouragement.


2008 piece, Paolo's Bano, plein air with Toni Hooper while Paolo skinny dipped (some of you know this story.)

2008 piece, Umbrian Greens, plein air following our move to the tiny borgo of Eggi near Spoleto.

Three years ago today, Mark and I began our 8-month stay in Italy . (Follow this link to stories about our trip.) We started by spending 2 months in a little town on the Adriatic coast called Peschici. It is right on the spur before you head down into the heel of the boot, and our lovely home, La Rondinaia, sat on cliff's edge with views of both sunrise and sunset over the sea. Sometimes we still cannot believe we did it. I've been thinking a lot about Peschici lately and missing the wonderful people we met there. We never dreamed we would go so many years without returning.

As most of you probably know by now, we sold our house in Tennessee and all of our belongings to make the trip. It was to be a trip of a life-time, with the sole intention of my painting purely for artistic growth (as opposed to producing works for exhibits and galleries). It was a lot of pressure to put on myself, knowing that we were investing everything we had in "me." But in such economic times, it seemed as good a thing to invest in as any.

Taking this work very seriously, I painted day after day in the Puglian sun... experimenting, failing, and falling flat on every piece. It was terribly frustrating. We had given so much and come so far and I was constantly disappointing myself at every turn. Looking back on it, of course, I can see that it was difficult artistic growth (the very thing I had come for) that was making my life so difficult in this paradise.

About this time, my friend Dawn Whitelaw came over for a visit. Any of you who have ever met her know that giving up is simply not an option. Her encouragement and determination was exactly the fuel I needed.

Dawn's visit along with other visits from artist friends Toni Hooper and, once we moved to Umbria, Cynthia Vowell, inspired me beyond expression. So, was it the location and setting of Italy that prompted growth? Was it the fact that I had less pressure to "produce a specific product?" Or was it the help and advice of great friends? Probably a combination of all of these things (plus some really great food and wine)! I am still growing from that experience and the hundreds of others that have happened since. That's the thing about this job. As long as we are open to challenges and willing to work hard, we will never grow tired or bored or complacent.

Set yourself a goal. Do what it takes to reach it!

Looking to visit Peschici? I am currently planning a workshop there for 2013! Let me know if you are interested.

Art in the Open, Wexford Ireland Plein Air

2011-08-04T12:34:00.005-05:00

Wexford Harbour

The festival, a touch of important history, and a taste of local hospitality

Billed as the largest plein air festival in Europe, the County Wexford Ireland welcomed 120+ painters to their beautiful fishing villages along the south eastern coast along the Irish Sea. Artists from France, Spain, Finland, the U.S., and, of course, Ireland turned out for the event which included 10 days of paint outs, scheduled guest demonstrations, a free art critique, 3 days of competition, a Quick Draw, and plenty of local socializing and culture.

A welcome relief to the overwhelming U.S. heat, I enjoyed the cooler temps and occasional light drizzle in the lovely part of the world. As a painter, my personal approach is to capture the character of a place by interpreting the light of the day and general mood of my surroundings. My work is an expressive response to interpret my visual intention. Many painters with whom I paint at home do this as well. The media may differ, but the general "plein air" movement in the U.S. holds a relatively tight range of painting styles, most closely-connected to realism. One of the most fascinating things to me about the artists represented in Art in the Open, was the diversity of work produced. There were representational artists, surely, a few of whom such as myself who were impressionistic in style and a handful of others seemingly more illustrative in nature. But there were also abstract artists, abstract expressionist artists, and experimental mixed/media artists as well, many of whom received awards for their bold works. I have to say, that it was an interesting adventure for me, after being part of so many events where most of the art looks very much the same.

It's true! Guinness is much better in Ireland.

I cannot say enough great things about the organizers of the festival. Tony and Trish Robinson and their crew of volunteers thought of everything from parking passes to pints. Upon my arrival to Wexford on Wednesday July 27th, I was directed to the White's Hotel for check-in, invited for a Guinness, and scheduled a 'lift' to the paint out arranged for the following day at Kilmore Quay.

Marsha Savage, Georgia, paints at Kilmore Quay

Kilmore Quay

Kilmore is a quaint harbor filled with colorful fishing boats, shiny mud-flats at low-tide, and fresh-caught fish and chips for mid-day lunch. While not a part of the official competition period, this 'casual paint out' drew dozens and dozens of painters to the little town. Following our afternoon of painting and our lift back to the hotel, we were invited to meet-up for a pint, and to make arrangements for the next day's trip to Enniscorthy. During my trip to Enniscorthy, a tour of Wexford's new Opera House had been scheduled for Mark. Mind you, I had only mentioned briefly that he was a classical musician in an email months ago. The house manager even offered a space in which Mark could practice for several hours. The opera, now in its 60th season, has been in this new modern structure for the past two years.

The town of Enniscorthy, complete with medieval castle, was our first official day of competition.

Enniscorthy Castel

Scones, coffee, and excited locals there to greet the 87 of us who made the trip to this lovely town. Arrangements had been made for anyone who wished to paint from atop the battlements of the castle, overlooking the town, the River Slaney, and Vinegar Hill. an engagement during the Irish Rebellion of 1798 when over 15,000 British soldiers launched an attack outside Enniscorthy. The largest camp and headquarters of the Wexford United Irish rebels, it marked a turning point in the Irish Rebellion as it was the last attempt by the rebels to hold and defend ground against the British military. I could have enjoyed painting here for several days! There was so much more to see than I had time. So many people stopping, talking, excited about the festival, and hoping to catch an glimpse of an artist's view of their life. A local gentleman who chatted extensively about art and the interesting impressionist way in which I paint, left for a few moments only to return with a box of hard candies for me. After so much talking, he thought I might need them to keep my mouth moist through the day.

Paul Strahm, California, painting his winning painting in Enniscorthy

Local musicians at T. Morris Pub

Mussel Boat Pier

The evening's social sponsored by T. Morris pub back in Wexford included three main food groups… burgers and sausages, and beer. Local musicians provided even more flavor to our evening.

Taking a look toward Crescent Quay

On Saturday morning, artists painted the town of Wexford from its quiet little back streets to Kaat's Strand. Many artists worked along Mussel Boat pier, painted one of the twin churches, or near Selskar Abbey. In a picturesque park along the west side of Crescent Quay, stands a statue of Commodore John Barry. Presented by America to the town, this Wexfordman is deemed as "the true father of the American Navy." Fitting considering that Annapolis, Maryland is Wexford's "twinned city."

The Quay, 9x16

Fife and Drum Corp at the Bullring

Saturday afternoon's festivities included a Quick Draw competition downtown beside the Pikeman, a statue commemorating County Wexford as the center of the rebellion against English rule in 1798. The streets were literally packed with painters and townsfolk. A Fife and Drum corp played in the bull ring (named from the medieval sport of Bull-baitin), and many of the local businesses sponsored the Quick Draw by offering a prize for the best painting of their establishment. Additionally, there were three top awards given, two of which went to U.S. painters Don Maier, First Place and myself, Runner Up. I have to say it is a lot of fun to be handed a wad of euro for your painting!

Quick Draw Runner-Up. See my cute blue ribbon? In the foreground is the painting's happy new owner.

On Saturday evening, I had the great pleasure serving as one of three clinicians leading an informal critique and discussion. Artists were invited to bring in works painted outside of AITO competition for professional appraisal and assessment. Again, I was so impressed with the range of styles of work presented for during the two-hour session.

The final day of competition was also spent in Wexford. The morning started rainy but cleared to a beautiful afternoon for painting. Works were submitted early evening to the contemporary glass building of Green Acres which includes a lovely restaurant downstairs, spacious Pigyard Gallery on the second floor, and more gallery and class room space above.

More than 300 guests at the opening at Pigyard Gallery

On Monday Marsha Savage and I took a walk out to paint what is known as "Yankee Harbour," where an American Airbase was established at Wexford. American airmen from the base patrolled St. Georges Channel to search out enemy U-boats. While painting the distant rolling hillside, the harbor, Wexford Bridge, and other spectacular views, hundreds of people were coming into that same are to attend the finals of a huge tennis tournament. One of them stopped by with chocolate-covered 'rice crispy' treats for us.

I would estimate that there were between 200 and 250 paintings hung and ready for sale by opening and awards time on Monday at 4 p.m. The U.S. made proud again with Paul Strahm taking one of the dozen or so awards of the evening. The gallery was packed with people, probably 300 or more in attendance, with not a drop of wine or crumb of cheese in sight. How amazing that so many people came just to view the art!

Following the opening, many of us gathered for an after-party at Thomas Moore's Tavern where once again the giving, sharing, and generosity of these lovely people was overwhelming.

When can I eat what where???

Laws governing who can serve beer, where you can consume it, and who can serve food and at what time of evening, and were never quite clear to me. At around 9:30 (or, as they say 'half of nine') we tried to order an order of "chips" and were told we could not order any food after 9:00. Although the drinking of beer could go on for hours more. Mark and I left the pub around 10:00 searching for something to eat, only to end up back at our hotel a few minutes later having found none. There, waiting for us at the front door, were two of our new Irish friends, Jane Meyler and Louise Treacy, who had gone to their favorite local "chips" place and picked up a fresh, hot order for us. The fish and chips places boast that they only use new potatoes, making their 'fries' short and stubby rather than long and skinny, and much, much more potato-flavored. Included our the order was something called a "rissole." It is much like our southern, Thanksgiving dressing, with the added ingredient of potatoes, patted like small burgers and fried. YUM.

Michael Drury, California, on Rosslare Strand

Elaine Hurst, Virginia, with toes in the Irish Sea

Painters at Rosslare Strand


David Diez, California

On Tuesday, another open paint out in Rosslare was attended by around 60 or so painters, painting the pebble and sand beach, palm trees (who knew?), and cliffs along the strand in beautiful sunshine. Mid-day our hosts invited everyone to their home on the bluff overlooking the Irish Sea for a barbecue followed by more painting in the afternoon. When we arrived for lunch at Jane's lovely yellow cottage, we were greeted with an American flag flying from one of the utility poles. Such extra touches of hospitality these people think of. This same host had gone the extra mile to welcome us by learning "Tennessee Waltz" on her guitar.

Jane's delightful cottage high above the strand

Welcome U.S.A.!

Neil O'Keefe, Michael Drury, Barry Lynch and Tony Robinson on the cliff's edge

One of our other new friends, Neil O'Keeffe, generously offered to give us a lift to the Dublin airport the next morning, which made leaving this beautiful place a bit more tolerable for us. With hugs all around, and more than a few tears in my eyes, I left this place from where my roots most certainly stood firm generations ago.

For more information on the event, to be included in next year's communication, or to see more photos, visit one of these sites:

http://www.artintheopen.org/
http://pleineire.ning.com/
https://www.facebook.com/artintheopen

Keeping Motivated

2011-07-20T09:26:00.000-05:00

Shady Azaleas, (studio) 30x40

A few months ago, I asked you to submit ideas for the blog. Slowly, but surely, I am working toward addressing those. It is great to have so many wonderful ideas for you! Since my blog is so sporadic in nature, seems only fitting that the topics bounce all over the place. This week I have chosen a short post on keeping motivated.

Often times I am asked, "How do you keep motivated?" The first and most apparent answer is, that I have a lot of work to do so I have no option but to stay motivated. After all, this is my JOB... not some pass time. If I still worked in graphic design, I'd be putting in 60 hours or more a week. If I was still in the administrative position I had prior to that, I'd be working at least 40 hours a week. So why should this career be thought of as less important?

In a "normal" working environment, employees are required to be at work, complete the work, and be committed to whatever it takes to make money for the company. Employees are often asked to attend professional development seminars, go on company retreats, join professional associations, and become a part of the larger, company-network. Why then is it that as artists, these are the things that often take a back seat?

Here are some ideas to keep you motivated as a better "employee" at YOUR own company--Sally Sue's Art Career (SSAC):

Discover for yourself if you are a "full-time," or a "part-time" employee of SSAC. If you are full-time, plan to spend no fewer than 40 hours a week; if you are part-time, set yourself a goal that is reasonable so you can stick to it (10 hours, 15 hours???)
Invest in your professional development. If you need more help with the art-making part of your career, attend a workshop for that. If you need organizing help, find someone who seems a good role model and ask for private consultation (paid, of course).
Get outta town. Make your own retreat to paint on location, sketch, get new photos in your resource pile. Sometimes just going some place inspiring can really get you going!
Join a local art group. It's like instant motivation and peer pressure all wrapped up into one. Really become a part of it; volunteer; set up paint-dates.
Start actually saying, "I'm an artist." When someone asks you what you do, admit that you are an artist. That sort of self-pressure can get you back at it if you've been away for a while.

So this is all well and good, but more often people want an answer that has less to do with the business of motivation, and more to do with the psychological side. Artists get burned out just like everybody else. Sometimes you just cannot imagine what in the world you want to paint or even IF you want to paint. Here are a few things that can get your motor running:

Look through photos from a vacation you took years ago. You may not have known how to tackle some of those images from a painting standpoint back then, but chances are you do now!
Go to a museum, a few galleries, or artists' books (the kind with images of an artist's work rather than the instructional kind) and look at art for the pure joy of it.
Ask a friend to let you come watch them paint for a couple of hours. Remember to be respectful of their time; do not come in and chat for half an hour, sit and be very quiet; offer to pay them for the "demo" you are getting.
Look back at some very old paintings and compare them to some of your newer pieces. You may not realize how much better you have become at your craft. Seeing growth is exciting.
Put on some tunes. Just getting a high energy song playing can dramatically change your mood.
If you're still stuck, at least get out the paint, squeeze it on your palette, and mix some colors. Color mixing and making color charts is very educational. And, because you've squeezed out paint, you're likely to want to start spreading it on a canvas. If you still do not know WHAT to paint, then just play with paint. New techniques come out of exploration with the medium.
Whatever you do, you must first stop making excuses and stay away from things that eat up your day like too much social media, BLOGGING, and chatting on the phone. If there are activities that distract you, like checking email, remove them. Get off the web; turn off the phone; whatever it takes. If you're trying to stay on a diet, you do not fill your house with cookies (as I just did... preaching to myself here.) So if you're trying to get on a painting schedule, do not fill your painting area with things that tempt you to stop painting.

Hope this helps. If you have ideas that help YOU stay motivated, I hope you'll share them here.

Shady Azalea, (plein air) 8x10

As always, I have posted a painting at the top of the blog. This is a studio piece recently completed using ONLY my plein air sketch as a reference. Here is the sketch, and a video showing the process. Enjoy!

More on Color Charts: Neutrals

2011-06-09T13:38:00.001-05:00

Neutrals Color Chart

My good friend Dawn Whitelaw helped me realize that the world we live in is mostly neutral. That is (and sorry Dawn if I misquote you) colors are generally either a neutral that is bent toward a color, or a color that has been slightly neutralized.

Some of you have requested more information on how to make the "neutrals" color chart. (For information on the brights colors chart, see previous post.) Below is a diagram showing what I mixed to get what result. Your results will be slightly different, of course, because the neutrals you mix from which you begin the process will no doubt be different than mine were. Actually, if I did this chart today, my colors would be slightly different based on what I have right now that is "leftover" on my palette and how it might serve as one of the neutrals I mention.

Hopefully the chart is readable here. I had to make it a little small so that it would fit properly.

So, to begin, on the SECOND row from the top, place your colors as they transition around the color wheel. Position 1 is yellow plus green; position 2 is yellow; position 3 is yellow plus orange and so on.

On the FIRST row, tint each of those original color piles to a mid-value using white.

Now, mix 3 piles of "neutral." Each pile should "lean" a little differently from the other. For instance, one neutral might be really called something like "battleship gray," or "Payne's Grey," maybe it leans toward blue a little. One pile could be associated more closely to "brown slacks," or "Raw Umber," and have a little greenish or yellowish tint. The last pile might be kinda of "russet brown," or "Burnt Umber," leaning toward some deeper red tone. These neutrals are shown as "Neutral 1, 2, and 3" on the chart. (You could mix many more neutrals, but we will start here.) After you mix these 3 neutrals, tint each one out slightly with white to mid-range and place a little of that color where it says "Mid-value" under each of the neutral colors on the left.

Next, you will mix a little of the full strength neutral with each of the colors in the second row and place them alongside the neutral (i.e. row 3 is a mixture that contains Neutral 1 and each of the colors from row 2.) The next row is each of the colors in the second row mixed with the Neutral that has been tinted to mid-value.

Follow this for each of the neutrals you pre-mixed and their mid-values.

On this chart, you see some miscellaneous neutrals at the bottom. I was just playing here and using up space and paint by mixing ALL of the used color on my palette together to come up with an additional neutral (see in the bottom right hand corner and tinted out to a 10-value scale). I then started mixing with some of my colors in the second row just to see the sensitive variations this pile of "mud" might make.

The key is to experiment and to keep records of what you do so that you can refer back to the charts. The longer you mix with these basic colors, the faster it becomes until you develop such habits that you no longer think about how you mixed a color... you just do it like breathing in and out.

For additional posts on color charts, click these links:
THE BRIGHTS color chart
3-color PALETTE

Good luck!

Rain in California -- Happy Painting Time!

2011-06-08T15:16:00.000-05:00

Morning at Garrod's, 12x16 p lein air, private collection, Artists' Choice Award Los Gatos, CA

I just returned from the Los Gatos Plein Air Festival where the rain and cold were totally unexpected for this time of year. Being no stranger to rain, I loved it. Although I felt for the organizers who had to work so much harder to provide tents and lights during the outdoor sale on Saturday.

Every morning it was beautiful! Being on central time in my brain, I was up WAY before dawn on the West Coast, and that worked to my advantage. In "Morning at Garrod's" I worked very quickly to capture the light pattern as sun came streaming from the east at about 6:00 a.m. By 6:45, it was getting overcast and threatening rain. My feet were freezing and my teeth chattering. I had not prepared for this weather and had only a couple of layers and a sweater on. I really needed gloves and a coat! But this painting was so much fun that nothing would stop me from completing it.

Here is a close-up of the detail. See how much fun I had!!!!

(detail)

Afternoon at Buxton's, 9x12, plein air

Another quick "grab of sunshine," was this late afternoon piece looking out off the front deck of my host's home. Afternoon light moves fairly quickly anyway (with or without fickle weather). Just more proof that having a plan and sticking to it is the key to success.


Slight Chance of Sunshine, 9x12, plein air

So here is what it looked like the rest of the time we were there. Still... loads of fun to paint! Water dripping all over my palette, my hat soaked through, fingers frozen. Aahhh. This is the life.

One interior scene in the Los Gatos Brewing Company is shown with close-up detail here.

Between Lunch and Dinner (detail), 9x12

To see more pieces in their entirety, visit www.loriputnam.comwww.loriputnam.com

Gear Up: The Sequel

2011-06-07T16:56:00.000-05:00

This is the second part of a post on plein air gear. The first was about choosing the right easel for you.

Many of you asked how I actually pack my paint gear when heading out into the field for plein air work. Sorry it has taken so long. Here goes...

This pic shows everything I pack with the exception of a small digital camera which I am using to take this photo. : ) All of this will pack in my backpack except for the tripod. (Actually, I have two different sized Open Box M palettes. IF I use the smaller one, the tripod will fit as well.) For 99% of my painting excursions, this is exactly what I pack. There may be a slight difference in size of *PanelPak, but you get the idea. I can either get one-8"x10" and one-6"x8" PanelPak inside the backpack together, OR one-9"x12" PanelPak by itself. (If I decide to take other sizes that are larger, I put them in a canvas tote-type bag and hang it over my shoulder.) Each PanelPak holds two panels safely without touching.

Here I have started packing the backpack. No kidding... I bought this Eddie Bauer backpack at a Marshall's or something for about $12. It's pretty worn out, but I just cannot bring myself to pay full price for a new one.

See how everything all stacks neatly? On the other side of the brush roll is a roll of paper towels. The backpack itself measures 18" tall by 11" wide and is approximately 7" deep with several smaller pockets and mesh pockets on either side.

I have used an interior pocket to hold the utility knife and some business cards and the mesh water-bottle pockets to hold the OMS can, sunscreen, metal brush holder, etc. on one side...

Bottled water, paint tubes (which I sometimes put in a paint roll), and bug spray are on the other side, and my sketchpad and viewfinder and a small pack of baby wipes are in the front pouches.

It certainly helps that I use a limited palette of only 3 colors and white. Usually I load fairly big piles of paint onto my palette from large tubes kept in the car, and pack the small tubes in my backpack for replenishing if needed.

Now it is all zipped up and ready to go except for the tripod.

Notice that I am a huge fan of cariabiner (clips)? I use them for everything I can think of. Below I show how I clip the tripod to a loop on the backpack on either the side that hangs off my back, or the strap that my arm goes through placing the tripod on the front. It just depends on the situation which I choose to do.

Sometimes I take along a plein air umbrella. I have a small one that will do in a pinch, and I can either cram it in the bag or in the canvas tote bag with the larger PanelPak I might carry. On occasion I also stick in a rain poncho there as well.

Well, that's it. Hope it was helpful.

*Note: at the original time of this post, I used Panelroo panel carriers. They are great! Recently I have been using PanelPak panel carriers and so have changed all of the wording here to reflect that. They are slightly more compact and lightweight than the original Panelroo.

Also, I have had a new paintbox made that is about the same size as the OpenBoxM mentioned above. It's a prototype... more at a later time. Always something new!

America's Great Paint Out, Florida!

2011-05-30T18:51:00.000-05:00

"Beach Life," Quick Draw Mexico Beach, Honorable Mention, 9x14. Sold.

I have just returned from the Florida's Forgotten Coast Invitational Plein Air event located between Mexico Beach and Aligator Point. The towns and areas of Port St. Joe, Carrabelle, St. George Island, Summer Camp, Cape San Blas, Indian Pass, Eastpoint, Mexico Beach, and Windmark were hosts to some of the best painters I've ever had the privilege of knowing. It is a 10-day event, and the subject matter is so vast that I always wish I had longer.

photo by Sandie Yarbrough

"In for a Tune-up," Port St. Joe, 14x18. Sold

The town of Port St. Joe was this year's location for the "wetroom," Patron's Party, and all the big "to do." I wish I had a final headcount for the opening. It was packed, and the organizers had done a tremendous job of renovating the building with pristine walls and great lighting. The volunteers were really on top of things, making sales, and offering wonderful food and wine. Jim Richards took the one and only award given each year which is determined by vote from the artists. Truly an honor to win an artists' vote!

"Busy Day," 16x20 Apalachicola, FL

Apalachicola hosted the T.G.I.F. party, the full-moon paintout complete with bon fire. A few of the large shrimp boats captains were kind enough to leave their lights on which added even more choice for our late-night painting party. Apalach, as the locals call it, also exhibited works that artists brought with them from previous years' trips, or studio works derived from those pieces. If you've never visited historic Apalachicola, you really must go some time. It's an extraordinary, old Florida town with just something extra.

The Quick Draw was held at Mexico Beach (as the image at the top shows). We awoke to gale force winds and thunderstorms. But Mexico Beach must have some great connection upstairs because about an hour before the competition, the clouds parted and we had the most beautiful sunshine. We could literally watch the thunderstorms avoid us off in the distance. Ken Dewaard painted Toucan's restaurant and took first place. I was extremely happy to receive Honorable Mention.

Every year we are given the chance to sign up for a couple of specific locations to paint at predetermined times so that we can be "found" by people wanting to watch artists. There are usually 1 or 2 demos every day. The organizers print an Event Guide which includes all the major happenings and lists these demonstrations. Click here to see images of these demos and other event photos. This year I participated in the moonlight paint and in the demo at Eastpoint. I love painting Eastpoint. It is slowly coming back to life after Hurricane Dennis in 2005, but the beauty of the abandoned buildings along with the oyster boats makes it a favorite for me.


"Fixer Upper," Eastpoint, 12x16

There is so much more to share, but you get the general idea. I love this place. From the bay waters to the marshlands, to the powder white sand... I'm at home when I am there, eating my weight in shrimp. That's likely why I'm very excited to be offering a workshop there in October and there are a few spots remaining. Maybe you will decide to come along. To see more paintings from my trip, visit this direct link.

Be sure to save the date for next year's event, May 3-13.

Rules or Just Common Decency

2011-04-27T15:14:00.000-05:00

The sidewalks were surrounded by perfectly round azalea clumps and long cast shadows made by tall trees. I was drawn to these sprawling pink and white scrubby ones in the shade instead. "Shady Azaleas," 8x10, plein air.

We learn lots of rules throughout our formative years. We learn not to bite the other kids on the playground; to close the refrigerator door; and on which side of the road to drive. We also learn common decency. My mama would've said, "Learn to mind your manners." These are things like it's nice to hold the door when someone is coming through behind you; it isn't polite to talk with your mouth full; and to say 'please,' and 'thank you.' It stands to reason then, that as beginning artists the first things we want to learn are the rules for making a good painting. But later, even after we have a good understanding of these rules, we feel we have to remind ourselves of them in every painting we do.

A friend whose work I am totally ga-ga for said recently, "The only rules you need to know, are the ones that you don't have to remember." That is so true. Perhaps we need to consider moving beyond "the rules," and practice plain 'ol "common decency."

I believe that sometimes knowing all these rules can inhibit our growth and creativity. I remember a time when every painting I made had a focal point in that sweet 2/3 spot (modified golden mean); my landscape planes followed the same set of value rules we all learn (sun, ground, slants, uprights from lightest to darkest in that order); there was a nice curving "s" shape in the foreground; my distant hills were painted violet and everything in the foreground was warmer by comparison. My husband calls it my, "tree on left" phase. So, what did I do??? I switched to still life. And, you guessed it, every still life I set up and painted all looked the same too.

Exploring the rules many times over, and understanding the value in knowing them in the first place, now leads me to challenge them as much as possible. The more I look at paintings that I find truly amazing, the fewer rules I see. These are the works of artists such as T. Allen Lawson, Quang Ho, and others who are blazing the trail for the rest of us "rebels" to follow. It is as if these artists just have the common decency to do what is right. They have outgrown the elementary stage of their careers and moved on to the enjoyment part of it. I don't know about you, but I am ready for that! After all, I have pretty good manners for the most part. And honestly, when was the last time you actually had to remind yourself not to bite your friends?

It's Plein Air Season! Looking for an Easel?

2011-03-23T17:11:00.000-05:00

Recently I have received many questions regarding supplies and gear for painting en plein air. Your first big investment will be a portable easel. I'm not talking about one of those little three-legged jobs that can barely hold a display poster. I mean a "big girl (or big boy)" easel or "pochade" panel/palette box with tripod that can withstand at least a little wind and many years of use.

The difference between an easel and a pochade box or panel/palette box is basically this... an easel is a stand-alone thing based similar to equipment you might find in your studio but typically smaller, collapsible, and portable. A pochade is a panel holder and palette in one that needs some sort of additional support for its "legs" (such as a tripod with camera quick-release plate). The top "lid" portion holds your panel while the hinged lower section is used as your palette.

Rather than show images of all of these here, I am including some links to a few examples. If for any reason these links do not work, just do a search online and I'm sure you will find them. The standard French easel and it's little sister the smaller half-French easel; Soltek; Anderson Swivel easel; Guerilla Box; Artwork Essential's EasyL; Open BoxM; Coulter Plein Air System; *Beauport Large Format Easel; The Stonefield Easel; the Alla Prima Pochade; and many, many more! There are even websites with building plans so that you can make your own. With so many choices, it can be totally overwhelming.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself when considering which easel to purchase:

Will I be walking more than a few feet with my easel and plein air gear?
This is important to know because the weight of all of your supplies adds up really quickly. Think about carrying a big wooded box (like the French easel), paints, mineral spirits, brushes, sun screen, water, painting panels, extra mediums, your camera, a sketch pad, snacks... you get the idea. Unless you plan on painting within a few yards of your car, pay particular attention to the overall weight of the easel or pochade box.
(Note: As long as I'm talking about French easels here, if you DO prefer this style, consider a Soltek instead. Wooden easels are sometimes prone to swell in humid environments making them difficult to close when you break down at the end of the day.)
Will I be traveling by air to painting destinations?
If so, everything will need to fit into a suit case for air travel. That is different than just throwing it into your back seat and trunk! Think about the outside dimensions and consider how many other things you may need to do without in order to pack a large easel. If you choose a pochade, you will also want to make sure that the tripod collapses short enough to fit as well.
Will I paint larger than a 9x12 or 12x16?
This one is super important because there are painting size limitations to each of these easels. If you are pretty sure you will never paint large, however, there is no reason to super size your order. If you see yourself tackling enough canvas to sail a boat, take a look at the Beauport.
Are you a backpack person or a roll-cart person?
Keep in mind that you cannot roll everywhere. Think of your roll-cart the same way you do a piece of luggage. While it may be easier on your back, you will find some painting locations will not work for you. But if backpacks or satchels are not your style, you may want to look into a Fold Away Cart, Rolling Plein air Packer, or even this combo roll-cart-chair called the ArtComber.
What is your budget?
Notice this is not the first question because, although cost has to be considered, it is not the most important answer. A good easel will cost a good penny. The great news it it should last you a life time. So rather than buying several cheap versions that fall apart quickly, go ahead and bite the bullet and put a little extra money into your easel.

What do I use and why?

Although I have tried many of these or friends of mine have them, it seems I always come back to my Open Box M. I have two different sizes. The smaller one works well if I know I am flying with limited packing space. I can still paint up to 16" wide on it so really, I'm not sure why I have a larger one except that I bought the larger one first. The larger one is called a 10x12 and will accommodate panels up to 18" wide. The palette/mixing area is 10"x12" (hence the name). Just for the luxury of the extra mixing space, I use the 10x12 most of the time.

The Open BoxM is light weight and it fits into my back pack with all of my other gear stuffed around it. After I attach the palette/panel holder to my camera quick release plate on my tripod, I can tilt the palette at an angle (see image below). Also see that the palette (bottom portion) is not very deep. I much prefer both of these attributes as opposed to paining on a horizontal surface or into a deep-lipped lid like some other brands have. Tilting the palette helps me keep the sun off of my mixing area (which tends to mess up the accuracy of my values). Unlike the Soltek, Anderson, Beauport, Coulter Plein Air or Stonefield, there is no open space between the panel holder and the palette so no extraneous light seeps through (again... messing with my values and color mixing ability).

So, that's a lot to chew on and you need to know that for every product out there you will find an artist who loves it and and one who hates it. I realize that isn't much help, but my opinion is all I can offer.

If I could add an additional easel to my collection, it would be one that would allow me to paint slightly larger. Maybe I'll get one of those when I grow up.

*Since this post, I have had a prototype of a new type of paintbox made. More on that as it develops. Also, I have been been contacted by someone who would like to submit the following for your consideration... Thank you Tobin!

Please consider posting a link to my website, www.takeiteasel.com (maybe even replace your Beauport link with a link to my site!) I build the Take It Easel, after which the Beauport was terribly ripped-off/copied overseas! please take a minute to check out our site!

Happy Painting!

Tobin Nadeau
Owner, Builder, Take It Easel
802-999-7123
tobin@takeiteasel.com

Painting the Still Life in Modern Impressionism

2011-03-08T16:10:00.000-06:00

Urning for You, 14"x11" demonstration

Last week I taught a three-day workshop on Painting the Still Life in Modern Impressionism. The participants painted four simple set-ups the first day in order to learn to see masses of value and color and large shapes that hold together. The second day they painted four slightly more difficult ones incorporating different types of lighting ideas. Day three we worked together to design and set up larger, more complex still lifes and everyone created a final, large masterpiece.

Learning to ignore labels like "vase," "apple," "doughnut," "rose," and instead seeing connected shapes is a huge step in painting this way. Even once you can see it, there is a huge temptation to start painting "things" way too early in the process. For long periods of time, the painting basically looks like little of nothing. You are painting "through" objects rather than outlining them and filling them in. Slowly and methodically these large shapes can be broken down into slightly smaller shapes until, in the final 10% of the process, just the right amount of information is divided into the smallest pieces and, wah-lah, the image appears.

I remember one of the first demonstrations I saw painted this way. It was a little like magic. It was a portrait demonstration and I could not imagine that this artist was actually going to pull a person's face out of that abstract, juicy, paint mess. Last week, as I painted the opening demonstration for this workshop, the students looked eager but totally lost at what I was painting. In the end, the image did, indeed, appear, and I had them hooked!

(detail)

Viewing the painting close up, the painting still looks like random pieces of paint. But as you step back, it pops into focus. Similarly, images on my website tend to look more tightly rendered than the same painting when you view it in person. Here is detail from the painting shown above. See what I mean?

Cleaning Brushes

2011-03-01T21:17:00.000-06:00

Easy Commute, 30"x36"

People often ask me about when I first became interested in art. All I can say is, as a little girl, I remember not liking dolls very much; I remember playing with Hot Wheels -- the same track I gave to my son to play with some 25 years later, and drawing the little cartoons in the back of magazines in the classified section. You remember, you sketched the pirate or the puppy or whatever, mailed it in, and you might get to take lessons at a "real art school" to see if you could be a "real artist."

Another very vivid memory that I have which does involve playing with dolls, is one where I set my Mrs. Beasley doll and my Barbie doll side by side (Barbie must have thought Mrs. Beasley was a giant) and taught them how to clean paint brushes. I remember distinctly showing them how to "work the bristles gently in your hands, and clean the bathroom sink very well when finished."

Today, I still actually enjoy cleaning brushes; although, I admit, I rarely do so. There is no sink in my studio, so it means taking them home when I feel they are just desperately calling to be cleaned. There are many ways my artist friends take care of their brushes that are extraordinarily elaborate. (NOTE: Most of these friends have assistants to do the work for them every day.) However, if I had a sink in the studio, I would certainly clean mine more often. Personally, I find that using the same brushes day in and day out, they really do not need much attention. Maybe that is because I am pretty hard on them on the canvas so when they wear out, they wear out, and it has less to do with my cleaning process and more to do with my painting process.

Here is my process for taking care of my brushes --

First of all, before I ever dip my brush in my odorless mineral spirits, I thoroughly pull all of the paint that I possibly can out of the brush with a paper towel or cloth. I do this between paint color mixtures to keep my color fresh. By pulling so much of the paint out before cleaning the brush, my OMS stays fairly fresh for weeks. At the end of the day, I make sure each of the brushes I have used is really swished well in the OMS. If I am going to be painting again the very next day, that's about it. If I am going to be out of the studio for several days, I go to the next step as well.

I have a second can of OMS which is kept very, very clean. Actually, it is Turpenoid Natural. (I do not use this as my regular OMS because it is a little too oily for my preference). I swish my brushes around in this a final time to make certain there is no paint at all left in the bristles.

Every few weeks or so, my brushes get a great cleaning. It is therapeutic for me and really conditions them. For this I use Ugly Dog Brush Soap found at www.naturalpigments.com. It is all natural and not only cleans well but leaves the brushes feeling nice. Another great thing is that it comes in a little tub. You just put a little water in the tub and run your brushes back and forth similar to the way you might do it in the palm of your hand, except by using the tub, you are not scrubbing pigment into the palm of your hand!

Once the brushes are very clean, I pull all of the water out of them with an absorbent cloth. Finally, I reshape the bristles and tame any loose hairs by applying either walnut oil or vaseline. While living in Italy, I used olive oil (although I am not suggesting that you do that). It seemed to do just fine.

So the image at the top basically has nothing to do with this post. I just wanted to share what is on my easel this week. Apparently I am still in St. Lucia in the quaint little village of Choisel.

Happy brush cleaning!

Beauty is in the Eye of ... the Artist

2011-02-21T16:41:00.000-06:00

Living in Paradise, 28x36

It seems that recently I have been in the middle of many conversations about "finding beauty;" what makes something "beautiful;" can a painting with a subject that is too "beautiful" still be good art? Having just come back from the gorgeous island of St. Lucia, I think I can talk pretty honestly about this topic. There is certainly no lack of beauty to paint there. It is, for the most part, like a postcard with its phthalo colored water, magenta clouds, and tropical green foliage.

Balenbouche Beach, 8x10 field sketch

Because I was teaching a workshop while in St. Lucia, I did not take the time to complete any plein air paintings while I was there. I did, however, make a half-dozen or so quick plein air field sketches -- the kind that take about 30 minutes between walking around and helping my students. These are great to do. It usually means I only get down value and color notes, little or no detail, and the compositions may be less than perfect, but the information is so valuable when I get back to the studio to paint a larger painting. What I found myself doing was reigning in the use of the strong colors around me. Because everything was just SO intense I could not make it all work in what I considered to be a "tasteful" way. I sensed I was also having difficulty seeing the colors and their proper values (probably because of the strength of the sunlight and also because of their intense saturation). After all, I had flown from an otherwise gray setting in Tennessee, to this place that was so lush my eyes and brain just did not seem to want to adjust. It was a difficult painting week, but oh, did I mention, I was in a tropical PARADISE!!?? No worries.

Waiting for the Tide, 8x10, field sketch

By the end of the week I just could not take the beauty any longer. (You feel sorry for me don't you.) While holding class on the beach in Soufriere, I was drawn to sketch something less obvious than the Gros Piton. I sketched these old boats. Aaaahhhh... now that's more like it! Why had I been painting the quintessential postcard all week? That is not what I am usually attracted to paint, so why was I doing it?

I was doing it, perhaps, because somewhere in my life I have been brainwashed into believing that certain things have beauty and certain things do not. Or perhaps I was doing it because I thought that these subjects would be what my students would want to paint, and I needed to be able to help them do so. Yet, when I take a look at my last few years' inventory of work, more than half of my paintings are of seemingly ordinary things like alley ways, dying fish, old shrimp boats, dead trees, or rainy days. All of these subjects became beautiful to me because of their shapes, the light play, the shadows, the color harmony, or some other abstract idea or deeper artistic pull. I'd also like to think that when I do choose a "pretty" subject, it is not because of the subject itself, but is for all of these same reasons.

Day Off, 11x14, field sketch

These trips hosted by Toscana Americana are typically six-day workshops. (Really, I think, five days might be much more sensible because the travel has added to an otherwise intense time of learning, and everyone is really exhausted by this time.) We list in our itinerary an "optional" day, meaning students can choose to paint on their own, take in the local culture, go snorkeling or horseback riding, enjoy a little rest, or paint along side me. I wait to see what the students choose to do before making any plans of my own. Sometimes this means it may just be one student and myself; sometimes it means I have the entire class.

This last sketch is of a small beach situated between the two Piton. We all rode in the back of a pick-up truck driven by the husband of one of the students, down a steep "almost" road to spend an afternoon. Most of the students chose to enjoy a little relaxation on a beach towel. For me, that meant, I had an afternoon off! At first I tried the resting on a beach towel thing. Soon I was lured by my paint box and so began to sketch this little piece. It was drizzling so the colors in the water were a little grayer and the palm trees sat together like a big mass against the sky. I simply liked the shapes and muted colors -- that is all it took to get me up off my towel and romance me interpret to this scene. As I painted this (as opposed to painting one of the Piton again or the beautiful sail boats) many of the local families gathered around. Parents explained to their children what I was painting, commented on how it was so beautiful, and what a lovely day they were having. This, is what the locals see as beautiful... a drizzly day on a small beach... their "every day" life.

I have read and heard many times over, that when John Singer Sargent went out in the field with his pals to paint, he would do many quick field sketches of the most ordinary things. All the while, his peers were still walking around looking for some beautiful thing to paint. This time of study from nature surely played a role in why he became so accomplished. It makes one think. How many miles have I driven, looking for the perfect spot to paint? How many times I have missed an opportunity, because I had to see what was around the next curve?

So here is my big advice. Seek the beauty in any and every thing. There are already plenty of lovely postcards on the racks out there. So stop some place or find some thing that screams ordinary and examine it more fully. Paint the unexpected beauty around you. It is there, if only you will look.

Wild, Wild, West: Developing a Painting

2011-01-30T10:32:00.000-06:00


Wild, Wild, West, 48x30

It always helps if I have actually painted on location and done a few plein air sketches before I start a work in the studio from a photo. That is the case here. This image is from a trip to Cheyenne, Wyoming two years ago. The photo is fine, but I remember so much more about this scene because I painted there all day.

I remember standing there in the flowing wild flowers on crisp gray day and thinking how beautiful the colors were. That happens a lot. Colors in nature look so much more colorful on a gray day. The sun is not washing out the color. This is proof positive that painting subjects with strong light patterns is not the ONLY way to go! It also tells me that if I use grays in my painting, the passages of color will appear more vibrant. Two lessons in one.

Because I wanted to add more distance to the piece, I worked to develop a thumbnail sketch using several images until I discovered that painting in a vertical format would be best. That is certainly not what first comes to mind when we think large, vast, landscape now is it?

After the thumbnail sketch is made, I lightly sketch the same design onto a stained canvas. Because there was so much lavender in the field, I stained the canvas in pale violet. Next, I added calligraphic style brush work with very thin paint. The color, in this case, was what you might describe as burnt sienna although I mixed the color myself using orange plus a little more red and violet.

I need to double check to be certain that the design matches my original thumbnail, is true to the intent of my idea, and that no divisions of space are exactly equal. Two of the spaces on the lower right are very close to the same size, so I will adjust those a bit as I move along. By sketching this in, I have placed my darkest accents first! This is key. Make them a bit larger than you need so that you can carve the lighter masses around them and only leave tiny bits showing.

Moving to fill with large masses, I start with the mid-darks (oddly enough, those are in the background... not what you might have expected) and paint in the distant hillside.

Continuing to build the big masses here, but because the canvas is a little larger, I do this a bit less deliberately than you might think. Here you see what appears to be drippy, sketchy, stuff. But really, I'm just getting it covered with the something close to the local color.

I need to block in the mass for the sky. You can do one of two things here... fill it with one single color and then model it with a second; or go ahead and mix two colors that are the same value (side by side on your palette to double check the value relationship) and paint a gradation of color into the mass.

Now I'll do the same with the remaining mass on the ground plane. On my palette, side by side, I mixed two different colors of green that are in the same value range. NOTE: I would like to explain the reason I put the sky in BEFORE I painted in this land mass. I wanted to double check that I had left the correct number of steps in value between the top, lighted surface of the ground and the sky. Many times I paint the sky mass last.

Here I have starting painting my greens, alternating and mixing a little on the canvas as I go. Just like with the sky, I am skipping a step that, if you are just beginning, you should be extraordinarily careful about doing. That is, if you have a tendency to make your masses too contrasty (they feel jumpy and busy), fill in the entire shape with one color of green and then go back and model with the second. With some practice, you will be able to do it this way instead.

See how the ground plane is starting to develop? The darker mass in front is still mostly serving as the darkest parts of the grass and wild flowers. Watch now what happens when I apply the top grasses and foremost wildflowers.

The last of the foreground is painted in with the beautiful lavender that was growing there. The original stain of lavender also shows through in many places. I carve AROUND those large patches of yellow primrose and make them a little smaller... more individual looking as they come forward.

The final piece (see the first image at top) is taken under corrected-lighting conditions. The images from the demonstration were taken as I painted on my easel.

Watch the entire painting develop in this video.