A Lesson Learned

 

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/joan-wiberg/first-peony/480183

I participated in my first paint out event in a local town and was reminded how important it is to keep the painting brush strokes LIVELY.  Because I paint almost every day, I have been using a brush and a palette knife and maybe drifted toward making things look "wrapped up" and polished at the end.  In plein air, it is essential (IMHO) to show the energy of the artist's mark making because of the limited time. I did this peony painting today and paid careful attention to the marks I made and tried to keep the surface "fresh looking" as a result.  It was a step in the right direction!

A New Perspective

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/artists/joan-wiberg-6276/artwork

 

Daily Paintworks often features a "hovering" perspective of the objects and I thought I would give it a try.  I do like the abstract quality of the things that are only partially shown in the painting window.  Next time I will pay close attention to the colors of the objects themselves.  I selected the things more by their unique shapes.  I can see using this composition as a step to an abstract piece.

Make your own sunshine!

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/joan-wiberg/aldi-blooms/477981

Day 15 of overcast and rainy.  I also have developed some ailment in my shoulders from painting so much!  I think they are inflamed and BOY DOES THAT HURT!  I can't reach behind myself to put my coat on, so I'm off to the doctor.  My paint out group just missed our third Wednesday out due to crappy weather.  I am trying to keep it all in perspective.  The sun is scheduled to return on SUNDAY.

Seeing Color Accurately

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/joan-wiberg/halogen-gala/476711

I was re-reading Kevin McPherson's first book about plein air painting and he stressed the need to accurately represent color by using a white paper as a reference, or a punched hole in a viewfinder to compare the value of the hue.  It was an interesting exercise to always be comparing a color to the color next to it, or the contrast between the apple's edge and the background.  I also switched to a halogen spotlight hoping to work in a cooler, less yellowing light.  The more I looked, the more colors I saw.  This was not a quick process, so my daily painting went over onto one more day.

Ooops there's no FOCAL POINT....

Last week I decided to do a little study of a window from a local historical building.  I was unfocused while I was working, and my picture really has no FOCAL POINT or center of interest.  I sort of got lost in the rusty palette and left out the most important stage of planning and sketching. 

 

OOPS.

 

There's always next time.

 

 

Good Luck

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/joan-wiberg/good-luck/474988

 

Once again I limited my subject to a single object, although the surface of the rusted old horse shoe had me lost in fabulous rusty tones.  The color of rust is one of my favorite things to paint actually.  I love the beauty created as the metal breaks down in multiple colors.  It is common knowledge in the country that the shoe opening must point upwards or all the luck will run out.  But, of course.  I managed to do this 5 x 7 in two and a half hours, a little over my desired time of 120 minutes.

Successful Daily Painting

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/543958

 

I have done over one hundred paintings as a daily painter and I encounter the same problem every time: trying to complete a painting in two hours or so.  I am working on solving this problem, and I think it is mostly due to picking complex subject matter.  Today I selected this succulent plant in a tin that was a favor from a wedding.  It is simple, visually exciting because of the reflection of the metal tin, and I put up a simple yellow backdrop. I paint with a brush first and then complete the smaller areas with a palette knife.  Because I have finished in two hours, I still have studio time left to work on other projects.