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Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Today's Plein-air .....Great fun!

Today was very special , and I am so glad the calm weather has prevailed this November!  We need storms, but I so appreciated today!  Ray Freeman, who is an Oil painter that lives in Nevada's Capitol City was out today for some plein-air work.  We loaded up and drove not to far from my home, out on a dirt road where we had peace and quiet!
This is where we ended up, and even tho Nevada can get very grey in the winter months, there was color all around as soon as the sun would hit something!  We talked "Composition", made plans and he helped me to begin. I did Oils today, and have not done this to many times.  I worked very near to Ray, so I could ask questions and watch a real artist at work.  It was great! He begins with shapes, and paints the dog before the fleas, which is a good thing to remember.  I always want detail to soon.  We used a split-complementary pallet.  I felt that the thickness of the paints themselves were hard to get used to, but they were so beautiful and sparkly on the canvas board.I will show you Rays' work as it really turned out well.  I feel I have a long way to go, but I did enjoy today and my painting isn't awful ( just what it should be for a beginner!)  After Ray left, I did a quick pastel of the spring on the hillside and was happy.This is where Ray finished today, and he says he has about 30 min. more work he will do when he gets home.  He will add some more darks where needed and sky hole in the red rose bush at left.   I really loved watching this all happen and feel I learn a lot today.   Can't wait for another good day such as this one was!

Monday, November 23, 2009

limited palette study--fall

The weather in our valley has been in the 40's for daytime, and sometimes windy.  Not to cold, but I felt cold so didn't paint to much---began thinking about using a square format and making it work without becoming to static---and getting it to show "Hugeness"  This little ranch is on 14 acres along hwy 88 in the Carson Valley and belongs to cousins--noone living there now or since the late 8o's.  Plein-air painters have been seen lurking about painting this scene and I even saw the result of one in the Southwest Art Mag. by Kathleen Dunphy. This scene is painted looking south, hers was painting looking north.  I will try this is plein-air , and problay will do it in all seasons.  This one was from photos, and on Senniler Pastel card.
I will be out plein-air tommarrow and think I will try Oils!  So 'till then, happy painting!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Changes made to Fall aspens


I had posted this on Wet Canvas, and read all the suggestions  about making it better. While I had some things pointed out to me it was my plein-air painter friend that made the best observation.  That would be  Ray Freeman, a person who always puts compostion first.  He told me two things I feel were important in improving this painting. First the lone sage in the lower left corner seemed to be isolated color wise----so I added more sage in front of the sunlit large rock and a bit in the middle ground.  He also thought the line of the tops of the middle ground aspens with fall color was to identical to the top line of the mountain in the far background.   I think this had bothered others as well, but we were not able to reconize what was the problem.  So I changed that by getting rid of that line of trees on the left side of the compostion.   I think I like this better and hope it puts a little more space into the scene.  This one is 11 x 14, and on a firm board, 8 ply archival mat board that was coated with 2 coats of gesso--then goldens fine pumice gel.   Made a great painting surface that was enjoyable to use and took watercolor very well.   I will put this away, work on others then take another look at this and see if these changes hold up.

I must say the days are getting so short!  And a lot cooler, we moved cows again today and shouldn't have to worry about them now for 2 weeks, then we move them to another pasture for the winter.  I hope to get out there and do some plein-air in between things!                   Hope all of you have a Happy Thanksgiving !

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

In the meanwhile!

While I haven't been posting on my blog, I have been busy!  Recently got 2 new books about NotAN and am studing these so as to get the "Idea" ingrained", and then use it! Edgar Alywin Payne used it, Maynard Dixon understood it, and Jane Hoffsetter has a great compostion book using it widely!  And I am begining to get it.  Also, the fall cattle worktime is here.  We have fields along Hwy's, and also in the hills where the cattle have been all summer.  Time to wean and ship!   So, I thought I would post a few recent pictures of some right here at the Older part of the ranch along Hwy 88 in the Carson Valley.  My son on his blue horse, and my dog holding them at the top of the lane. 
And around the cornor to the corralls. 


Also here is the last pastel I have worked on-------I am going to change much about this in the next few days and will post the outcome!I have ideas about this, so more work to do.  See ya in a few days!