May 16th struggles, Plein-air outing

Today I was back out in the meadow that we lease to try and capture the trees and the light of the morning.  I walked around a bit, looking at all the wonderful elements of nature out there, and the colors.   Trees are inspiring to me, and so difficult to get across the feeling I would like to get in them  With my dogs, and all my stuff, I set out to try once again!This area seemed to show the largeness of the trees shooting up into the sky without to much other clutter to arrange.  These also had sun hitting from the right sides, and shadows on the ground, so maybe , just maybe I could do something with this.  Been told on W.C. website that they aren't as dark where they reach the sky as I have been making them, even when in silhouette.  I have also been reading my John Carlson's landscape painting and admit I don't always understand what I think I understand.  Best way to handle this to get out there and paint!This were I set myself, still thinking to keep it simple, ( KISS)---Means.....keep it simple, stupid!---I began, after doing a notan in my sketchbook, then a simple pastel underpainting washed with alcohol.  Both dogs kept watch, feeling very bored I am sure.  When dry, taking only moments, I began with the local color---9 x 12 white wallis---next time canson!

Hope you can see this!   Anyhow, not the best---but still trying!

A watercolor sky---for practise

Skies have been on my mind a lot lately----In Nevada, we do get some great May skies!  Some may be thunder clouds, and some may be just gentle moisture filled skies that have a lot of light coming thru.  Cloud shadows across the valleys can be amazing, and really show a great sence of depth and distance.  It really is a large world out there!   Also, we had another cool couple of days giving us rain and snow, we had more than 2 inches late in the evening on May 10th, that was still there the next day.  It was really wet, and very good for all the feilds that are trying to grow now.   So, caught indoors  I painted this sky.   A watercolor, just a bit smaller than a 1/2 sheet of 200 Sauders Waterford paper, a really nice paper.

Oil finish, and May 2nd. Plein-air

I worked this afternoon, on finishing my Oil painting.  I was not too sure how to do it, and I was alone. That's not so good sometimes!  But I tried.  I have been reading all I can find about this stuff, so I thought I could at least finish it!  But as I worked, I found many more questions than I had answers.   Using the same palette of colors, this is where I stopped.  Not exactly what I had in mind----but I am sure it will come with more work, thinking, and trying.

Earlier this morning, I was at the Dutch Valley ranch, where we live.  We spend so much time at the Home ranch, on Foothill Road in the Carson Valley, that I do miss being here.   The summer greens will be so hard to handle that I am trying to get a jump on that by starting with the spring green shades----it has been so cold here it really seems like spring is behind!  It was sunny today,  so out I went.   This spot is only maybe 100ft. from my kitchen door.     So this is where I started from.   I was here about 2 hours, and I used a moonstone colored Canson Paper that was mounted on matboard.  I drew in my composition with the # 244 Nupastel and washed it with alcohol.  It dries very quickly, and the paper stays flat as it is mounted to the mat board.    Then I went in with the local colors, and tried to get a fresh look.

How do you think it worked out?    There, as usual,  is so much more to consider than meets the eye when you begin!!    I was surprised that the willows still haven't gotten their greens yet, but as I said, its been cold here, and very windy.  Today was nice and sunny, yet I froze toward the ends of my efforts!!!!    Still--Plein Air is the most fun of all.

This one is big, much more than normal.   Its 10  x 14-----I will be going back to the smaller sizes, but I like to go big once in a while.  I will do this again in this location----I am not sure the compostion is as good as it could be.  Remember, Its all Work!!!  but fun.

Rocky bluff update

Today I am posting my recent trials on learning to Paint!    I have done a pastel of the rocky point I am going to paint in the studio in Oils.    The Pastel is  on a piece of foramcor that I put a surface of fine pumice ground,  I did the painting in plein-air one morning and wasn't really happy with the surface really.  But it is lightweight,  and easy to put in your backpack.     2 hours in to this, this is where I was.
 

  And then this is how far I am on my block-in on the Oil -

                        Now I am  letting it dry so , I can  then go into it and learn how how to do all that---I will use retouch varnish, by Damar, as my medium is by Daniel Smith and is with Damar Oil-        Now I can  think about the changes I would make or how I would finish this.   Interesting for sure.

Planing a studio painting, using all materials for reference

  Lately I have been trying to plan a painting of  a rocky out crop  near our ranch In Dutch Valley.  It has caught my attention for  years, as I I have seen it in all times of day and light.  It can appear very interesting.  I have recently done a plein -air if it in pastel.  It was a struggle, I washed the surface off and tried again in my studio using photos I had taken that day.  I was not to successful.  I have gone back since for more photo's, and will continue to do so.  I just am not sure of the right way to view it.  From down low,  or from equal elevation looking at it from across the draw,   morning, evening or what?   I would like to come up with a composition, then use all my materials for an indoor work with oils-----So to that end I proceed.

       Today, using photo's and the first plein-air, I painted with Gouache on stretched Grey toned Canson Mi-teintes, which is a wonderful paper.  Since it had been stretched, then dried over night,  I could use plenty of water while painting and not get any warps or wrinkles----This is how it came out----         I didn't like the lower tree, so I wiped out the paint.   I paused to think what to do----I like that gouache paint dries so quickly. 

                                             I decided, since this is a fact finding effort, also a learning effort for both compostions and mixing color using white, that I didn't do to badly.  I feel I learned a lot, and decided to go ahead with corrections and plans for a future painting, using my pastels.  They really did help me go head and continue planning.  This is where I stopped. 
                           Thursday, I get a lesson in oils  with Ray Freeman, and hope to use this as a subject.  I have many pictures, and am still doing thumbnails with pencil for a better composition.   Using gouache today as it snowed outside my  window was fun and I plan to use this paint again.   I do really like the canson papers for pastels , too.   I experiment with many surfaces.

Out doors in! April under the willows.......

Finally I got out there again.  This time in one of the fields on the ranch in Diamond Valley,  this spot shows the water coming along Indian Creek, then an irrigation ditch takes from the creek.   Yes its Spring--even tho we had snow a few mornings ago!  The grass is trying to grow, and soon the nights will be up to 40's and 50's for the over night low and all things will be growing everywhere!   This one was a bit hard for me, with all the water reflections and the many willow trunks and the dappled light effects going on----I do hope you can get the idea here.    Took about 2 hours of pure confusing fun!   Dogs were swimming, and hunting, and ducks were going over head, quaking.  Its a great place in the mornings, a huge field and all the piece and quiet you would need.

Here are a couple shots I want to share with you all,   This was the last time I did an indoor pastle at the house in Dutch Valley,  and I try to use the kitchen for painting with Pastel as its easier to clean up in there.  I have a hard time with lighting there and I think thats why I love going outdoors to paint.  Here, My mouser is looking over the color choices!!!!  He chose a  blue, pushed it out of the box and wanted to roll it around on the floor.  He has got all the mice and is bored!!!    So, You guessed it, I had "blue" to sweep up  and cry over.   Stupid cat!!!!

Wind and cold-- indoor work-

  The end of March has gotten rough, so I thought some indoor work was in order.   I drew this from a photo of my big gelding, Pine's Poco Amor.   He is a quarter horse, but is 16.3 hands high!!  His saving grace is that he is short-coupled, making him easy to ride as he collects well.  Not the smartest of horse, yet very kind.So, I drew him in Pencil, to understand all the values I was seeing.   I thought, maybe I will try to be very realist with this one.  I am usually trying to be "Loose"  but this time I thought I would satisfy my "detail" mode.  So, I chose a 300 lb. watercolor paper and put the drawing onto that.  Then loosely painted with watercolor the background wash.   After that I used a " Giselle" method, and painted the horse head's values with watercolor in violet tones-----Then used the pastles to finish.

I did use pastel pencils when I began, thinking I would really try for detail.  Alas, I don't think I pulled that off.  I don't think I am the fussy kind!  Values seem to be what I see the most, and the details are mind-boggling!  Anyhow, It was a great way to experiment, and really see where I am with this art " Thing"   I really think I love Plein-air most. followed by, I guess, animals--and then, whatever catches my fancy!   I am still experimenting and trying to learn.     We call him " Switch" for his nickname.

March plein-air---early spring on Indain Creek

Todays Plein air painting was just a blast.  My Friend, Carole drove over form Dayton , Nevada and we spent the day in Art!  First, we went out in the field at our Ranch in Dutch Valley and painted Indain Creek  on this early spring morning.  I used Uart , with a underpainting using achohol and Nupastel # 244---which gave me a great start,  Carole used her pastelmat which is a great surface, and did an underpainting also.  We both had a very enjoyabole time.   Can't wait to go again!  This one is 7  x 12 inches and we painted for about 3 hours.

March Morning - Plein-air

Daylight Savings time again, and this morning was beautifully sunny and warm.  Thank Goodness, because I have been so cold these days.  I don't understand that at all, but at least I had enough energy to load my car with my plein-air stuff, just 3 things,  and drive about 1/2 mile from the house to find a good quiet spot along Indian Creek.  I was looking for the beaver damns I knew to be here, but saw that they had been taken out to allow the water to flow more easily thru the canyon.   This is a good thing, but it probably won't be too long before the beaver have their damns back up!    I felt a bit dauted by the scene, however, as there are a lot of willows, and grasses, rocks, and mud-----but I was lucky enough to be able to simplify the scene by squinting, and doing the thumbnails that are so important  and help you to get what you want of the scene.  I used Uart sanded paper,  7 x 12---mounted to an 8 ply. mat board, and it was really nice to work on.   I drew my scene in, using a viewfinder, with a # 244 nupastel, getting the darks where they needed to be.  Going thru my mind was " darkest darks, lightest lights , most easy color" Well, a lot of things were going thru my head!  When I have my value drawing on the paper, I used alcohol to melt it down and make a very loose, painterly under painting.   It dries very fast, and I was ready to go into it with color.   I used a wide array of pastels, hard, mediums , and then finished with my amazing Terry Ludwigs Plein-air set.     The colors in the area are plenty muted as its not even spring yet, and these colors did a great job.    I had a wonderful time, and it was about 2 hours in all.

Winter light--Our Willows

  I spent yesterday morning, in doors doing this one in Pastel.  Its on colorfix board, with a simple watercolor underpainting.  I recently read in Stapleton Kearn's Blog a nice way of thinking of the underpainting.  He wrote---"An underpainting is a way of separating the problems of drawing and design from the problems of color"---And that works for me.  You need to think of the underlying abstract patterns that hold your paintings together.  Doing your Notans.......Dark/light explorations are well worth the time and thought it takes, and makes all that follows easier.  Anyhow, I am really trying to learn these things. This is a snow scene on the ranch on Foothill---Winter willows are just so pretty, with the reds and pinks in them, add the light and maybe a painting is born!

Last day of February, 2010---spring on the way!

Yesterday was such a sunny, cloudy, beautiful day, beginning with a morning that had skies so full of movement and color you could of watched it all day.  I should of, as thats the best way to understand skies.  I decided to get out there and paint!  Then comes the age old thing..........Where?   Are you kidding? I says to meself,  as I stood in my driveway and just looked around.   So I set up right in my driveway, and this is the scene north of the house. The fields are just trying to show some green. and that sagebrush hill always looks the same, and beyond it you can see clear down the valley and far mountains.   My problem here is I think I made the dark Mountain, while it is close to us, a bit to large.  Its hard right out there in the open, as it all looks so big!  I did use a veiw-finder, did a thumbnail, and used the small pond and creek as a lead-in to take you thru the field, and back to the mountains.    9 x 12 on rose -grey canson paper.      I am going to try a compostion a day, thing, sometimes in pastle and sometimes in pencil, and hope it improves my compotion skills for the entire year.

Last weeks Oil plein-air work-----was work!

So,   After a few more storms this year, and for him , a coupla shows,  My friend Ray set us up to go plein-air in Oils  one fine morning.   I met him at the old desserted chicken ranch that belongs to my fella's cousin.   We had permission to go out into the fields around this property to find a compostion for painting, it was a nice day. We set up near one another, so I could learn more about using Oils , which is new to me.  I felt set to go, as I had a new back-pack with my painting stuff inside and a new 1/2 french easel to break in.....or break, which ever comes first!!  This one is from Daniel Smith catalog and I hope it holds up. It was a flat- light grey day, the sky being quite silver looking----here is what I did for this endevor, my 4th plein-air in Oils.       Then the very next day, my Pastel friend from Dayton, Nevada drove over to spend the day plein-air -ing with pastles!  What could be better?   We walked up behind the ranch here in Carson Valley and found a place that had both snow and trees.  She wanted the snow, and I just wanted to figure out How to paint some of the nice trees along the path where I walk , with the pets and have spent a lot of time.  Don't believe this is quite what I want---but its a start!!!!     I used a pink Canson paper as I felt it went well with the greens of both the tree and the sage........My comp.  needs work, paths aren't my thing I guess!!!   And even tho it was sunny---I got so cold doing this!   About 2 hours of time.      So   we went down to the house for Lunch-----and to decide what to do for the pm.    My friend had some Pastle Mat------we had never used it before.   We pulled up a photo on a lap-top and composed from it.   It was to cold to go back outside!! (really)     And this is what  I did---its a scene right in the back yard, but I left out the Mt. range back there.

Pastel Mat is an amazing surface to use---This was a medium grey----I just don't know how it takes the pastle, but it goes on like paint!   Great Fun.  ( I think "pastelmat" is one word?)

Would you like to see My latest Oil Plein-air?

I will just do this quickly--I got to go out one afternoon with Oil painter, Ray Freeman just before our most recent snow.  It was a sunny PM, and we just went up above the ranch, under the trees and in the sagebrush.  As usual, I had  a hard time settleing on a subject to paint, but then, the subject is always the light---So, I looked at the afternoon light.  Ray was also impresssed by the late PM sun-rays.  This is what I came up with.     I did paint on a small 9 x12 canvas board by Blick--with a raw sienna toned gesso over it.  I like that very much, and the paint didn't soak in as fast.  Now I have 3 attempts!  and am very into do more.  Today I got a goose-down set of bib-coveralls for cold days!  Imagine.  A cousin passed them on, and tho they are very large, they should work. 

              Snow expected again tommorrow so I will do some drawing and pastles in doors.  ' till next time!!!

Pastel Dreams: After the Holiday! New Years Day

Pastel Dreams: After the Holiday! New Years Day


www.Wetcanvas.com

After the Holiday! New Years Day

 Happy  New year to all of you Artists out there, and many more.  I do hope you made it thru the Holidays in good form.  I had set aside doing artwork for the time although I did keep up with my drawing!  To me, its the most important thing you can do along with reading about art, and thinking.  I found myself hiking with all the family dogs one afternoon, which lead me to drawing some of them.  I found some puppy pictures of the youngest, a Lab belonging to my son.  Remembering a wonderful pastel by one of my most favorite artists', I began to wonder if I could even do it, create a painting  of a very young innocent pup!  Well, one must try!    Especially if one doesn't like being cold outdoors!  This is about 11 x 14 and is done on a greyish-purple canson paper.

This was the drawing, with a charcole pencil.  I have read, and have been told if you use  charcole, it will muddy your pastel color------then I have been told by others that it will not, charcole and pastel go together nicely.  So, to me, the only thing you can do is to try it!!  I have found using charcole to start a pastel on canson works wonderfully!  Here, I am trying to get the expression I see in the dog from knowing him!And I hope I have gotten that!   Boomer is 2 now, and quite big!  He was a big puppy, too, with a large square head that I wondered if he would ever grow in to.  I love dog-sitting him, his love for life is quite apparent!

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!

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!

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 !

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!

Alpine Artist Open Studio Tour

 Its been awhile since I have posted.  Fall is here and there is so much to do to get ready for winter!  We raise black angus cattle, so there is that, and cutting fire wood, and yes, the Markleeville  (Alpine County) Artists Open Studio Tour.  I became a part of this this year, and it was held Oct 3 and 4th.  Advertisment  was handled by the founders of the organization. They printed brocheres, post cards ,maps and had it all ready early so there was enough time to get it out.  I used the old garage on the Home ranch, as this is where I did most of my work,  I love using an easal, standing so I can walk back and forth to see my work.  Also, I spent a lot of time here with the senior member of the family as he lived his last years, Me with him , so he could remain in his own home.  He passed this spring at age 95.  He was very encouraging of my efforts, and even drew with me one day as we sat in the sun outside the garage door.  So This is where I exibited what I had done so far.  Some were watercolors, which I began doing in 01, then went to pastel as its something you can walk away from and back to, and its the same!  This is door, with a friend peeking out!

This is the first group that arrived on Saturday.  We had people all day.  They were interested, nice, and really asked questions about how each painting was done.  Fun for me!  I had cards made of the paintings, and I did sell a lot of cards.This is my sister helping the set up. We also had a huge pot of coffee, and cookies she , her granddaughter and I made. I did sell 4 paintings as well as the cards.  Good for a beginner!And Here is my sister, helping some folks as questions were always asked.  It was fun to do all this.And this is my most recent Pastel, on Black paper, mulit-media board,  Great fun, But I was worried about the black paper fading with time and light, so I mixed Mars Black arcylic paint with Golden fine pumice and rolled that on with a foam roller. It made it nice and black, with tooth. The reference photo was a black and white taken in '84 of a cat who would come to visit.  I Knick-named her "Leo"--and she was enjoying the last sun-light of the day. Black is very fun to work on, the colors just are brilliant. I used a lot of greys in this,(nuetrals)-- and no white at all.