Little dirt road of memeories---Pastel

Just finnished this today,  its a road about a mile from the house and its where I have both road, and walked alot.  Its nice in the Spring, even tho its mostly sagebrush and pinon pines.   October tho, you can pick those nuts for a wonderful treat!!    This is on Pastelcard by Senniler - -and is 11 x 15, with a turpinod underpainting of sunlight and shadows.   Great Fun!

Pastel 18 x 20 on very agressive surface

I  Had made a homemade surface last fall for winter-time indoor work.  You know, on those days when you aren't up to really creating, you can experiment with products for making surfaces to paint on.  I used a heavy archival piece of foamcor, measured out my size, then taped the edges.  I thin brushed acrylic gesso inside the taped off shape, let that dry, and gave it a second coat.   Then I mixed  some gesso , water, and dry pumice together and painted that on with a foam roller.  I let that dry, and spent all winter contemplating what to use it for!!   It did turn out to be highly sanded, so to speak.   This week I decided to try a full scene of this years fall color looking up Hope valley, west to east.   First I gave it a watercolor underpainting----I think I should of gone darker at this stage.    Then I began my first blocking in with the harder pastels.

It was about 3 hours of getting the block in done - - -I think I was having trouble with getting the blues and greens in to make the forest recede.  The sky was painted in with yellow which I think worked.   The time I was trying to paint was 11 am to about 1 pm - - -the light is very cool at this time, but since it was late fall, the sun was far into the south.   I am not sure of this very rough surface.   Some times I do like it, but not sure today.

This is where I stopped - - - I will need to think about it to see if for me its really done.     And now to think up another project!!!

Done for now - -

I  will stop here with my oil painting - - - - I finished by myself, and maybe there will be changes to make.  For now, I will let it dry  in site, while I think it over - - - -how I could do this better - - and many things about oils - - -they are different for sure.   Its magic when I watch Ray put down a brush stroke on one  of his paintings.  And last year, in June, I watched Charles Muench paint a beautiful small plein-air of a blue house here locally.   It was just beautiful work.    You have to applaud those who have gone all the way, doing all the work and studying in Oils all  they possibly can and then finding the time to PAINT, and paint steady so they can grow in their art.  Amazing dedication, and a true love for art.    I do enjoy art, but seem to go a  lot slower!   I will be out will my pastels, plein-air again soon.  I spotted a great painting that needs to happen just today as I was on my bike!!!    I do enjoy plein-air!!

Another morning painting on my own.......

Can  you tell I have been painting on this again?  sometime the underpainting of Burnt Sienna looks like the painting itself.    Today I was brave enough to have another go at it, studying it carefully for a place to begin I tried to continue.  After having Ray;s wonderful help, and seeing that I had so much to correct last time I was a lot more hesitant.  I do understand that this is my first studio painting in Oil, and that it will be a huge learning curve even to be able to mix my paint - - - -but I don't think I really understood the actual feel of working on this with no answers except to try this and that, in a way!  Ray has been wonderful in his help, and the way he helps.  He lets me do my thing---study that, then find ways to correct it.  That way I can really see what I am doing or thinking wrong.   I really appreicate his help.

I have a lot in the saddle area to do, and his rope to finnish, and most likly a lot of corrections - -  -but this is where I am today.

Another morning in Oil paint

Well, today I began painting again----=my last day on this I had begun to feel that I did not have some of it drawn right, which made the body of the mare feel too cramped in - - -so I did send an S O S  out to my friend who is so very good teaching painting in Oils, as well as painting pretty amazing himself.   Ray Freeman came back out to help me figure out where I went wrong.   Yes, it was in the drawing mostly.   Measure---Measure- -  -measure!!!    we must learn to measure, and compare relationships.  I had drawn this imagine using a grid method, which works - - -but I do need to pay  more attention to spatial relationships and to learn to use this method more effectively.   As a result, I needed to lose those hind legs - - -- I had wanted to retain a little of them, feeling it would look odd without them - - -but hey - -  -you really don't feel that way when the corrections were made.    I also was struggling with my background-----So, after Ray left, I thought about it again---and this is where I am now.    I may yet change it.   In taking the photo today I see I cut the dogs legs off-----I will do better next photo as her legs are still there!    I also did a small dog this week in Pastel.   He belongs to my elder 1/2 brother, and is very cute.  Am still working on this background, too.

But here he is - - -I may add some softer violets and a bit of yellow to this background.   Hope you are all painting!!

corrections!!

This is the second  layer on this painting, with value and color corrections!   I spend the first days on my own as I painted  and decided I needed some help from a very good oil painter that I know, who does a lot of western-type scenes as well.  So I called him, and he came over to see what he could do to help.   Its Ray Freeman, and he is not only a wonderful artist - - he is a very patient teacher, and very invested in the whole effort.  We go Plein-air painting together sometimes, and I have painted on site in oils with him - - but not very well.   He also does pastels.   So, with his help, we worked this over and brought those values closer in some areas, and he talked a lot about mixing warm and cool  value for each color mix we had going.  We talked about color harmony, and he really gave me a lot to think about.   I haven't touched it since he was by, but I have plenty to work out on my own!   Oil color is the same in therory, but you do need to learn the properties of each color,  and mixing with the white and black is a lot different.  I am not using black per se' in this painting, tho.

finally, a new post!

Today I want to quickly post my newest efforts in Oil.  I have my poor camera back, so I took a few pictures today to show you what I have been up to this month.   Its been cold, sunny each day, and no storms, but cold.  So I began an oil painting to do indoors so I can learn to paint in oils, and mix colors easily.     This is one I have already done in Pastel, so I am a bit familiar with it.  This time, I wanted an abstract background, but showing light and shadow.   So far I have this.

Painting the dog was fun, and seemed to flow for me----the rest, not so much!  Sure am wondering where I am going with this!  I did choose a limited palette, to make mixing easier.  I left this for about 2 days, then tried again today with the horses head and got this far.

                                           

This picture seems to have gotten a lot of shine reflected back into my camera--I did shut off  the flash.  I am painting in my home by the bay window that faces to the North.  Really nice to be at home, but I have to say----Plein-air painting is still my favorite!!!     So, as I paint more I will post and let you know how this experience is going for me!

Have wonderful Holidays everyone!

I am sorry to say I have broken my camera again!  So, until it returns to me fixed, I won't be able to post any pictures.  One nice thing that arrived today by mail was my copy of the new Plein-air magazine.  Its really worth the subscription and I hope you also seen it.

So, until I am again camera ready---I bid you adieu.
And Hope all of you have wonderful Holidays, keep painting and see you in 2012!!!!   It shouldn't be long, its at Nikion now

Weather is getting challenging a bit, so.....

Our long and beautiful fall weather has been  just wonderful this year, but alas all good things do end.   Now the wind is blowing a gale, trees are bending and the feeling of true fall is everywhere as leaves blow wildly around to get caught in fences and water troughs.     I have been thinking of the holidays, and tried to learn a new quilting technique that was fun, fast, and ended up well even  for me!!   This  one is a table runnner, but I can go on and make full sized quilts using this idea, also pillow covers, placemats, and other decorations  all fast and easy.  I am giving this To my fellas sister this year and hope she likes it.  The flower is a poinsettia, here it is closer.

In the past, I have enjoyed making quilts, but really didn't do them well.  Now I want to learn to do them much better - - - but would rather do my pastels!!!  So this will be  a challenge.   Here are a couple of older ones I did in the 80's.

This "Cat" one is a wall hanging that I never hung!!  

and this is another table runner for the holidays I also never used!  I must rectify this!      Anyhow, for this next spring I am planning a full sized quilt in violets and yellow and hope I actually make it.   There is thankfully so much to do!    Hope all of you are having a great fall, and into the holidays we go!

Last of the fall colors - - which were plenty this year!!!

Both mornings this weekend, I drove up to Hope Valley on hwy 88 in Ca. to see the changing leaves on the Aspen Trees.  This year it was a mild fall, with one early cold night and little storm -  - -then a long Indian Summer with the Fall leaves lasting with brilliant color thru it all.    People were everywhere, taking pictures I guess for their own projects - -  -maybe cards, maybe calendars - -who knows?  But they were out in droves with some the biggest cameras' I have ever seen.   I found a quiet spot at about *  A. M.  Where I spent the morning trying to compose a painting.  With so much brilliant color, and light I found I had a very hard time.   Just changing to mostly Yellows and golds proved difficult in showing 3 Planes for a landscape painting.   I need to be much more simple in my designs and think it thru first.  I did do some thumbnail sketches, and did spend at least an hour on a small painting,   It still needs work, and thought.   I then took pictures to play with during the cold winter months.  I will show you a few of these.   Maybe one day you will find yourself on Hwy 88, going thru Hope Valley in the fall!!

And the last one I will add is my effort for this A. M.---Its rather poor - - -but I do have time to try and improve on these fall trees.   It may be  a long winter, who knows?

This last one is my work - - -which needs some thought and improvement as far as compostion  goes.  It is still a lot of work to plan a simple comp - - sometimes you can find a natural comp, and thats wonderful if it says what you what it to  say.  If not, then you must be able to use the elements of design to get it painted in a way that feels right to you.  So, back to the drawing board!!   Still, it was  a lovely  way to spend sevearl hours!!

My Dayton Friend comes to paint in Carson Valley

This is Carole, painting away beside our hay stack which is a long row and you can see its shadow---it gave us some great shade, and protection from the wind last Sunday as we painted.    I was out to her area of Nevada  a few weeks ago, Dayton, so this time she came this way.   I really enjoyed seeing her part of the country and want  to go back again.  She was very interstested in painting the blooming rabbit brush while on this day I was more concerened with the distant mountains that are north of us, and toward Carson City.   They are plenty high, and have quite a bit of drama.  Maybe not as much as the Tetons, but plenty!   Glenna Hartman ( bless her), painted a very nice scene a few years ago, along this same range of mountains , just before Genoa, Nev.  that is just beautiful.  Todays try was on Canson, twilight in color, which is a great shade of purple that really is fun to use. Its 9 x 11, and the pastel does not fill the tooth, I could do more , but I think I will leave it simple.

It has the feeling of wide open spaces!  Those are getting few and far between , even in my world.  Have to enjoy them as we can.

Hope you are all out there painting!

Plein-air with a Friend in Dayton , Nev

This is a recent plein-air done along the river near Dayton, Nevada just a few days ago.  I and a good friend who also loves plein-air painting, Carole, went out one morning to see what we could capture.  It was a wonderful morning, warm, bright, and very interesting light.  We walked only a short distance and came to the bank of the West Carson River, with was flowing lazily along since it is now September.  We had a lot of good water this year, a first in many years and boy do we appreciate that!  All I saw was so interesting a beautiful, the shadows on the very big sandy dessert-y mountains were wonderful, and the huge cottonwood trees along the river were so big, cool, and had very interesting shapes.   I began my first painting just to get a feel of the place, and get my mind to settle and look!  That is so hard when you are in a new place, everything just yells at you for attention!   I finally in the late a. m., early afternoon, painted this one.   I was looking across the river to the opposite banks to these trees and the distant mt.  The colors were gentle but beautiful, with some shadow left.   I used a surface I made myself on watercolor paper.  And I did a sketch, then a value drawing right on my surface and used water soluble pencil, washed with water for the values.  Then watercolor, then pastel-----sounds like it was very laborious, but it was not and went rather fast.  I wanted to catch the color of the light of the day----   It was fun, and can't wait to go again.

Evening Plein - air work. . . catching those shadows and last light.

My recent plein-air, done last evening between 4:30 pm and 6 pm-----trying to catch those shadows as they come reaching down the mountainside every day, when the sun drops lower in the sky.   I was standing out in front of the ranch on Foothill road, with the cows, just watching and waiting.     The sun began to bounce off the roof of the neighbors old barn, and then off the farther trees to the north, and I had to look hard and fast as the light began to change fast before me.  It was fun, I have done this before but I think a little better this time.  I used 14 x 16  La Carte Sennilier pastel card, and washed in the shadows with Turps---When dry, I finished with pastel , trying to get the color of the light I was seeing.    I will try again on evening as it is a nice view, and fun to do.   
              I was told today of another artist website to check out, as he is a wonderful artist and his work  is just amazing.   so look for   http://www.markhaworth.com/   and enjoy his amazing work.

about 8 a.m. today, until 10ish o'clock

This is the last barn that is here on this ranch, built in about 1850's, and was a stagestop/livery stable for seaveral years until the 1860's came around and my fella's great-great grandfather bought the place.  Yes, he is a 4th generation ranch owner still trying to raise beef cattle, and put up hay to feed those cattle.     I did the painting from the west side of the barn as the sun was coming up in the east - - -the sun was very bright this am. and I was really watching how it touches the tops of the trees, even tho they were againist the sun they were very light at the tops.  I had to move fast as the light was really changing as the sun climbed higher and higher.    I did not think I would enjoy this subject, it must of been me thinking it would be to difficult----but I think it went OK.     Its 11 x 14, on Uart mounted to foamcor, which is a great surface to use.  I did a value drawing right on the paper, washed that with turpionid, and when dry I tried to captured all the color I was seeing.   I was surprized at how much fun I had, as I don't do buildings so much. glad I have done this one as it is so old and so personable to me.

Plein-air - - newest work on a beautiful bright morning

I have been out a few times recently but did not make a very good painting on any of those times,    I did a little better on this attempt but still feel a bit out of step with painting.  My thoughts just aren't there, or maybe they are a bit too much!!!    "Do what you have always done, and you will get what youv'e always got"  is a quote that I think of  often, but can't recall who was the first to say it.     With that thought in mind,  I decided to work on this one a bit differenly that I may have.     I used a piece of white  Colorfix paper cut to 8  x  12, and after doing my pencil drawing in my sketchbook to find a comp, and the l/d pattern,  I then drew onto my support with orange for the light areas, and red for the dark - -  -then washed it with a brush and water to create a value painting in red and orange.   Should of taken a photo at that time, but I walked around a bit while it dried and then went into the painting with the colors of the day, as I was seeing them.  As the sun went over me, of course, there was more blue in the water, and I knew it was time to stop.  I had worked on this for only 1 1/2 hours, but I was tired and ready to go home.   There were beautiful things to paint all around me however, and I should of stayed out there and continued.   I feel to guilty when I am gone to long, painting  although I really don't do much else!!!  At lest this year I haven't.   Anyhow, until next time.    Oh!   heres a very good web-site you might like.  I study this painters comp's because he has such good ones, and is a plein-air painter.    http://www.paulkratterartist.com/    Enjoy!

Final summary of Bill Cone workshop. . . . . . .

Still thinking about this  very incredible week, and its hard not to want to share it all with you.  As we know, I do have a lot of words to share!    This picture is just another one I have of the buttes in evening time, taken from the boat loading area.    Tuesday began early with 7 o'clock breakfast, making our lunches ourselves, then a discussion of where to go.  Bill wanted to talk about " Atmosphere"  and getting those effects into your work.   We car-avaned down a few miles into the valley floor, (Sierra Valley) to better see these effects thru  distance.  Looking into the sun's light, and placing mountains in its path, we could see how they " Blue" with distance, become both cooler and lighter as they regress back from the viewer, into the picture plane.  Painting this with the correct value's and color was this morning's job.

We were in the small town of Sattley,  and set up right along side of the road.  Many of us painted about the same scene as it lay out before us, with just a little different angle depending on where you set up.   Bill painted, then went from easel to easal to see how we each had done, and he offered the right comments to each of us.   Mine went OK only  - and he helped  me "complete" my view so to speak.    I have to show you one of the others work for this exercise, - - -Diane Olivier, who is an artist from San Francisco really painted a "Fresh" piece.  Using a white Lenox paper, she captured this area very well.  The white paper did leave small specks of white showing thru which made this work sparkle.  Most of us used the Twilight Canson with bits of that showing thru which made it more muted, and in some cases, helped with the atmosphere we were capturing.  I thought Diane's' work to be very eye-catching and bold.

bridge over North fork of the Yuba river,

The group, after a steep hike down to the Yuba River.  It was roaring, but beautiful.  This was the only part of the whole trip that caused me concern, and that was because my gear was STILL  to difficult for me to pack.  It was steep, with dirt that made you slip and my poor 1/2 french easel was a bit large for me to handle with my back pack and all.   Some of the others had a difficult time as well, and painted from the bridge.  Some of the rest, including Bill, went a bit lower, and was right by the water.  I tried that and didn't do very well at all and left my easal up above on the trail.   This is what Bill accomplished in a very short time:

Beautiful, and a good lesson for me as I was very close to him.   He looks for that light, that touches everything and makes it "Wake up"  In this one, the sun's ray's were beginning to come up the canyon that the water falls down, lighting this little pool along the edge of the river.  He painted fast, but pretty accurately.   I tried a scene of the falling water, gave up and hiked back up the trail.   I felt out of my comfort zone, which is what this was about for me - - -I really need to look at, and paint more water.   While up on that upper trail, I came across this!

In  the red box, is the rattles.  It coiled, and was ready to strike.  I tried the zom on my new camera, and then got away from there!   For the rest of the afternoon, I and Patty Kellner, took a drive to one of the neighboring towns to look around, then went back to Lower Sardine and painted - - then back to camp.  The falls really wasn't all that easy of a place to paint from, but Bill sure did a great job!

This above painting is a sample of Bill's  small pieces that he does when he is studying a place - -maybe for the first time, or an idea, or theme--from life,  just a study and very good practise in looking at the subject and the light and how you might get it painted.   Each of these he has done were just spectacular, small interesting light filled pieces.  He takes out a 9 x 11 sheet of paper mostly, then if its to be a study, just uses a section of it - -and again for another study.   Good advise.

One afternoon was spent at another beautiful lake,  Salmon Lake.   The people who enjoyed swimming, did for awhile, and others just found a good place to paint from.  It was beautiful, and as the day passed, I sat on a rock next to another lady, then Bill joined us in the shade, and we all, including Dado painted this rock which was hit by light and sitting in the lake.   Surprising on how close all the painting were, until it came to depicting the top of the water which was also hit by light, but rippling in the breeze.  You naturally want to try and paint each rippling edge you see, one side in blue from the sky, and one side dark like the water - - - very confusing.   I knew others were stopped at this point as well as I - -and  I did remember to 'squint" my eyes as I looked at this - - -and darn, problem solved!!   As you squint your eyes, the light all blended together as a colorful gradient coming down the lake toward you and gave you the solution of how to paint that.    This is exactly what Bill did, and his gradient was beautiful - -as was DaDo's who also included in his a tree that was perfect  on the left-hand side of his work.   This was a great lesson, and learning curve.





 The last day came surprisingly fast, and I was not ready for that but all good things do end.  We placed all our paintings on the side of the dinning hall for a final critique  with Bill  how was always fair and helpful.    

Here he is, just looking at all the paintings - - -each of us had done at least 7 to 8 - - -I also did , but won't post those!   I have them along with my notes in a tracing paper pad to refer back to from time to time.      I also want  to post the works done by a young artist from Toronto, Ontario Canada who came all the way down here to paint with and see Bill's work and to see him work.   Dalibor Dejanovic  will be I am sure, a up coming new artist and will do very well in his career.  I was very glad to see his work and to meet him.

     

Look at these closely and enjoy them.   They are really nice pieces.   He will have  a great future - - -and he also works in animation, but in Canada.  Sounds like a great field to be in for sure.   Well, this concludes my artful week with Bill Cone.   I am so pleased that I got to go and enjoy and try to learn form this instructor who will also become a big name in Fine Art , in pastels when he choose to loose his day job and be an artist full time.    He did tell us he will be perhaps in a gallery in Colorado, Abend Gallery, and I think this a good move for him.   That gallery has other really good artists and names with it.   I do wish him well , and a great future as Fine Artist ahead!!!!

My overview of the Bill Cone Workshop in the Sierra's

I can not believe the week long workshop is over.  It was just wonderful, and we kept very busy from the first day clear up to the last day.  We camped at the Sierra  Nevada Field Campus which is very near Sierra City, Ca, and on the Yuba Mt. elevation is about 5600, and 6,700 at the pass.  Days were very nice, and the evenings cooled down pleasantly. There was a dinning room which had college girls doing the cooking for all, 14 in Bill's "Pastel and the Natural Light " group as well as a group studying spiders!!  Everyone seems quite educated and serious about their chosen interests.  Bill arrives with wine and cheese, and we all talked and got to know one another a bit before dinner, after dinner we all went to Lower Sardine Lake, which is about 20 min. from the Field campus.   A bunch of  the students, and Bill, got busy painting.  I was just soaking it all in, it was wonderful!!!

               Above is how the lake looks in real life, with the last of the sun's rays hitting is as it went down (the sun)      And here is Bill's first painting of the workshop.  To me it was like watching magic as he painted the light - - -and let that define the forms he was looking at.   I knew I was in for a lot to learn from this amazing artist!!    I really felt out of my comfort zone----then I thought,  "What comfort zone?"   I am still a bit new to this medium anyhow, so really, I just need to watch, listen, and learn!!  Then go and paint more.

This was a demo Bill did for us  at the camp that first morning, before we went any where--He was talking about the light and values to show that light.                                             

     After this first night, the next morning arrived with breakfast at 7 sharp!   How nice just to get up, and get ready to learn about painting the light en plein-air?  We got our things together after breakfast, and drove a short distance to a meadow which had a good view of the Sierra Buttes in daylight, being hit by the sun from the east.  We all  painted here in the a.m, with Bill coming to each easel and offering his help.  It was wonderful.

Here is Carolyn Thompson, who shared a tent with me the week we were there.  She worked hard and did quite a few nice paintings during the week

And here is a shot of the Buettes themselves in this light.. 

I think I will stop here, I have so much more to share and say.   It was a very busy week, with some wonderful people so I can't leave to much out!!  I still am thinking about each little faccet , and love day-dreaming about it - - -- but now must go fix supper!!   so more at my next post.

(Carolyn is over here)

Leaving for one week for the Bill Cone Workshop

Finally the time has come!!!  I have been waiting so long it seems!!  Tommarrow I leave for a week,  that will be so odd as I haven't gone anywhere myself for sooooo long!!!!    I am going to the Sierra Buettes area in California to be at a workshop called "Pastel and the Natural light" which is taught by artist Bill Cone.   Bill Cone works for Pixar ,, and has been teaching this workshop for a long time.  His own work is amazing and is so full of light!  I really do hope to absorbe, learn , all I possibley can.  More after the workshop week, stay tuned!!

              Here is an example of Bill Cone's amazing pastel work:

Its so beautiful!!!    I am so looking forward to this!!!!   Later Folks!

Plein-air morning from Last Sunday

The last time I got out to Plein-air was last Sunday, and I had a great time.  Made it back home in time to scrap more paint from the ceiling in the room I am painting.  I used a Mounted Uart paper, on a foamcor board that just makes my life so easy!   I wish compostion was as easy as just enjoying painting on this type of prepared board.  This is an old Pine tree trying to hang in here .   atop a very rocky hillside above the river.  I think I will return to this area and others like it as I enjoy the granite rocks,   and the brush and things that do try to grow.   Also, some great vista's can also be seen from the right places as well.    

9 a.m. on a great morning - - -

This is today's work, from Faith Valley off of hwy. 88 in California.   Its really a beautiful spot that I don't go see very much.  I met some ladies , one of which has a beautiful home on Blue Lakes road in Hope Valley, and we went looking for a place to spend the morning.   I used a Sienna colored pastlemat , 9 x 12, and after doing a thumbnail sketch in my notebook, I drew this onto the pastlemat, and then used alcohol to wash the d/L patten down.  The alcohol acted very strange on this support and I doubt I would use it again - -  --still, I was able to Finnish the painting.   I believe I put too much into the picture, even tho I used a viewfinder.  I do plan to return and distill this a bit more.    One of the other ladies had a wonderful painting - - -it was at least 16 x 20!!  And on Wallis Belgium mist dry mounted onto foam core.  She didn't say, but she used a chosen palette and really pulled if off wonderfully with color harmony throughout - -  -giving me plenty to think about.   I not only try to put everything into the painting that I see, but also try to use every color out there!!  More painting en plein-air will help me thru this.