Halona Cove watercolor

I finally have this finished!  Interruptions aside, I’m pleased to be presenting the painting here on my blog before framing it and putting it in the gallery. As I mentioned in earlier posts, working this large painting up from small drawings and studies, and further developing it from memory and imagination is a nice change from my more literal plein-air practice. It’s probably the wave of the future for me, if you will excuse an unintended pun.

Everyone in our area knows this location from the film ” From Here to Eternity” where Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr made their big splash rolling around in the surf, as well as shipwreck scenes from “Pirates of the Carribean 4.”

For myself, the attraction has always been found in contrasts; darks and lights, colors, fluid/dynamic water played against static volcanic forms, an element of real danger on certain winter days, and a sublime beauty at certain moments, where the water is almost still and the entire cove becomes covered in shadow near dusk.


DSC_0119Halona Cove: The First Step, watercolor on paper, 22 x 30″,  framed size 31 x 39″

The painting is framed as of  today,  and will go on public display the first of April.

Maintaining an edge~ new drawings from Life

These are some images from the last few months or so. Relatively short poses, mostly under an hour.

DSC_0118

I’ve been pursuing a more seasoned and sensitive description, allowing for more construction and “thinking out loud” with line.

I’m sticking with charcoal and carbon pencils for a few months, and I’ll possibly go into a Cont’e crayon-mode or other red chalk next. They have possibilities I haven’t explored enough. I make it a habit to work with a single medium for a several month stretch, and then rotate to another so that by the end of a year I may have worked in three or four drawing media. So much of progress is showing up, being energized and diligent, but without going stale. Switching up mediums like that helps, but it doesn’t affect structural or perceptual problems.

DSC_0119

I’m still not (often enough) seeing or taking-in the whole form at once…something I’ve been able to do on occasion in the past.  By this I mean seeing the part, an arm or whatever, and it’s place in the entire figure almost simultaneously and drawing it that way. Tricky stuff, but I know there’s a groove where I’ve managed it before, and when it happens it’s where you know you ought to be.

DSC_0123

I’m thinking that each drawing, good or bad, is a brick in the wall of your experience.  It’s the sharpening of the eye and refining one’s shortcomings that really matters with these, a nice drawing is the by-product. Not that I don’t shoot for a nice drawing each time. I do, but I find my own criteria for that drawing has changed a bit.  I like chatter in my drawings now, and enjoy seeing bits of construction showing about, maybe even a finger print or two.

DSC_0129

I found myself telling a student last night that one shouldn’t “speak in monotone”, that is, draw with a line that has no inflection or personality.  I was surprised that analogy came up, but I think it’s helpful.

DSC_0138

There’s a nice season where one measures diligently, renders exactly, and goes as far as they can that way, as far as their talent, training, and knowledge can take them.  I wish it could last forever sometimes, because to get buried in a drawing for hours, for it’s own sake,  is fun. But, now I need to make use of what skills I may have obtained to make things that find their way into the marketplace, my objectives being in paint these days.
DSC_0125

Thankfully,  I have the blessing of regular weekly classes and motivated students where I can maintain some edge to those skills, an endless process I thoroughly enjoy.

DSC_0135

Painting the Model en Plein Air

This has been a fun and fascinating concept, with a great bunch of students (and models)  willing to brave the sun and occasional mosquito for the rare opportunity to work from the live model out-of- doors.  The class is three hours each session, enough time to for me to provide a demonstration, and then get everyone painting and drawing.

P2280011

These photos are from our fifth session together, where I did a drawing demonstration.  I’ve also managed to include demonstrations in watercolor and pastel as well as oil;  the basic information is much the same for all three.   The students have risen to the challenges each day, and it’s been a pleasure for me to teach.

P2280007

DSC_0122

My usual big advice, to work from the outside shape inward, and from general to specific, is scrawled across the top of this drawing. My friend Linda Crank has a offered a great quote from Frank Benson, the great Boston painter of figures in sunlight, which beautifully elaborates the point I try to make.  His words:

‎”If you make things right in the order of their importance, you will never get into trouble. This business of fussing around with the details before you have gotten the masses in correctly is what makes for a poor picture.” – Frank W. Benson

It’s the sort of thing that takes thought, time and effort to comprehend, but once it does, a light comes on that changes everything.

P2280006

The class will be expanded to eight sessions, and repeat itself over the summer months.  Let me know if you wish to reserve a spot.

Orchid

I would love to paint more flowers…and hope that someday I’ll have the chance. For now, here is an orchid that I painted years ago,  because it’s time to look at it again.

DSC_0118 Orchid 8 x10″      oil on panel

Change-up my game

For many year I’ve persisted in painting from life whenever possible.  This has included everything from landscapes and ocean pieces to the commissioned portraiture that comes my way.  I tremendously enjoy the engagement that comes from being in-the-moment with the subject I’m painting, and will continue to do so as long as I’m able.

But recently I’ve been looking to improve on some of this because there is an obstacle within my approach, that of becoming overly-occupied with the purely visual (which I do love) and not allowing enough consideration to other matters.  Working with the subject constantly before me has at times led to some poor decisions in composition, color, and emphasis over the years.  The more I look at the paintings that I admire, the more I see my future progress in terms of designing more unique and thoughtfully composed paintings, if I am able to.

What’s changing

The approach I’m adapting is to create paintings by starting with an imaginary sketch of what I think is an ideal design.  From this point, I gradually gather my other resources (drawings and color sketches done at the location) to combine and develop a third and final work. This tips the see-saw in favor of a structured and inspired composition, and away from relying on finding a decent arrangement  in nature where one may not really exist. This final amalgamation may be painted in-studio over time, with the advantage of the color sketch done from nature providing actual color notes and shapes.  This is different than relying on photography, because I’ll have mixed the color combinations before when sketching and will not have to skirt the yawning trap of reliance on photographs.

In case you were wondering, this is nothing new; it’s actually an older approach than the generally  impressionist approach I’ve been cultivating for so long. As I find myself getting older, I’m looking  to make use of all of my accumulated experiences painting before nature, but also to be able to direct my energy to the larger, more carefully composed paintings that can’t be done in the wind and weather.

DSC_0124

This small (5 x 7″) watercolor sketch, based on a scene I’ve painted before, is an arrangement that I thought I’d like to impose on the actual subject.  It’s from my mind’s eye, an arrangement of simple shapes and colors that I think are better than what I see at the location. This allows me to move shapes and emphasize what I find helps the painting. All of this is studio work done in advance, employing a little daydreaming and composing that I can’t do when I’m outdoors, primarily chasing the light effect.

Later, I went to the actual location and painted this oil sketch (9 x 12″, below)  This contains enough factual information, like color of water, shadows, rocks,  to combine with the imaginary sketch above for the composition of a final piece, which may be in watercolor, oil, or pastel, and at any size I decide.

DSC_0119

This will be a great advancement if I can make it work.   I’m planning a full-sheet (22 x 30″)watercolor from these two resources which would be quite difficult to achieve outdoors. A small scale version of the final piece in pencil is today’s project, and I may get to the final piece later this week.  I’m enthused!

I’ll keep you posted.

“Painting the Figure en Plein Air” first demo

We had an absolutely delightful time starting up our plein-air figure class at the Spalding House campus (formerly known as the Contemporary Museum) here on Oahu, Hawai’i.

DSC_0118

We had a very nice turnout of around 16 eager students, my terrific model Tina as our first subject, and all arranged on the beautiful, tree filled acreage overlooking Diamond Head.  We got to work right away with sketches in various mediums, and a fine time was had by all.

The small (8 x 10″) sketch above was my introductory oil demonstration piece, hammered out a bit at a time over our three hours together.  Can’t wait for next week, it’s too much fun.

Another drive-by watercolor

Treated myself to another drive by watercolor yesterday…with some of the work tweeked in the studio this AM.  It’s a spot near where I needed to go anyway, and so I timed my trip to give myself the opportunity to get this under way.

DSC_0118as yet untitled  watercolor,  12 x 15″

I love the warmth of the light as it’s descending through the atmospheric filter, (which I’m sure has a technical name), and it’s especially tricky to paint in transparent watercolor. Added to that,  the effect’s over before the paper is dry, so you only get one shot at it. So it’s a bit crazy sometimes.
I’m beginning to consider a modified approach to some of this, combining a good pencil drawing and a small watercolor sketch, and doing the actual painting from those notes and imagination.  A different game, and I believe in some ways a better one if I can work it out.

I’m going off on a late afternoon expedition in the same area now, so this is a brief post.

The new/old composition II

I’ve been spending every possible sunny morning working on this painting. It’s moving along well (I think) and so I’m posting some new shots from the last week or so.

PC290003

PC290006

Winter brings some powerful winds, and so this arrangement is how I keep the trusty old easel standing.  It works quite well, and I’m able to continue work on days that would be impossible otherwise.

P1050012

A calmer day, towards the end of my session. The warmth of the color of the painting has given way to the cooler light of the later morning.

P1070001The painting is about 80% complete. I plan to add a couple small figures and do some re-designing of the light and dark patterns in the foreground now that I have the colors figured out. I’ve made an effort to build the paint surface heavily in some of this area, and that will require some removal of paint to accomplish, so I expect to take this into the studio for the final working out and completion of the piece.

That’s good news, the break from the elements is welcome.