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.

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.

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.

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.