All Things Fine Art

"Hollyhock Garden", 18x24", oil on canvas panel

Yesterday, in helping a student better understand the variables of using color as it applies to dominance, I said, “dominance does not mean exclusion”.  What I meant by that is that a painting should have color dominance (either warm or cool) but that does not exclude the possibility of the opposite temperature being included in the painting in subordinate passages. It’s been my experience that many students, new to color theory, misunderstand the use of the word dominance. To the inexperienced, dominance may mean that a full palette of both warm and cool colors may not be used in the same painting.  This is simply not true. 

If you look at my painting “Hollyhock Garden” above, you’ll see that the dominant temperature throughout is cool (primarily in the green family).  Look again, and you’ll see that I used a warm red (Cad. Red Light) as an accent within the color-filled cool red flowers. In addition, I lightly scumbled a warm yellow (a mixture of Cad. Yel. Deep and Yellow Ochre) over the background trees on the left to suggest warm sunshine filtering down among the trees.  This use of the opposite temperature to the cool dominance of the entire painting, in miniscule amounts, created a contrasting tension…thus; the painting visually pops and has interest for the eye.

If you are having trouble with temperature usage let me know your concerns by contacting me via the "Contact" page on this website. I will try to address them in future blog posts.

My plein air painting, "Time and the River Flowing" was a hit with the students participating in my Tuesday morning mentoring class. Because they had so many questions about my plein air approach to painting complex subjects quickly and simply, I recreated the painting in a 45 minute step-by-step demonstration for them. The following are photos taken by Gail Bohner on her cell phone during the demo.

I've always believed that a painting is made (or not) in its intial block-in.  If it doesn't work then it never will.  For this reason, I take extreme care (and as long as it takes) to get the large shapes well placed and in good size relationship one to another. I spend a great deal of energy weighing the readability of the negative/positive and light/dark shapes. In this photo it shows my Transparent Red Oxide block-in. This block-in of shapes is basically a notan which I feel is the best way to create compositional drama.

In stage two of my process, I begin establishing color by adding the darkest shapes, i.e. their variations of temperature and value, as required. I keep the shapes simple (no details). Consideration is given to atmospheric perspective between the distant trees, the large mass of tress in center and the mid-ground bush on the left to give the sense of depth to the painting. Since the day is overcast, the values are kept quite close and temperature contrasts are emphasized a bit more.

This photo shows how all of the major shapes of the painting have been simply stated. I am fully able, at this point in my process, to clearly see relationships. In addition, since there is little definition I am not committed and able to make changes, as may be required, quite easily. From this point on, I only need to begin addressing the smaller shapes of trees against the big mass, a few individual stalks of weeds/grasses against the mass of grass, etc.  Heightening the contrast in snow patches and defining the reflections in the water. These simple suggested deliniations (details) bring the painting to a complete statement of the site. I take much less time with these so called "details" then I did in establishing the big relationships. A painting's strength is always in its big shape structure not the amount of detail added.  Detail is good only for story telling, it should never be considered the painting.

This photo shows the nearly completed color sketch with the original painting sitting on the easel to the left.

"Partly Cloudy", 16x20", oil on canvas

For eighteen years I taught plein air painting workshops each summer throughout the beautiful Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore located on the Lelanau Peninsula in Michigan's lower peninsula.  I've always found great peace of spirit walking it's miles of beach and dunes habitat.  During this rather dreary winter in southern Michigan, I decided to relive the spirit of the north by painting  one of the many views I've so enjoyed along Lake Michigan. "Partly Cloudy" was created from my sketches, studies and memories of those golden breezy days when clouds float high above the lake.

Does this painting remind any of you, my students,  of the wonderful times we had together "Painting the Bear"? If so, I'd love to have you comment.