Paintings > Plein Air & Prelims

8 x 10's

9 x 12's

24 x 36's

My approach to on-location painting is very different from my studio approach. I feel the time outdoors should be devoted to improve our knowledge of the landscape, help us translate what we see and to inspire our desire to interpret. Another reason to spend time on location is to ... PRACTICE. When you put your effort towards finishing a painting, you will take a more safe approach. When you paint with the intent that this is only practicing the art of painting, you will feel more daring and this will lead to success and growth sooner. To both broaden our knowledge and maximize the time spent, I feel that no more than 1 hour should be spent on each study. This format breaks down the creative process and allows you to focus on one aspect of art only.

1. LESSON: Record the exact color and detail of what you are painting ... paint exactly what you see and don't add any creative interpretation.
   OBJECTIVE: This will improve or expand your knowledge of color mixing. We need to know the true color of what we paint before we make changes.
2. LESSON: Color study with no preliminary pencil sketch.
   OBJECTIVE: We will learn the art of impression and simplicity and we all can benefit from learning how to keep things simple and direct by relying on the brush.
3. LESSON: One-color value study.
   OBJECTIVE: I feel the best way to show depth is to have variation in values; the best way to learn this is by concentrating on light and dark for division of space.
4. LESSON: Exaggerate the mood or theme of the scene.
   OBJECTIVE: This will cause you to concentrate on mood such as bright, windy, sparkle, busy or delicate and exaggerate it.
5. LESSON: Develop a composition using different viewpoints for one sketch.
   OBJECTIVE: This lesson teaches one to capture the flavor of the area by utilizing the best viewpoints. Composing the best foreground, middle ground and background into a new sketch teaches one to create and not copy.
6. LESSON: Exaggerate the angle of view.
   OBJECTIVE: This teaches the artist to be creative and find a unique viewpoint for doing a color study. Find an angle or perspective that will be "one of a kind" in a "sea of ordinary scenes."
7. LESSON: Develop a color study that is modeled after another artist's style.
   OBJECTIVE: This lesson will help one be more "artistic" in the interpretation. It will help one break away from copying or repeating what they see and instead be "artistic" in the way they stylize the subject.
8. LESSON: Advanced Color Study Lessons
   OBJECTIVE: Capture or portray the path of light in the scene. Paint a linear dominant, then a shape dominant study of the same scene. Paint a warm dominant then a cool dominant of the same scene. Paint a hard edge dominant then a soft edge dominant study of the same scene. Experiment with new tools, techniques, colors, etc... on location.
9. LESSON: Experiment with different tools, materials and techniques.
   OBJECTIVE: Before I use a new technique, color or tool, I will work with it on location first. For example, I will use flat brushes in the studio more but on-location.
10. LESSON: Creating the impact area (the area of greatest interest). Doing a pencil sketch to the scene and painting the area of impact only.
    OBJECTIVE: To control the viewer's eye by giving the work of art an area of emphasis and purpose, and all other parts a sense of priority. Make the impact area a grouping rather than a single thing.