"WINTER STREAM" Project Lesson

I thought I'd share some insights as to my thought processes and techniques with this painting.

This was created this afternoon and I took step-by-step photos along the way to highlight certain points. Although this is considered an Oil painting, I did start with some Acrylic gessoes for the underpainting; a blue-gray for the snow and black for the stream. The idea is to let the underpainting show through to influence the top layer of Oil colors.

Photo #1 - The blue and black Acrylics were applied using a disposable foam brush ( hardware-store variety ) When that was completely dry, I scrubbed a thin coat of LIQUIN over the entire canvas to ease the application of the Oils and to facilitate blending. ( any clear Oil medium would suffice )

Photo #2 - Using a Fan brush, I used small amounts of Van Dyke Brown, Burnt Sienna, Sap Green and Ultramarine Blue to scrub in a "mottled" suggestion of deep woods. I purposely kept the bottom area darker to help convey the feeling of deeper shadows in the undergrowth. Notice that I did not cover up all of the Acrylic undertone and it is peeking through here and there. ( the Oils were applied very thinly and scrubbed in )

Photo #3 - Tree trunks were added using Van Dyke Brown on a 3/8" Flat brush. Evergreen branches were rendered with a Fan brush and varying mixtures of Sap Green, Ultramarine Blues and Van Dyke Brown. Snow on the branches was indicated with Blue and White on the Fan brush, ultimately building to pure Titanium White for the lightest highlights which were placed more centrally on the canvas.

Photo #4 - Using my background Blues, Greens and Browns, I painted the reflection colors into the water. This was with the Flat brush. Note that the brightest glow in the water is nearer the center as it will be an important part of the focal point, or "center of interest". I used T. White for this area. I also started defining the snow shadows and lay of the land at this phase, again saving the pure whites for the middle area of the canvas.

Photo #5 - More snow highlights and some grasses poking through were added. I used the Browns on the Fan brush for the grass stubble, then added more definition ( especially nearer the foreground ) using a Script Liner. As an adjustment, I brightened the glint of light in the water using more Titanium White, which I felt gave it some extra oomph. Lastly, I used some of my Blues and White on the Script Liner to create the snow-covered rocks in the stream.

There you have it! Although there are many different ways to execute a painting, this is an approach I use quite often. By using the Acrylic underneath, I find that I can use less paint over-all in the Oil stage, which keeps me from getting bogged down on a slippery, thick canvas.

I choose my underpainting colors according to my subject. For example, I might use a Yellow or a Red for a sunset scene. Give it a try!

3 - Day Oil Painting Workshop, September 2010

I will once again be teaching a seminar at the Landgrove Inn, Landgrove, VT. It will run from September 10th to the 12th.

Last year's get-together was a fantastic time and we are looking forward to returning.

If great accomodations, unbelievable meals and hanging out with like-minded, artistic folks sounds good to you, you surely won't want to miss out on this!!

Visit http://www.landgroveinn.com/ or call 1(800)669-8466 for more info or to book your reservation.

IF YOU REGISTER BEFORE MARCH 31st, YOU WILL RECEIVE A 10% DISCOUNT ON THE TOTAL PRICE!! That's only $540 for the 3-night package, which is even slightly less than LAST year's price! That includes lodging, all meals and the workshops!!

A few spaces have already been filled, so don't delay and miss your chance!



Friday, Sept. 10th Project: "JANUARY MORNING" "This Winter sunrise is created solely with painting knives, which yields a very "impressionistic" result. The warm Reds of the barns played against the cool Blues & Purples of the snow shadows makes for a dramatic contrast. A great lesson in texture and color temperatures!"

Saturday, September 11th Project: "BASS HARBOR LIGHT, MAINE" "This is a rather detailed painting which features the Bass Harbor Light in Maine. The lighthouse stands bravely against an approaching storm. This will be a great lesson in blending techniques and fine detail!" Batten down the hatches!

Sunday, September 12th Project: "ADIRONDACK SUNSET" "The Adirondack region is a beautiful location to witness some spectacular sunsets. In this painting, Wilson will show you some great techniques for rendering believable, dramatic skies. It's easy when using a wet basecoat and large brushes! "

Updated Photo

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I was intending to take a better photo of the roses under more favorable lighting conditions. I did a retake earlier this afternoon and I feel this one does the painting more "justice". At least, much more clarity and a truer reprsentation of the actual work. ( I also added a leaf on the table, but that was the only change. )

I just did the barn scene this morning. ( "WINTER MOOD" ) I felt like creating something, but didn't want to get into a piece that was too involved. I had a couple of hours to kill and wanted to paint just for fun! This one is on a 1-1/2 thick Gallery Wrap canvas ( 9" x 12" ). With the exception of some Fan Brush spatter to suggest the falling snow, it was rendered entirely with painting knives.

I swear the more I use those knives, the more I like them. It's all just a matter of what you're used to and comfortable with and I'm getting quite confident with them now.

Actually, I'm considering using this one as the theme for our Christmas cards, but I'd better get moving on it. Only 3 weeks left !!

Vase of Roses

Every once in a while, I get the urge to paint a floral. Roses, Irises, Daisies, whatever,........ it's all good! I love painting still life anyway, so florals tie into that.
This was painted "wet -into- wet" ( on a black Acrylic-primed canvas ) with some glazing and touch-ups when it was dry.
Please excuse the rather dark, grainy image. I took the photo outdoors, but it was getting late in the afternoon and it was very overcast, as well, so this was the result. Maybe, I'll try another snap and re-post a better photo in a few days.

Winter Mode

Well, I'll be the first to admit that I really don't care for snow. Living in northern New York all my life has given me ample time to adjust and get used to it, though. I will also tell you however, that snow scenes are one of my favorite things to paint.

Maybe it's just the stark contrast of the white snow and the cool, blue-gray shadows. ( Blue is by far my favorite color ) Or, the mystery of what lies beneath as the snow forms it's blanket over the land.

I really do enjoy going snowshoeing and breathing the crisp air and recording the sights of the snow-laden trees, with both my memory and sometimes my camera. It's very inspiring to "get out in it" !

Here are some recent works just completed in the past few days. I used Alkyd fast-drying oils.

"WINTER WOODS" 12" x 16" - I love birch trees for their stark contrast of black & white. To me, they have the most character of any tree. There are thousands of them in the woods behind my house, so I never lack for reference material.

"FROSTY MORNING" 11" x 14" - As most of you are aware, I love to paint old barns and dominant, powerful skies. When I can combine both of those elements into one painting,........ well,... I'm a happy guy!

"WINTER CARDINALS" 12" x16" - This is a commission which will be a Christmas gift for the client's daughter. The specific request was for a male and female cardinal on a birch tree in a winter theme. So, with that as my guide, this is what I came up with.

Oddly, enough, we have no snow here right now. Very unusual for this late in the year. We usually are blanketed by now. I'm sure our little reprieve won't last much longer!

Recent Work

Here are a couple of recent efforts.

While both of these are in Oils, "DECEMBER DUSK" was rendered using brushes and "WESTERN VISTA" was created solely with painting knives. The difference in the surface textures is clearly evident in these photos.

Sometimes, I prefer a smoother finish and on other ocassions I desire a more heavily textured interpretation. It's the best of both worlds, really, and it's nice to have the freedom to represent something in the way that I see it. Too often, an artist can settle into a comfortable "rut" , which translates into predictable results. Try to shake things up by doing something different once in a while, whether it's using an unfamiliar brush or a different medium altogether.

As for using the knives, I cannot say enough about my fondness for Lukas Painting Butter ( available exclusively through Jerry's Artarama and Art Supply Warehouse ) It's an alkyd-based impasto medium which is fantastic for building up heavy paint layers, such as those shown here. Give it a try, you'll like it!

"Fire In The Sky"

This is a painting I did this morning, which was inspired by last night's sunset. I didn't take a photo at the time, so it's pretty much just my recollection of it. My main focus was the sky itself, so the land and water are the result of my imagination and just added to complete the composition. This is Oil on a 12" x 16" panel.