"La Capillita", 8" x 10" oil on board, 2008
$720. Framed, Available at Galeria Gardner
This is one of the demo paintings from my five day plein air landscape painting workshop last week. The week went really well. The group was small and everyone put in a lot of effort. I would say that the group as a whole was the best that I have worked with yet. There were no whiners or slackers, and they eagerly tackled each of the exercises that I put out for them.
I will write more about the class and post more photos soon. For now, here is a quick one hour sketch that I did using a neutral toned smooth board. The tone related well to the scene, and I left a lot of it showing through in the finished painting.
Below is the view with my painting almost finished.
26 comments:
I like the impasto paint strokes! The toned board showing through works great. A lovely, lively looking demo...looking forward to more on your workshop.
Thanks - very helpful seeing how you've interpreted this in a short space of time. Like the subject choice....and location!
Thanks Dean. I had another photo with less glare, but the strokes looked flat. I liked the nice impasto look too, so I went with this one.
Hi Julie, we worked a lot on getting the main shapes and values blocked in fast.
The location is a private ranch near San Miguel. It is a great place to paint.
sweet piece Frank! I really like your palette.
Thanks Simon.
Lovely and fresh and lively. Sometimes working really quickly yeilds excellent results.
Winslow Homer did some wonderful water colors of the Caribbean.
Your picture made me think of him - big , loose brush strokes but very successful.
So sorry about your donkeys.
You have to get another one.
Thanks Elizabeth. You are right about working quickly. That is something I try and get across in my workshops.
Hi Frank-- Yes, what Elizabeth said about working quickly... sometimes the less conscious thinking, the better! (Okay, and I have to ask-- why on earth would anyone whine or slack while painting in such a beautiful place?!)
I love this one, Frank. Bright and clear.
Jennifer, that is the million dollar question.
It happens once in a while though.
Bill, thanks.
Hey Frank,
Another great painting. It's a charming image. I think because the subject is so interesting, and that it's painted so loosely. I always find myself excited by your quick paint sketches.
I'm glad to hear that the workshop went so well.
Colin
good to hear your workshop went well, i look forward to seeing some pics. the impasto brushstrokes are great, but i have to say painting with that kind of view in the background must be amazing!
Thanks Colin. I'll have some more quick sketches posted soon. I need to re shoot some photos. I have a hard time deciding between full sun impasto strokes but a little glare, or shade shots with weaker color and really flat looking brushwork. I find that with these loose, quick plein air pieces, that the painterly brushwork is a major player that I want to show.
Thanks Christine, sorry to hear your class was cancelled.
The views here are pretty nice.
Wonderful piece, I love the thick confident strokes. This one has a lot of immediacey.
great chunky feel to this
Thanks Eric and Rob.
I like this kind of quick painterly stuff too.
I appreciate everybody stopping by and taking the time to comment.
I've posted some more small plein airs from last week's class.
Hi Frank, I love how much of the toned ground you let show through, letting it be an important value. Very nice compositon, too. Still deep in snow here, 18 degrees this morning.
Hi Jennifer. I chose that wiped out nuetral gray on purpose for this one. It was close to my lightest shadow color, could be used for the lines between the rocks and was not too bright to distract from the subtle colors of the scene.
Hard to even imagine snow right now. Shorts and sandals here.
Thanks for commenting.
Terrific Frank! what a great group, great location and great Teacher! thanks for showing us your productive session.
Thanks Candy, I appreciate your comments.
okay, even though I APPRECIATE it, this is one i never liked that much. so, now you know there's ONE i don't care for. But, I feel weird writing that..........because I DO appreciate it.
But, i'm writing this because of my concern that my constant adoration of your paintings will be devalued if i don't acknowledge one or two that don't knock my socks off.....
so there you have it.
: )
solveg
Thanks Solveg. I appreciate you going back through these to find one.
: )
Well, writing that wasn't enjoyable, but I felt that if I didn't, you would never again believe me.
Actually, I spent a LOT of time looking at this painting, trying to see what you were doing. It was one of the key windows into many things you do, so I do really appreciate it on a high level.
I love things like that - they force an expanded mind, a wider eye, a listening ear, and flood those portals with gifts - like seeing SO MUCH MORE in your paintings than might first meet my eye!
So, well......enough said.
: )
Hope all's well.
S
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