Sight sizing, painting with your canvas at a distance

Painting outdoors yesterday with my pal Don, our discussion included one of his professors who would do large “sight sizing” self portraits by placing the oversized canvas quite a distance from the mirror. In his case, about 25-30 feet away. He would roller skate back and forth between his reflection, where he would mix color an decide on one or two brush marks, then he would move quickly from the mirror to the distant canvas and place the stroke. Then, back to the mirror to look at the painting from a distance, mix more color from his reflection and so on….back and forth, back and forth, until the big painting was complete. Very cool idea!

So we tried it!!!!

OMG! Very funny! And hard, and a workout! Here are some pics. We placed the canvas about 12 feet from the mirror. Had a warm light source on the right and the cool light came from a large window to our left. I think we spent under 2 hours.
Look closely and you will see Don is riding a skateboard!! He almost crashed into the easel.

It was amazing to see our 22×28 self portraits build in this way. Don is a great painter, a good friend and a generous teacher, so I learned a ton.
This way of looking forced us make only one or two strokes/decisions at a time, no noodling. For me, I felt a sense of urgency to remember my intended stroke, so I RAN to the canvas and back every time! I think we made some pretty intense noises and we were cracking up. You should try it! Susan Bach, our studio mate, was working nearby and thought the whole process hysterical and would make a good game show. Wouldn’t that be fun?? Yes please!!

So I had this idea

Just back from the Plein Air Convention in Monterey California. Wow! Fantastic! It was really enjoyable…. great demos, great artists…I will have lots more to say on that topic in the near future.
So, while I was there It occurred to me that my brain may work differently than most. (Insert joke here). I realized my way of working with collage all these years, may help me simplify composition and understand value better. I headed up to my favorite river, the Wekiva, and set about doing a torn paper collage first and a study in oil after.

All I had was a magazine and some glue. No scissors, no nuthin.
Here’s a few pics of what happened.

Torn paper collage in the basic shape of the river in front of me. It was a ton of fun. Then the little 5×5 painting on paper, was enjoyable too. I made a map for myself and kept it simple.

Outside and making stuff. That’s really all I need!!
XOXOXOX

From the easel this week

I love the feel of paint.
Xoxox

Island painting!

My my my!!!!!
Fantastic weekend aboard the Mountain Song at Sea! 12 of us went to play and listen to dozens of bluegrass bands play on the ocean blue! It was magic and crazy fun! Here’s a small painting done while soaking in the sun and watching a horseshoe toss!!

Notes from the park

Another pretty day here in our home
town.
A little painting capturing that time where dusk starts a tickle fight with early evening.
XOXOOX

Study for a Winter Park commission

I love when you are commissioned to do something you would do anyway! Perfect! Here is my first pass on a painting done on Park Avenue this week.
This reminds me of the days that I worked in film and television. My first big job was as an Assistant Set Decorator. It was a Fox television show called…oh dear, Super Force, which was kind of a Robo Cop idea….anyway, I’ll never forget being handed $1,000.00 petty cash, and sent off to scour my favorite antique stores and thrift shops to find props and furniture for the sets. I could not believe my LUCK!! I was getting paid to do the thing I loved most! It was a great job, and it lead to many more years working in the business. I made some amazing friends, have lots of dorky stories about making props for Nickelodeon, and still consider working in film and television as my favorite “job” other than being a full time artist.
I still love the hunt for great colors, interesting shapes, things that catch your eye, only now, the game is to put them down in paint, which I would have to admit, is the most challenging, and extremely enjoyable game yet…..and you get to be outside.
Xoxox

Hurricane painting with friends

Fun to be had painting at the Canerval Seashore Paint Out
Here’s a few pics from Thursday, when hurricane Sandy was barreling by. Gusts up to 40mph and tons of rain. And we painted thru it all! Very exciting!