"Painting An Oil Plein Air Scene- Armstrong Creek"
Page 2 of 4
Author: Larry_Seiler, Contributing Editor
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| The scene was backlit. The foilage to the left had a warm glow. The brighter edges of the trees by their adjacent location impressed an even cooler sense of color into the shadows which I have blocked in with violets. I rag-in by literally dipping my wrapped finger into turps and then a bit of color, mixing on the palette board. The background has a canopy of moisture dense atmosphere filling our distance, and greys down as well as cools down in color. Ordinarily, a high sun would wash out a reflection's darker values and appear lighter than its shore's object, however, the trees and foilage blocked the sun and the shadows were very dark. I do not use black when painting out of doors, as I do not see it. All areas are influenced by atmospheric light bouncing around, and color can be seen everywhere. My darkest darks are a mixture of Alizarin Crimson and Vermillion. |
| Here is my palette as it looks after the ragging-in process is completed. Again, use of turps and color. My colors are laid out with cool colors going up the left side, and warm colors across the top. White in the far upper right. I use a wooden palette that has a natural warm mood. The advantage of this is, I want my colors appearing warmer in my paintings. Since the palette is warm already by itself, warm colors do not appear as warm by comparison as they would on a white palette surface. Thus...the unconscious effect is that I push a color to be even warmer when I mix it, which assures the maximum effect when laid on the canvas panel. |  |
| With the ragging-in stage completed, I use paper towels, a bit of turps and clean the working area of my wood palette clean. I easily deposit my used rags and towels in a plastic garbage bag attached to the side of my easel. I now prepare myself to work direct with thick buttery paint, committing myself with each economical stroke to bring the painting to a finish. Often I remind myself, "a brushstroke laid, is a brushstroke stayed!" |
 | Now..I am preparing myself for stage two. Take a look at the subject. Now...squint the eyes. Again I am eliminating unnecessary detail. The beginning painter paints everything he sees, the experienced painter is selective...choosing what will make for a better composition. By habit electing what not to paint!
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| Plein air painting is the closest painting "activity" comes to being a sport. You have an opponent, which is the sun. The scene that caught your attention and demanded to be painted can at any moment disappear with the slightest earth's rotation or sudden cloud cover. You could suddenly be looking at the scene and be asking yourself, "why did I find this so interesting to begin with?" Such being the case...you really have to prioritize your attack. I'm prepared to move, check out my stance. This is no time to fool around, nor lose focus! |
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