Session 2- 120 Paintings... Outline, discussion [Archive]

LarrySeiler

10-07-2011, 02:45 PM

If you have already registered for the first session, you probably well know you need not re-register, you are already in. If you are going to be joining us for the first time on this next session, Tuedays October 11 at 7pm EST...then you will need this link to go and register..

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/776765056

120 Paintings- with artist/instructor Larry Seiler

Premise…
My imploring of the student to take to heart what growth can be expected, with evidences offered committing to this idea that getting 120 paintings executed and behind as one’s experience will in shorter order a painter make!

I. Success From Risk…From Failing
a) Leading up to “120 Paintings”
b) Quotes to inspire & aspire

II. Building a Light Environment Box
a) Controlling Light
b) Controlling color and shadows
c) Alerting and awakening to every object
a possible paint subject

III. Examples of Works/Things Learned
a) Paintings
b) Methods
c) Demonstrations

IV Evolution of a Painter
a) The commitment to 120 paintings
b) Evidences of growth

V. Questions/Answers

Amandine

10-07-2011, 03:40 PM

I'm still far from 120 paintings but will get there, I promise. Still have a job 4 days a week so, not in 2011 but maybe in 2012. I'll work hard on this commitment. :thumbsup:

Sonni

10-08-2011, 07:47 PM

Frankly, I think we need to do a painting or drawing a day (from life). I'm such a lazy sot, I haven't done this, but I'm made a lot of starts.

riverwolf

10-11-2011, 07:32 PM

AAARRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am here, up at 2am (now 2:30) and CAN'T GET INTO THE WEBINAR!!!!!!!!

I am so frustrated I don't know what to do. The citrix page opens up but there is nothing for me to press (allow, for example) so I can get in.

I can't believe I'm missing this again!!!!

Vida

rozzi

10-11-2011, 07:47 PM

I'm with you Vida. Happened to me as well.
Ros

riverwolf

10-11-2011, 07:51 PM

:crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying:

riverwolf

10-11-2011, 07:54 PM

Why can't we get in??? I just don't understand. And I've signed up for Saturday's tree class as well.....

Sonni

10-11-2011, 08:14 PM

I could get in, but couldn't type in a question.

So, Larry, the homework assignment is to start on the postcard size paintings--to equal 120? One a day? You gonna critique them, yes? So we know those specific elements to improve.

sfroelich

10-11-2011, 08:30 PM

paint and pyro

10-11-2011, 08:51 PM

Larry, thank you for all of your words of wisdom! I'm enjoying these webinars so far! I LOVE your wildlife paintings!!! I'm having a really hard time appreciating the impressionism art. I'm trying though!

harospro

10-11-2011, 09:11 PM

I'm sorry I missed this session. I hope I can buy the DVD later. This seemed to have been a very important lesson.

sherrysherman

10-11-2011, 10:31 PM

I am so sorry for those of you who weren't able to get in - how frustrating! (Especially you, Vida, who got up in the middle of the night not once but TWICE!)

One thing for me is that, for some reason, Safari no longer lets me get into GoToMeeting (I use a Mac). I can't click on "Allow." The application just locks up and I have to quit Safari and reopen. To use GoToMeeting I have to use Firefox. So I would suggest that you try other browsers if you have more than one (whether you use a Mac or a PC).

Did this happen to you last week too?

The main thing Larry talked about was how many paintings you have to do before you even begin to be able to paint well. Keep trying to do your best - you're not trying to paint "bad" paintings but it will inevitably happen. Some of those early ones may even seem good to you at the time, but you may not yet be able to discern what is "bad."

He suggests allowing yourself a spare hour and just painting a "daily" painting in that time. Define for yourself what you want to be working on and work on that. Always keep pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, which should put you in your "learning zone." (If you go too far, you'll find yourself in your "Panic Zone." :) ) He has spoken about this in other posts on this forum. To see Larry's dailies, you can go to larryseiler.blogspot.com. To see the progress of someone else who has done 312 by now, see jmahorney.blogspot.com.

And of course, read Robert's notes. :)

artastic

10-11-2011, 10:33 PM

I did catch this session, and wonderful ideas of the 120 paintings,
I have been doing the scavenger hunts on WC for a yr I think, and I look back at my first drawings from life compared to now and can't believe it, also I freehand most of my drawings unless it requires accuracy, and a yr ago I always used a grid or traced the outline. I like the idea of postcard size or 5x7s, I have also given myself a challenge to do 100 plein air paintings (I am on 37) I am not a landscape painter or a plein air painter, but recently took a workshop and decided to tackle the 100. I think there is an improvement so far, but have a long way to go.

just wanted to say Great session Larry and thanks

LarrySeiler

10-11-2011, 11:48 PM

For those who could not get in. I found that I had a firewall setting that was too high. In my case it was a Mcafee intrusion protection system. I had to disable it completely and it popped right in. You may have a similar issue. I am not an IT geek so I can't help much more than that.

For those looking for the Schmid painting, I think I found it here

http://www.americanartlicensing.com/cgi-bin/viewproject.cgi?project_id=1181

Thank you Steve, and I do hope this resolves issues for folks.

As those that attended tonight know, I encountered my own issues with technology...not being able to share video I prepared. Hoping to have that bridge crossed by next session. Already working on this tonight.

I hope folks find a way to make this work...appreciate that some of you have so diligently tried to no avail, and Vida...so late, twice!!! So sorry...

LarrySeiler

10-11-2011, 11:49 PM

thanks everyone....

LarrySeiler

10-11-2011, 11:53 PM

For those looking for the Schmid painting, I think I found it here

http://www.americanartlicensing.com/cgi-bin/viewproject.cgi?project_id=1181

here is an old thread back in 2006 that I posted, yes...one in the same falls painting, Steve...thanks!

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=366269

carol_lee

10-12-2011, 12:21 AM

Thanks Larry for a very informative presentation... was one of the lucky ones that got in .. use chrome as my browser.... tuned in also at 1AM...
I have a few questions concerning the -120-
1. Since I have a tablet... wacum one of the older models would painting there count.Since color mixing is so different from oils and digital colors???
2. What are your thoughts about using photos for simple oil sketches?
That light box thing looks good but don't think I could manage to make one.. only other option available light source....

One thing I am pushing for is harmony of color so I was very interested in your views about the limited palette.... I am sure you know of the artist James Gurney... he has written about his color theory in his blog called Gamut masking... http://gurneyjourney.blogspot.com/2011/09/gamut-masking-follow-up.html this looks similar.... also recently purchased Confidential Color by Nita Leland...a North Light publication...she has lots of exercises with different color wheels + a page on split complementary.... I find the concept very interesting... I am starting a group of flower images.. flower portraits.... some Israeli wildflowers... my first is a calanit
-Crown Anemone- http://www.wildflowers.co.il/english/plant.asp?ID=272
In this case I would probably choose red or a red orange as the dominate color ... If I chose red then my compliments would be green and blue.... I gather these would be of my choice--- which green /blue
green would be my ---yellow---??? Would it then be kosher to introduce yellow if I felt I needed it?

On the other hand if I chose red -orange then I would have a blue-green and blue-yellow as my -primaries--
Guess I will have to take out my paints and experiment.....

Thanks again for an informative lecture.... and sorry for the rambling....

PS as for those delving into the 120 think it a good idea to share our blogs and progress.... think it would be a bit too much to ask Larry to crit 120 x more than hundreds that took part.:lol:

LarrySeiler

10-12-2011, 01:37 AM

thanks Carol...and thanks too for stating the obvious...as a working artist, interesting in helping others, yet teaching during my day, painting and so forth...it would be I'm sure undaunting to critique each. I knew nothing about Jeff's 120 works till he was done.

The important thing as I said is deliberate practice, knowing what you want to try and aim for, to see grow. I'm sure as I look over various efforts of folks, I could suggest to one, "you need to work on values, darker darks, lighter lights"...to another, "you should work on edges of your form, which are too harsh" etc.,

I have James Gurney's book on color, and I understand he is a friend of my son Jason as well...

what is important here is that my work, my goals in growing as a painter are that...mine. I am not doing this to produce desire in others to paint as I do. The world is richer for what we all bring creatively.

James, if I remember right..favors the Munsell system...myself I am quite content with the traditional RYB colorwheel.

I would and could advise, and I'm a straight shooter and will level with folks to know what is my opinion. But..I often say that opinions are a bit like armpits. Everyone has at least two of them, and most stink.

I paint as I do after 40 years because I'm a stubborn coot, have a mind to work hard and pretty strong opinions about what I set out to do. What I hope I did tonight was light a fire under people. Don't walk my journey, but for Pete sakes folks do walk yours. Pursue it with passion. I'll tell you how I do things, how I know good teachers taught to do things. The results of my work come from the things I do. If in that folks connect and somehow it helps with their works, that is awesome. But I think I'll have things to say that will encourage you to go your way to work on things in a manner unlike my own.

I saw on Jeff's blog tonight, he is experimenting with a thalo magenta. He never even asked me first...what was he thinking? hahaa...

Point is...I'm excited for Jeff...he has found his path, his creative mission. The growth is apparent, and I don't have to know everything for Jeff. I find it fun to see what he's come up with and dang...I might find myself someday trying some of that pigment! :D

Speaking to everyone, again...I'll show you how I make my trees...paint water as I do, tell you why I think things work as they do, etc., but don't over inflate what I tell you as ex nihilo! I am after all only human. Take, try, use, leave out what you will...

There are some things that simply are truth...stuff I don't invent but submit to like anyone else. Time proving principles on composition for one...but we are always learning.

peace everyone...off to bed at this late hour.

Larry

good stuff, Carol..thanks!

riverwolf

10-12-2011, 04:16 AM

Thanks for the pat on the back...lol... I am allowing myself to complain for a few hours more then back to working on being there next week.

Will study notes and watch the thread. Will be on a daily painting again. At the moment I have tons of 8x8 boards I can use. Squares feel awkward to me and I think using them for at least 60 paintings will help me get over that obstacle. Anyone have any ideas on composition/design in square format? Was that covered at all in the first lesson?

Larry, I very much appreciate what you are doing here. As I've said (somewhere) before, I spent the last 20 years on a small Greek island with no real internet and no painting friends. Being able to attend these webinars, or even just be here on wetcanvas, is such a blessing for me. I am learning so much.

Have yourselves an wonderful day :)

Vida

riverwolf

10-12-2011, 04:20 AM

btw, I'm downloading Chrome now. I use firefox on a macbook. I wish I could get into the webinar place 30 minutes before the class starts so I could fiddle and perhaps move to my girls' pc to see if it works there.

Being a mac user I don't think firewalls are the problem, but then again I am not a tech-y kind of person.

Will search it out this week... wish me luck!

Vida

Yorky

10-12-2011, 04:38 AM

carol_lee

10-12-2011, 04:54 AM

LarrySeiler

10-12-2011, 09:46 AM

Will study notes and watch the thread. Will be on a daily painting again. At the moment I have tons of 8x8 boards I can use. Squares feel awkward to me and I think using them for at least 60 paintings will help me get over that obstacle. Anyone have any ideas on composition/design in square format? Was that covered at all in the first lesson?

Larry, I very much appreciate what you are doing here. As I've said (somewhere) before, I spent the last 20 years on a small Greek island with no real internet and no painting friends. Being able to attend these webinars, or even just be here on wetcanvas, is such a blessing for me. I am learning so much.

Have yourselves an wonderful day :)

Vida

It is so strange today...that in my school district I am considered like a computer geek/tech guy. My background prior to my re-entering the classroom, was painting full time, promoting my work and painstakingly working thru manuals to build my webpages in html coding. Thank goodness for decent software/template programs now, and for blogs that are so easy for anyone to use.

But...I was in the 70's up and into the early 90's one of those typical artists working in isolation. My exposure to other artists were at exhibitions and competitions. I relished the opportunity at those events to meet artists, pick their brains, and some pick mine. When the internet availed itself to me...that we could actually make our world smaller meant no one any more needed to reinvent the wheel.

One of my pleasures in sharing what I know with other artists, is to imagine that some will not have to bang their head against a wall and worry so about finding information.

I think...had we had this years ago, I might well be a much better painter than I am now. Then again...teaching generations that have never not known computers to not exist...I don't know. They seem, so many of them, to expect without trying...and to care very little.

Okay...Vida...on my blot (link below in my signature) I list peers that I admire, artists that I look up and draw inspiration to see what they are doing. I consider the artists I have listed some of the very best today....and can say unequivocally that if you are looking for the one stop spot to go to see and study the best, you bookmark my blog...and spend time on those websites and blogs I've linked!!! Seriously..

Now for anyone wanting to be inspired...and have no question what can be done with a SQUARE format...one of my favorite daily artists is Carol Marine...
http://carolmarine.blogspot.com/

...and in fact, if folks can't see how painting as she does with the regimen that I delivered and taught last night has led to her brilliance, then I would suggest many are then clueless and don't get it. Check her out...be inspired, and never doubt a square format's possibility again!!!

LarrySeiler

10-12-2011, 09:49 AM

I watched last night's webinar with no problems Larry.

I'm a watercolourist with some experimentation in gouache (and you know how different those techniques are). Nevertheless I am watching to learn how to avoid painting every little thing I see, to get to the essence of a scene.

I hope you can solve the technical problems with the videos.

Doug

working on it Doug..
got home, could have relaxed and even have gone to bed earlier. I'm feeling it this morning, trust me. But, I was so frustrated about what happened that I took one of my original video's rough capture edited formats, used another program to create what I think will work. Its a rather large byte size, but I'm going to test it out. Bought a good sized external drive now just to store such to, and shortly I'm thinking I'll have the bugs out of the way!

Its good to hear what things you're wanting to resolve in your own painting as well, which then gives me ideas of what type of session to plan.

I hope...that after this series is done, F&W will invite me to do more in the future. I will prepare a bit earlier, and diligently for such specifically so things are prepared. We'll see how things go...thanks :wave:

LarrySeiler

10-12-2011, 09:54 AM

I was a Firefox user, but one of the updates really made a mess.... so now I use chrome.... its a great FAST browser... once you get used to the different interface...hope it helps you get in.... I also tune in at 1AM ...we're sort of neighbors :) after the class I really couldn't wind down....
sending you a PM

sometimes the upgrades are a real pain...
its like having a half-dozen doctors all prescribing and no one that keeps them all informed. A good pharmacist picks up on such...and calls doctors back. Unfortunately we need a good "browser" type pharmacist!

I have found that the latest Firefox means other softwares like Adobe Acrobat etc., won't work unless you upgrade, and on and on...which in the end means losing some features you like. Like it or not...its like they force this constant learning curve on us, and for those of us that use it for professional purposes it messes with all that we already have on our plates!

Never heard of "Chrome"...I'll have to look into it... :thumbsup:

siberart

10-12-2011, 10:01 AM

Great class Larry,and sorry you could not present your new paintings. It was interesting that you could use Facetime.

No Q & A panel on the Webinar app on my iPad2 but I figure questions can be submitted here. Macworld is touting Google Chrome and says it works faster and better than Safari. Try it, you will like it.

Thanks

oldradagast

10-12-2011, 10:37 AM

Thanks for another great class, Larry, and for your your military service as well.

LarrySeiler

10-12-2011, 11:08 AM

thanks Pat..good to hear the endorsement on the Google Chrome...and Matthew, thanks... :thumbsup:

sherrysherman

10-12-2011, 02:29 PM

Now for anyone wanting to be inspired...and have no question what can be done with a SQUARE format...one of my favorite daily artists is Carol Marine...
http://carolmarine.blogspot.com/

...and in fact, if folks can't see how painting as she does with the regimen that I delivered and taught last night has led to her brilliance, then I would suggest many are then clueless and don't get it. Check her out...be inspired, and never doubt a square format's possibility again!!!
Oh, I love Carol Marine's stuff!! She accomplishes so much with such simple powerful strokes - I thought of her immediately when you spoke of "deliberate" strokes. I understand that in her workshops she actually does ask people to count their brushstrokes!

Did you know her house in Texas burned down about a month ago?? :eek: She managed to rescue her small paintings but not her big ones. Also she lost ALL of her huge supply of still life items. They decided to use the total loss as an impetus to move to Oregon.

LynnM

10-12-2011, 04:36 PM

Thanks, Larry, you have prodded me and inspired me....have had other things to do the last few months so no painting, now I want to get going. Just moved, but my painting area is set up and ready to go :thumbsup:

Eddypus1

10-12-2011, 06:46 PM

Thanks Larry for such an informative and inspiring class. Beginners often give up painting when they compare themselves to those more advanced students around them. I've taken many classes and feel sad for those who give up so readily. You are so right when you say we must keep on and not give up. I paint in watercolor and one of my teachers once said it takes 10 years to learn watercolor. Well maybe she exagerated, but it took several years and many paintings then one day it all clicked. It's so nice you shared your beginnings with us.

LarrySeiler

10-13-2011, 09:49 AM

I paint in watercolor and one of my teachers once said it takes 10 years to learn watercolor. Well maybe she exaggerated, but it took several years and many paintings then one day it all clicked. It's so nice you shared your beginnings with us.

I do know a number of professional watercolorists in the commercial industry, and they tell me often it requires six failed efforts for each very good successful watercolor.

So...wouldn't doubt...

Reminds me of something I could have shared in this last session, I'll try and remember for the next session...one, there is this Japanese figure skater, Shizuka Arakawa...and apparently to win gold medal, she had 19 years of training. Falling is considered routine, pushing oneself to learn and perfect the most difficult jumps. Calculations figure Shizukawa's bum...or derrier hit the hard ice 20,000 times to win that gold!

So...why should excellence in painting require anything less?? :)

Eddypus1

10-13-2011, 11:11 AM

I do know a number of professional watercolorists in the commercial industry, and they tell me often it requires six failed efforts for each very good successful watercolor.

So...wouldn't doubt...

Reminds me of something I could have shared in this last session, I'll try and remember for the next session...one, there is this Japanese figure skater, Shizuka Arakawa...and apparently to win gold medal, she had 19 years of training. Falling is considered routine, pushing oneself to learn and perfect the most difficult jumps. Calculations figure Shizukawa's bum...or derrier hit the hard ice 20,000 times to win that gold!

So...why should excellence in painting require anything less?? :)

Isn't there a saying " If at first you don't succeed, try, try again!"
And aren't we so proud to show off the good ones... Now time for me to go paint

pezk

10-13-2011, 07:23 PM

pamshowcase

10-13-2011, 09:16 PM

Help please....can someone point me to the split complementary info Larry touched on??? Have tried to search for it on WC. I liked the tints in the outer circles of his diagram.
Pam

LarrySeiler

10-13-2011, 09:35 PM

thx larry for the inspirational lecture. I've started my 120 paintings and I'm telling myself not to nitpick, just paint!
Question - how do you jump from these mundane subjects to landscapes? The landscape is so big and so much detail and these ordinary objects are just 1 in number - how do you make the jump to such a huge subject?

that's a good and fair question..

perhaps it helps that I'm not a still life painter trying to go landscape, but an outdoor/nature artist seeing there is value to be had in small quick studies.

For me though...painting is squinting the eyes...seeing the values fall into main value shapes or groups. Paint the shape of the color...the shape of the values, and let the subject worry about itself.

I paint the color of light...the subject is nearly immaterial, except that I love being outdoors... ;)

LarrySeiler

10-13-2011, 09:37 PM

Help please....can someone point me to the split complementary info Larry touched on??? Have tried to search for it on WC. I liked the tints in the outer circles of his diagram.
Pam

here you go...enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YU6_08YFAFw

Judibelle

10-14-2011, 09:24 AM

LarrySeiler

10-14-2011, 12:06 PM

Larry...just finished reading through your "Training to see Actively" thread.
Was interested in the difference between 'drawing' and 'sketching'....i have sort of been using them interchangeably...Good to now see the difference.

Nice to hear...
I have that as a post on my blog as well...
peripheral vision is not used by most, and well should be... :thumbsup:

carol_lee

10-14-2011, 04:01 PM

Would you please post a link to the article on blog or wetcanvas
Thanks
Carol

LarrySeiler

10-15-2011, 12:38 AM

Would you please post a link to the article on blog or wetcanvas
Thanks
Carol

http://larryseiler.blogspot.com/2011/08/make-use-of-your-peripheral-vision-to.html

carol_lee

10-15-2011, 02:47 AM

Thanks

harospro

10-18-2011, 02:16 PM

Help! Did anyone take notes of session 2? I missed it and from what I read in this thread it sounds so very important.

Rosita

LarrySeiler

10-18-2011, 08:37 PM

Help! Did anyone take notes of session 2? I missed it and from what I read in this thread it sounds so very important.

Rosita

I heard...that when the sessions recorded are made available, that study notes I put together will be made available as well. And...dare I say...I take pretty good notes! :D

edo

10-19-2011, 08:13 PM

Are you going to have any handouts for the lessons?

LarrySeiler

10-20-2011, 12:22 AM

Are you going to have any handouts for the lessons?

IF you check my blog...you'll see I post the outlines, and I do here in this forum...

but...I have provided good study notes and outline to F&W for each lesson...and believe that for those who purchase the sessions, those will be provided. Pretty sure on that...but I'll talk to Sarah, maybe she can verify that when she introduces me one of these last sessions.. :)

*Deirdre*

10-25-2011, 01:10 PM

I heard...that when the sessions recorded are made available, that study notes I put together will be made available as well. And...dare I say...I take pretty good notes! :D
I was in at the start then got thrown out....and couldn't get back in, but I did hear Johannes Q&A session. So I, too, will have to wait until the last session gets published.
I'll be there at 12 midnight GMT to hear you tonight....hopefully!:D

LarrySeiler

10-26-2011, 09:05 PM

Hope you got in, Deirdre...

*Deirdre*

10-27-2011, 02:56 AM

LarrySeiler

10-27-2011, 10:28 AM

Yes, thanks Larry! Most enjoyable! Was a bit confused at first, as I thought it was a repeat....then I realised you did it that way so we didn't miss out. And, of course, I only heard the first bit last time. So I take it you'll do week 3 next time....and so on? I enjoyed seeing the demo too:thumbsup:

oh yeah...lot of work goes into putting these together...and with the power outage for F&W ...we just simply postponed a week...This was then the third session...next week the fourth.. and following last in this series...

:)

Pinklady219

11-10-2011, 09:16 AM

Hi Larry, I'm a newbie who listened to a few of your classes and excited about this 120 paintings. I see no posts have been made in a while, but I am forging ahead and going to post. I heard this past Tuesday that you were an art teacher. Any training that I have had was with my 8th grade art teacher and she is as fresh in my head as this posting. I would appreciate some feedback on this or where should I be posting. thank you so much Larry. I've been drawing, painting and doodling for 60 some odd years because I love it!:)

LarrySeiler

11-10-2011, 09:41 AM

I would appreciate some feedback on this or where should I be posting. thank you so much Larry. I've been drawing, painting and doodling for 60 some odd years because I love it!:)

The painting has a nice luminous feel to it...good sense of light.

A caution is to be careful picking up a "trick" as I would call it...that some instructors out there wanting to sell their paint materials in a televised following teach...where trees are made "simply by..." and then perhaps they'll demonstrate dabbing...and you repeat this to create the crown/foilage.

Such cheapens, takes away from sharing with the viewer that special way that artists develop their eyes to see. We see in terms of shape, color, value, line, texture, etc., and what you want to project to the viewer is what you see, what you feel when standing on that location...perhaps different than what other artists might feel.

Oh...there are some general things we have in common, ways taught that are sound...blocking in the masses of the trees...cautious to find value groupings (darks, mids, light) and use sky to sculpt with negative space...light poking thru, around and in-between to give us a sense of the tree's caricature...and character...trunks...limbs etc., looking at a genuine tree and the interpreting that tree.

Its like getting one phrase down then traveling to another county and using it over and over thinking the locals might believe your understanding of their language is quite good. Dabbing leaves in as a specialized step is a give away that the eyes are not really interpreting what is seen...but what has become a "method of treatment"...

does that make sense???

Spend sometime on my blog...or visit say, Marc Hanson's blog...and see some of his demo steps on trees blocked in...and then sculpted and brought to life...