Plein Air vs Still life

css · #1 10-26-2008, 12:24 PM

Wondering how much time you spend on Plein Air or landscape vs painting indoors with still life?

As the winter approaches, I will concentrate more on Still life, but I would say for me it is 40% plein air 60% still life.

What about you?

JamieWG · #2 10-26-2008, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by css

Wondering how much time you spend on Plein Air or landscape vs painting indoors with still life?

As the winter approaches, I will concentrate more on Still life, but I would say for me it is 40% plein air 60% still life.

What about you?

I do plein air for about 65% of the year, and the remaining 35% (winter) is divided between portraits, figures, still life, animals/pets/wildlife, and landscapes from references, I guess I do about 10% still life work. I do love it, but find they don't sell as well as my landscapes and most of my galleries don't want still lifes.

Jamie

Bruce Newman · #3 10-26-2008, 01:35 PM

Even I find this odd sounding, but I've never painted a still life. Well, one...kind of. I paint mostly from life but sometimes from photo references.

Kmart · #4 10-26-2008, 02:03 PM

In school we learned from still lifes, and THEN got to paint outdoors.

I've only painted 2 paintings indoors this whole year. I always feel that everything passes so quick (the summer is gone, now leaves are falling) that I feel like I need to capture it while I can and painting indoors would cut into that time.

This winter, I plan on still painting from life, still lifes, and portraits etc.
I am also planning on doing some large (4'x4') paintings depicting rural life and farming etc. These large motifs will be composed with different PA peices as references and painting from memory. I really want to avoid overusing photography, I'm not totally against it and I think it has it's place.... But still want everything to look spontanious.

Good Question,
Kyle

jjerryc · #5 10-26-2008, 07:24 PM

I plan to continue painting outdoors. Last winter I managed to fend off the cold to finish a number of paintings without too much discomfort, including a couple of nocturnes. The key is, of course, dressing for the weather. I have a German army surplus coat that is huge and I always wear insoles in my boots and a warm hat. Attitude is also a big issue when dealing with physical discomfort. Tell yourself you'll only be out for a few hours, and focus on your work, as opposed to the frostbite inching its way up your legs

. Remember how beautiful and unique cold-weather paintings can be. Jerry

Frankidadio · #6 10-26-2008, 09:34 PM

I would prefer to paint outside any day of the week. That said, sometimes it just doesn't fit the schedule. I work in the studio quite regularly and when not painting from the windows or from my own photos, I have been known to paint a still life or two. Plein air is an "anything-but-still-life!"

http://frankgregory.blogspot.com

Potoma · #7 10-26-2008, 10:11 PM

I prefer to paint outside, but have begun doing some touch ups inside. It feels strange to paint inside at all. I almost want to set up my easel in the yard so I'm in my element.

A bad habit, sometimes I will not paint if I can't go outside. This year, I am forcing myself to stay active artistically. I am taking a nude figure class in pastels. It's a good dose of life painting. In a week, I'm taking an oil portraiture class, but it'll be from a photo, which is fine in this case, because it'll be the only way I'll get a portrait of my son.

I'm still looking into what to do come January, but I am coaching myself to try to work from photos. Or to do repeated cloud, tree, and grass studies. Or hope for those mild winter days so I can go outside.

Mostly I know I'll come to WC for continued inspiration.

css · #8 10-26-2008, 10:34 PM

Very nice answers everyone.

Curious what your thoughts are on "touching up" a painting in the studio? Alla Prima or No?

**kentiessen** · #9 10-27-2008, 07:35 AM

The best way to learn color/light is to paint still life- outside work is great, but the conditions are always changing, and your color range is more limited.
Ken

css · #10 10-27-2008, 08:22 AM

Ken - I agree the statement above and was a bit surprised that a few people have never painted still life or in a studio - art is art, but practice, technique and study can prepare you for the outdoors. The impressionists were still life painters as well.

LarrySeiler · #11 10-27-2008, 09:42 AM

I myself prefer the constantly changing yet honest and true light of nature versus the oft artificial limited light of indoors.

Its sorta like breathing. It gets stuffy indoors...and so does color IMO. Outdoors amongst nature...the nostrils expand, and a palette of very agreeable scents and refreshing fills the lungs.

Not saying stuffy in-studio paintings don't have their place and I do paint I guess my share of them. I definitely see a different quality to the paint, the color when I put my paintings outdoors along side those paint in. Both are art...so its not an argument for what is art...but one breathes cleaner, purer to my eye...and for myself having a 30% service connected lung disability, the metaphor rings very true to heart.

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