Use of Tubed Grays Put Into Practice
May 17, 2010
8 different tubed grays on my studio palette
The use of premixed (also called tubed) grays can save time mixing oil colors. Faster mixing is an advantage especially painting outdoors where light changes rapidly. When trying tubed grays don’t be surprised if you end up with some pretty muddy pictures. The natural tendency is to overuse them at first. Like everything else in painting, incorporating their use into your work takes time.
The key to using premixed grays is seeing them as value. (Remember, value means how light or dark a tone is relative to a gray-scale.) So, if you are mixing a mass tone for the shadow side of your tree, select a gray, the value of which, correlates to the value of the mass. This becomes the base for your mixture. Then use your regular colors to adjust the hue, temperature and chroma accordingly. In the example of the tree shadow this may mean adding blue and yellow to shift the pile to a cool blue-green shadow tone. Likewise if you are mixing a mass tone for the light side of your tree you would do well to select a gray, the value of which, correlates to that lighter value of that mass. Then adjust it’s hue, temperature and chroma to suit.
Getting the value first then “bending” it to the appropriate temperature is an effective strategy whether using tubed grays or not. Often, new painters find themselves in a mixing quandary with a pile of paint growing and growing until frustration sets in amidst a seemingly useless pile of expensive paint. The situation is exacerbated by the thought of “all that wasted money”. I tell my students that such piles are an investment in their education. Everyone has been there, done that. No big deal. What’s needed is a clear mixing strategy:
- Aim for value first. Ask does my pile need to go lighter or darker. Evaluate the options on your palette for making the appropriate change.
- Evaluate the hue. What color cast should the pile have? Should the medium dark tree shadow pile have a definite green cast? What options are available on my palette for making that shift.
- Next evaluate temperature. Does the pile need to go warmer or cooler. Yellower, redder, bluer?
- Then evaluate chroma. Does the pile need to be more saturated or more neutral?
Keep in mind that while adjusting hue, temperature or chroma there may be inadvertent changes in value which you will need to mitigate. That’s part of the dance. Knowing what adjustments you are making helps avoid getting lost in a pile which grows exponentially.
Here is how using a tubed gray might fit into the strategy outlined above. Lets say I want to mix a tone for a clear blue sky on a sunny day. Also, say I conclude that the average value for the sky mass is a medium-light. I could start by taking from a pile of tubed gray on may palette called “Bice”. This gray has a medium value and definite blue cast. Asking does the pile need to go lighter or darker I would add some white to reach the required medium-light value. With required value and hue established all that’s left is to adjust temperature and chroma. Is the sky more green-blue or violet-blue? Is it saturated or neutral? Lets say it’s a rich green-blue. I would add ultramarine and a touch of yellow. At this time a may need to mitigate any inadvertent darkening from the ultramarine by adding more white.
Bice before white.
Bice + white before adding blue.
Bice + white + blue before yellow.
Bice + white + blue + yellow = green blue.
If you find yourself using tubed grays in this manner yet winding up with muddy looking pictures, try mixing from the colors rather than from the grays. In the sky example above that would mean accomplishing the first three steps using pure color plus white then using the tubed gray to neutralize.
"Wait, do what?" asked Brucey.
Premixed grays are simply one way to skin a cat. Used effectively they can help you get from point A to point B quickly, but you still have to get there. Basically they are instant value and useful for adjusting chroma. The alternative to using tubed grays for adjusting chroma is the use of compliments and near compliments. Either way, the ability to manage chroma is useful in creating richness, harmony and unity in our paintings. I’ll pick up there in the next post.
The Plein Air Painter Resurfaces!
April 28, 2010
If I were a scuba diving and it took me as long to resurface from a dive as it has taken to resurface from my last blog entry the search would have been called off and I would have been assumed a permanent resident in Davey Jones Locker. But here I am, back again after a busy 5 or 6 weeks. I gave two workshops, a private demo, several private lessons, twice weekly studio classes and 4 or 5 impromptu afternoon plein air class sessions. I also participated in a week long plein air painting event in Evinston, Fl.
The Evinston event was notable for the hard work of it’s organizers, the generosity of locals who allowed 20+ artists to roam their lands and farms unencumbered and for the excellent art produced. I am especially grateful for the handful of fellow artists whom I was privileged to work alongside (when I was not off by myself). They shared their hearts and minds, wisdom and understanding. They encouraged and inspired. Thank you, all!
Marjorie's Cracker Kitchen by Robert J. Simone 11x14 o/l
Included on the list of places we painted was the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park in Cross Creek, Fl. Rawlings famed literary accomplishments included a 1939 Pulitzer Prize for her classic novel, The Yearling. The eleven books she wrote included South Moon Under, Golden Apples, Cross Creek and the Cross Creek Cookery. Inspired by my wife who loves cooking and cook books, I employed my considerable charms (lol) on Sheila, the park ranger, and was allowed to paint stationed inside the house. The result of that is the interior entitled Marjorie’s Cracker Kitchen.
Laundry Day by Robert J. Simone 9x12 o/l
Laundry Day, also pictured here, is a view of the share croppers shack on Rawlings’ property. The tenant farmers who managed the grove for Marjorie stayed in this austere wood frame building.
Lazy Days is a scene from the property surrounding the Alachua Conservation Trust lodge in which I was lodged. The old RV trailer just begged to be put on canvas. The hazy day allowed for the very “tonal” treatment.
Lazy Days by Robert J. Simone 8x10 o/l
As previously stated I am going to renovate the website. I can do that without going offline so count on at least weekly articles for the foreseen future. Next week I will discuss the use of pre-mixed or “tubed” grays.
Limited Palette – What colors does that guy in Idaho use?
March 28, 2010
Cover of workshop booklet
There’s been an interruption in my intended flow of weekly posts because I became engrossed in writing a 21 page booklet for my workshop students. I gave a workshop entitled Plein Air-The Art of Study to a group at Indian Rocks Beach Art Center in Indian Rocks Beach, Florida. The booklet was well received and I was able to distribute a few extras to my weekly class at Suntan in St. Pete Beach, Florida. I amended the booklet’s history section this morning to include more information on French Impressionism. I am giving a workshop on painting the impressionist landscape March 29-31, in Boca Grande, Florida. Between the booklet and the workshops I let the blogs slide.
from workshop - a guy named Michel!
from workshop - a woman named Randel!
We were in the middle of thread on How to Paint Water when I left off. I’ll return to that thread in the next post. Meanwhile, a reader commented on an older post about my experiences in Idaho at Scott Christensen’s workshops. She asked specifically if I would tell her what colors are used on the limited palette espoused in those workshops. So I thought I would talk a little about limited palette, reveal what colors were used and plug that manufacturer.
The point of painting with a limited palette is that it simplifies the mixing process. For example, if one wants to darken a specific mixture, his/her choices for doing so are limited. In the case of the three color palette like we used in Idaho, blue is the darkest color. So if I wanted to darken my red, blue was the only option because it was the only color on the palette which was darker. Likewise if I wanted to lighten the red, options were limited because yellow and white were the only colors available that were lighter. Most mixtures become a combination of all three plus white with a single color dominating. Skillful use of the primaries to create secondaries and neutrals is the key to using this palette. The palette inherently promotes the development of that skill. The skill in turn becomes a strength whether the artists chooses to continue using a limited palette or not.
me in Victor, Idaho
It should be obvious that with so few colors on the palette it is impossible to match our subject tone for tone. In fact it’s so far out of the question that we are forced into painting relationships, one mass to another, or within a given mass. I call this sensitivity training because it teaches us to be sensitive to changes in temperature and value. Thinking in relationships may sound something like this: A blue sky, at it’s apex, is redder and darker than it is half way down to the horizon where it is greener and lighter. I may also sound like this: Shadows on the foreground trees are darker and warmer than the shadows on the distant trees which are lighter and cooler(bluer). Basically relationships are comparisons in value, color temperature and color intensity.
Benefits to using a limited palette include the inherent color harmony due to the fact that most mixtures contain all the colors on the palette in varying amounts; and enhance expressiveness because of the shift from copying to painting relationships.
A three color palette can vary from artist to artist. Anders Zorn is said to have used black, venetian red and yellow ochre as his limited palette. A key consideration for choosing which three colors to use is value. You want three colors with three different values (dark, medium and light). That was true about Zorn’s palette and true about the Christensen palette too. The colors used for the Idaho workshops, which I still use, are Ultramarine Blue, Permanent Bright Red and Cad Yellow Lemon made by Vasari. They are handcrafted and of very good quality. They stay open and useful on the palette for days without skinning over. I like the Permanent Bright Red more than any other color I have used. It is bright, rich and warm but not too warm.
One final note: I still consider my self a practitioner of the limited palette although I have added colors. I now include a cool red (Ruby Violet-Vasari), and a second blue. Currently my second blue is actually Viridian (a cool green) but it could just as easily be Prussian Blue, Thalo Blue or Thalo Green. This is to create an extra level of variety in my cool mixtures, especially greens. On occasion I also use the tubed grays that Vasari makes for Scott Christensen. There’s another topic for an article if anyone is interested.
How To Paint Water – Part II
March 11, 2010
Me on a blue run called "Maverick"
I haven’t posted in almost two weeks because I was on vacation with my wife, snowboarding in western Colorado. We went to small, largely uncommercialized, resort called Powderhorn which is on the edge of the Grand Mesa not far from Grand Junction. I like snowboarding because those who do it well (not me) seem to possess a casual elegance when they “ride”. It’s a disposition that reminds me of the “relaxed intensity” I perceive when watching good painters work. Both are states of mind which afford the ability to respond to the subject with spontaneity. Snowboarder to mountain and painter to landscape, model or setup.
Last time I started explaining some of the things I’ve learned about painting water. I mentioned three major factors which contribute to the colors we see in water, especially shallow water. Let’s pick up where we left off.
We said that the color of what’s underneath the water (the bottom), the color of the water column itself and the color of what’s above the water (the sky), all contribute to what we see in a body of water. I posted an Antoine Bouvard painting of the Venice backwaters and said that I thought his method was to paint a midtone first, grading it darker to lighter from foreground to back, let it dry then glaze and scumble lights and darks on top.
Study - Black Mangroves
Here’s another method which I have employed with good results, both in the field and in the studio. Based on observation I decide what colors I think I am seeing in the water. Also based on observation, I decide which are attributable to the bottom, the water column and the sky. (It’s also important to take note of any colors attributable to reflections of trees, boats, birds, buildings and etc. We’ll talk about those in a separate post). Notice I used the phrase “colors I think I see”. That’s to emphasize the importance of trusting your own judgment. No two sets of eyes are exactly the same. I premix the colors I think I see, side by side on the palette observing their relative values and harmony prior to placing them on the canvas. In still water, the bottom color is usually darkest, followed by the water column and then the above color. I then proceed to paint the area in successive layers, wet into wet, bottom color first, above color last. The secret to this approach is a series of “Z” shaped brushstrokes, superimposed upon each other, whereby the “Z” flattens in the background and expands in the foreground. This approach works well for relatively still water and especially when those areas are small compared to the overall size of the painting.
"z" stroke...okay so my photoshop skills need work, but you get the idea
This is a technique borrowed from the paintings of Emile A. Gruppe, who was a prolific, one shot painter of marine scenes in Gloucester, Maine during the mid to late 20th century.
This thead on painting water should continue for a few weeks. I want to cover topics such as reflections and waves, too. In the course of doing that I’ll introduce you to more of my historical favorites.
Paint Outs, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly!
November 8, 2009
Red Mooring Ball at Low Tide with Fog
It’s only been two weeks since my last post but in the world of “cyber-time” it probably seems like I disappeared into the witness protection program. I was at the Crescent Beach Paint Out and enjoyed a full week without internet access or good television reception.
First Light
The paint out was fun if not challenging. We had plenty of good subject matter but not enough time to get to it all. I did 9 paintings in 6 days. 7 were exhibited, 1 was for my host and 1 was deemed unfit for public consumption. The first of the six days was spent exploring. Overall the show looked great. The artists deserve a round of applause. The pics in this post are of paintings I did during the event.
The Meagan Garret
My last post began a discussion about “the process” of creating art within the context of a plein air painting event. It occurs to me that I should take a step backwards and say a little about the events themselves because many of you may not be familiar with how they work. Participating artists are selected by invitation or submission process. Organizers usually designate a territory and often limit the number of paintings each artist can exhibit. Paintings have to have been created during the event and must be for sale. Proceeds benefit the artist and the promoting organization. These events do contribute to an artist’s income but most artists don’t rely on them. The best thing about paint outs is that they are like mini “Artist in Residency” programs. They enable the artist to work away from home without distractions and in the company of other working artists. Artists are pretty much left to do their own thing. No says where to paint or what to paint. The aforementioned painting territories are usually broad and loosely enforced. Many artist regard boundaries as guidelines rather than absolutes. I tend to fall into that category. Many events provide host for lodging and other perks like meals and socials.
If you are an artist who wants to include some paint outs on your schedule here’s the good, the bad and the ugly:
- Avoid events that require an entry fee. Entry fees are simply revenue for the sponsoring organization and are often not applied to all invitees. There are plenty of great events which won’t charge you to participate.
- Only enter events that provide hosts for housing. You don’t want to have to pay for a place to stay. I have enjoyed some fantastic accommodations and made great new friends this way.
- Don’t bother with plein air painting competitions. Judges usually reward their friends and names they recognize. These events become very political and will often leave you with a sense of disillusionment. I’ve seen enough questionable shenanigans that I have sworn off of them.
- Shows which have an Artist’s Choice award are good. This means the artists vote by secret ballot for their favorite painting. The one with the most votes wins. It’s a super fair way of awarding the best work.
- Choose events in places that inspire you or which support a cause that you believe in. Inspiration makes doing your best work easier.
- Have fun but conduct yourself with a sense of professionalism. No need to perpetuate the myth of the eccentric artist. You are a small business person in a vital industry.
- Remember, ALL of the other artists involved know something you don’t. So make learning a priority.
- Paint in places where the public can find you. Hand out business cards promotional material from the show.
- DO NOT make a fuss over onlookers who watch you work. Yes, they may be sneaking a free lesson but you’re best off to embrace them. These people will buy the painting they watch you paint!
I’ll have another post up later this week about “the creative process”. It’s good stuff. Until then….
Artists Blogs Worth Reading!
July 8, 2009
St. Petersburg Pier
There are a lot of artists out there writing blogs. It’s a wide demographic. There are artists of all levels from beginners to seasoned professionals blogging. Motivations are also varied. Some do it for fun. Some are vying for attention. Others do it out of the same passion that fuels their art. I write blogs because I hope to stay relevant and make a contribution to fine art in St. Petersburg, Florida and beyond. Currently I regard myself as an average to above average painter with a decent local reputation and good potential for growth. (If I didn’t think I could get better I probably wouldn’t paint. Would you?) It’s the belief in my capacity for growth that makes me thirst for knowledge. I’m a scavenger really. I’m convinced that every artist out there, whether awesome or mediocre, has probably figured out something I haven’t. I want to know what they know. Add it to what I know. Maybe even become a painters version of the Borg collective. The quest for knowledge is fun when it pertains to a passion. It’s even better when I find seasoned professional painters who take the time to write blogs for the purpose of lending the benefit of their experience to people like me. Recently I have discovered two such pros worth mentioning.
Courtesy of Mary Byrom, a Maine artist whom I met in Idaho at one of Scott Christensen’s workshops, I have become aware of a painter named Stapleton Kearns. Kearns has been established and making his living painting pictures for 30 years. I really have to tip my hat to Mr. Kearns because not only is he a very, very good painter but he is a diligent and persistent blogger. He posts an article every day. His articles provide daily insight into the mind of an established painter and seem a valuable resource for those of us toiling to gain further command over elusive prey: Shapes, Values, Colors and Edges. Kearns doesn’t know me but if you check out his blog please let him know I sent you.
I first heard the name Bill Reese at the aforementioned Scott Christensen workshop. I don’t remember the context in which his name was mentioned but for some reason I remembered it. I hadn’t made the effort to find William F. Reese online until Don Maier, founder of the social network Plein Air Artists mentioned reading his book. I quickly found Reese’s website. Reese is a painter of fifty years experience. Along with his enjoyable paintings his site contains some great “musings” with comments by artists such as Matt Smith. Mr. Reese is not as prolific a blogger as Kearns probably because he spent significant time writing the book, which I purchased. I mention the book entitled The Painter’s Process – The Inner Voice because I came away from it with a feeling that completely surprised me. Not because I’ve never had the feeling before but because I never got it from an art book before. Whatever chord The Painters’ Process struck in me I came away feeling that “I am okay”. With wisdom rooted in life experience Bill communicates a set of values which transcend the painting advice given in the book. He persistently prods his readers to figure out why they paint, to define success for themselves. He penetrates the shallows of wealth and fame with his own ideals and reasons to paint. Simply put, he spent his life painting with the hopes that he would create a piece, the beauty of which, would stand the test of time. He doesn’t know if he accomplished that and probably never will. He gave that goal his best effort and fell in love with The Process.
Both Reese and Kearns will be assimilated. Resistance is futile!!
Tales from the Plein Air Crypt!
June 18, 2009
Student Art Day
There are a lot of “paint out” opportunities for plein air artists in Florida. Tops among them are events such as The Forgotten Coast Plein Air Invitational in the Panhandle, Wekiva Springs in the Orlando area, Florida’s Eden in the Gainsville area and The Art of Giving in St. Petersburg. I participated in 6 or 7 Florida events this spring. Painting in these events, for me, is not only hard work but a fantastic education. I look up to other artists and learn by looking at their work and asking questions. A few are guarded but most will tell you exactly how they do what they do. It is great experience. Looking back at spring 2009 I would like to share:
-the funniest thing that happened to me,
-my new nickname,
-the best advice I received and
The “funny thing” that happened is a story I tell most often outside artistic circles. It’s more funny”poignant” than funny “ha, ha”. Let set the stage before telling the punch line. During the event at Dudley Farm (which is a fantastic park, best in the state maybe!)I attended a birthday party for Mitch Kolbe at a beautiful old cracker house on the edge of Lee’s Prairie. During the party a woman, one of the artists, struck up a conversation with me about “How wonderful President Obama’s stimulus package was going to be for the economy”. I briefly commented that we need “recovery not stimulus” and quickly changed the subject. This wasn’t the place for a political discussion. Especially if it was going to be an Obama love-fest. The friendly woman remarked how I reminded her of her husband and that was that….or so I thought! The next day I was enjoying a meal in the lunch tent with three other artists, all women and all new acquaintances. The woman from the party sat down and blurted out, “So Robert, how is that you are an artist AND a republican?” (As if the two are mutually exclusive.) She said she could tell from my comment about “recovery” that I was a conservative republican. I guess she thought it was her job to “out” me in front of the other artists. I replied, “Well you got me. I am officially outed. I am a conservative and a republican.” With that the other three women at the table stood up in unison, turned their backs to me and sat at another table. Sure I was a little stunned but not completely surprised. I’ve known for quite some time that those who preach tolerance often only tolerate those who agree with them. Still you have to admit, liberal or conservative, this story is hilarious!
Painting the Wekiva River
At the Wekiva Springs event I really felt like the new kid on the block. I knew a couple of the other artists but so many were new acquaintances that it was literally like being at my first summer camp. It was a lot a fun. The scenery was beautiful if not a little imposing. During “Pizza Night” at the rec hall one of the artists was asking for advice on pricing her work. Her paintings were really good and everyone thought she was thinking way too low. Someone suggested that she charge $6.00 per square inch. To which she inquired, “Does anyone have a calculator?” I quickly rattled off the top of my head…well, 14 x 18 = 252. 252 x 6 = 1,512. So charge $1500 for that one. I noticed that all the other artists sort of had this glazed over, look of disbelief on their faces. So, I did it again….12 x 16 = 192. 192 x 6 = 1,152. So charge $1150 for that one. Now the glazed over looks turned to surprise as they realized I was really doing it and not just making things up. Some shouted, “THANK YOU, PROFESSOR”. What can I say. I went to Catholic school. I love math! Well the nickname has followed me around. Those who were there still call me professor. I kind of like it. I hope it sticks.
Also during the course of the Wekiva event I spent some time on a pontoon boat painting with Larry Moore. Like a lot of people I admire Larry for his outstanding work, creativity and sense of humor. He is also generous and sincere when asked for advice. When I half jokingly asked him to be my mentor Larry paused, looked intently at me and said, “You would be your own best mentor.” He elaborated, “You already know everything you need to know, just keeping working and it will come into fruition.” Immediately I clicked back in my mind to a statement I heard come from Scott L. Christensen who said that his big breakthrough came when he stopped listening to others and began doing his own thing. Nothing I have heard has made more sense than Larry’s comment. I have decided to take it to heart.
Until next time, Paint On!
The Art of Giving in St. Pete
June 10, 2009
Keeping Watch over Round Lake
As a result of the economic downturn the number of people in real financial need has grown significantly. In Pinellas County there are in excess of 6.000 homeless, many of them taking up residence on the streets of my home town, St. Petersburg, Fl. I don’t have to tell you that the ranks of the unemployed has also grown causing many families to struggle in their efforts to pay their bills and keep their heads above water. Despite some bad press a couple of years ago, St. Petersburg, as a community, actually does care. There are many outreach ministries, faith based and otherwise. One such organization is called Daystar Life Center. Founded by Monsignor McNulty in the basement of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in 1982, Daystar makes a fine art out of giving. As you might imagine the slow economy has made things tough for organizations like Daystar. Demand for their services are way up while donations from benefactors are down.
All of these realities were in the back of my mind when I was approached by two artists about organizing a plein air painting event this spring. Their motivation was that they were not accepted into a local paintout called Paint the Town. Although formerly involved with that event I had no interest in organizing a Salon De Rufusee’. I did, however, think this was a great time for the art of plein air painting to serve something besides its own self interest. I took my idea for an exhibition and sale of plein air paintings benefitting Daystar to city councilwoman and owner of Interior Motives gallery, Leslie Curan. As expected, she loved the idea and we began planning immediately. I got a group of artists together while Leslie and her staff handled publicity. We were flying by the seat of our pants but we believed in what we were doing. When all was said and done, 8 local artists had six weeks to produce (5) plein air paintings within the St. Petersburg city limits.
The Pier
Opening Night
The show, which opened May 23rd, was a success. The paintings looked great, sales were very good and well over $1,000 was raised for Daystar. Ironically the two artists who a originally approached me backed out. They made what they thought was a good choice for themselves. This show was not about “artists doing for themselves” it was about what art could do for others. It was about being outwardly focused, civic minded and concerned for those in need. There are still a few paintings available as the show hangs at Interior Motives until June 19th, 2009.
A special thanks goes to councilwoman Leslie Curan for her extreme generosity and Jane Walker for her dedicated hard work at Daystar.
Leslie, Jane, Robert
“Key” Your Paintings for Special Effect
February 17, 2009
Last Wednesday afternoon, after a day working in my home studio, I could not escape nature’s call. No, no, no, that’s not what I mean. I mean it was a beautiful day outside and I was ready to escape to my outdoor studio. Which, for all intents a purposes these days, is Fort Desoto Park. Fort Desoto is located in West Central Florida, on the Gulf Coast near St. Petersburg. St. Pete is where I live. It is also home for Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays (which may come as some surprise to most ESPN sportscasters). It is also where I was once founding president of the St. Petersburg Representational Art Association. I am no longer involved with the organization or the plein air event it sponsors…but that’s another story. Let me get back to this one.
Every year, from January through April, snowbirds of all types flock to Fort Desoto. Both the human and waterfowl varieties are attracted by the peaceful, reflective, calm of the park’s bays and estuaries as well as the pastel colors and rhythmic surf of it’s Gulf Beaches. The North Beach is a particularly popular spot. It is haven to sandpipers, skimmers, northern gulls, Canadians, Long Islanders, Europeans, Mid westerners and the occasional Floridian. A beautiful spot to the say the least and a favorite for this plein air painter. I rarely see other artists out there unless they are participating in a class or workshop which I am conducting. To a certain extent, the natural beauty of Fort Desoto Park is somewhat unrecognized. For this reason I have chosen to feature it in my upcoming solo exhibit.
For me plein air painting is more about study than it is finished paintings. Once in awhile I go out looking for that big idea but more often than not I use it to study nature. This day was like most. I found an open picnic table on the North Beach, beneath the friendly shade of Australian Pines not more than 20 feet from gently breaking waves. I planted my tripod firmly in the sand, sat on the bench with my back to the table and went to work. In this 30 minute study I would attempt to capture the soft pastel colors in a relatively “high key”. “Keying” a painting relates value and color in a way that is referred to as either “high” or “low” key. In a “high key” painting dark accents and shadows are painted in a medium value range. Mid-tones and lights are painted even lighter. In so doing the artists sacrifices color intensity in the lights as they become washed out. This approach allows for more color in the shadows and the result is a soft, peaceful, pastel look. In a “low key” painting dark accents and shadows are painted on the low end of the scale while mid-tones and lights are painted in a mid value range with more intensity. The result is crisp, colorful and more dramatic. In lower key painting it is said that the shadows carry the drawing while the lights carry the color. In high key paintings the shadows may carry the drawing and most of the color. In this 6″ x 8″ wave study the color intensity is kept to a minimum in both the shadows and lights in an effort to emphasize the soft gentle roll of small surf. All five types of light are clearly, yet simply indicated, depicting just enough form to tell the story.
During the course of this little study I was approached by numerous onlookers and interlopers. Some respected the fact that I was working, others considered my presence an open invitation to talk. One of these asked why I didn’t just take a photo to paint from. This of course opened the door for me to do a little proselytizing for the practice of painting from life and an explanation of the how the human eye is better than the camera. In next weeks article I will offer some tips for interacting with, and in some cases coping, with all the curiosity seekers who may approach you while you paint outdoors. Till then, God Bless.
