Online study

I have been doing an online study course recently, led by American artist Larry Seiler.  Other than a few issues finding my way round the site used (ArtistsNetworkUniversity) the content has been really valuable.
We have been doing exercises concentrating on getting good value contrasts.  This is an area that has proved difficult for me in the past, and together with the discipline of working small and fast I think the long term results will be beneficial.  I just hope I can translate what I have learnt when I revert to my normal, undirected, plein air work.

These are the three pieces I submitted for week three, they are all oil on gessoed paper (a new substrate for me - I will blog about that later) 5x7" (another 'new for me') done with a very limited palette and three pre-mixed tones of each colour.

I will go back and do bigger paintings of some of these.  I look forward to what we have to do for the final week.

Heading for the heights..

A long way to the sea
Doronne de Chaviere at Roc de la Peche
Parc National de la Vanoise
12 x 9" oils on board

Walk, wine, weather.  A heady mix, but what better way to spend a late summer Saturday in the Alps.  We hiked up to Roc de la Peche for a delicious lunch, happily my lovely husband helped carry my gear (note to self - organise lighter kit for next trip).  After lunch I went down into a ravine to paint at the side of the river (the very same that lower down the mountain was the subject of my last post). I only had a couple of hours until the sun sank behind the very high cliff alongside me, so I made haste and tried to cut short chatting to curious bypassers.

I made a good start, got the blocking in done, noted the colours of the river, which were spectacular, and the fantastic hues of the cliffside reflecting light from the water and the hillside across.  I probably got 75% of the painting under my belt before the sun slipped behind the mountian, probably sooner than it would have done had I been in a more open situation, but perhaps as well as I still had an hours trek down to where my car was parked.

I am now starting to get used to working with my limited palette of six colours plus black and white, and I think it helps give unity to the finished work as all the colours, shades and tints consist of  a really small and common collection of pigments.

I hope I get lots more opportunity to get out to paint plein air before winter closes in.  For the next four weeks I am doing an online study course dealing with values, so mostly I will be doing exercises rather than finished paintings.  Expect a short hiatus, then hopefully some improvement in my value studies!

Backwoods

Doronne de Chaviere at Pont de Gerlon
Oils on board
12x9"

It has been a few days since I got out to paint, due to being on the road and weather not being suitable (bit of a fair weather painter, me), but the last couple of days have been as lovely in the Alps as it has been in the UK

I found myself a lovely secluded spot by the river, which a couple of days before had been in spate, but now was just babbling.  I couldn't see the track, the road or people.  Idyllic.  Or so I first though.  I had previously being reading an article about someone painting in Alaska, with advice on what to do should you encounter a bear.  Being fearless, I thought about it no more.  No bears in these mountains. However,  it is remarkable what the imagination does in a quiet situation.  I spent most of the two hour session hearing crackling branches and seeing movements in my peripheral vision.  But happily no bears disturbed my peace.

In the end I packed up a) because I was chilly, b) because I was getting really confused by what I was looking at and in my efforts to simplify I kept loosing my place, and c) because we were due to meet friends for a drink.

Today I finished off what was a satisfactory start.  My natural inclination is to put in more and more detail, but seeing my efforts on the computer screen convinced me to leave it as it was, although it was the bubbling waters and little cascades that attracted me in the first place.  Review tomorrow!

I can never quite capture the wonderful colours of the glacial melt waters gushing over the stunning hues of the rocks.  I will just have to go back more often to practise.  No hardship. Bears permitting.