Friday, June 5, 2009

Painting the Emerald Coast

Painting at Eden Gardens
Dinner the first night



Evelle painting a wooden bench next to the path



Martha and Barbara working on the cute post office in Watercolor




The group paints a red boutique in Baytowne





Ann painting a view of a home in Watercolor
I hope I can speak for all of the participants when I say that we had a great time painting in the Panhandle. The weather was just perfect; warm, but not too hot, no rain and slight breezes. Our locations were accessible and the foliage and flowers were beautiful. We varied from landscapes to architecture.
When painting outdoors where it can be so overwhelming it is easy to lose focus of what you want to capture. We started at a fountain surrounded by flowers that was in sunlight. By walking around it completely, we were able to find a view that showed the statuary with sunlight and shadow making it appear more three-dimensional. That same day I demoed the mansion from a distance to show how to capture the light and shadows on a white building.
The second day we went to a commons area in a development nearby. There the paths were landscaped and manicured. Evelle even had the gardeners trimming what she was trying to paint! The lesson there was to find a subject where you could work in the shade. Everything was beautiful, but you need to be comfortable as you work. We liked the architecture that peeked through the gardens and paths with dappled light.
The last morning was spent at an area modeled after New Orleans with shops and restaurants. The buildings had the southern architectural style with balconies and ironworks. It was a warm day, but we were able to find shade from a building to paint the scene across from it.
Plein air painting is not for everyone. It can be frustrating when the conditions are not right. But it can also add so much to your ability to "see" the essence of a subject in a way that photographs can not.
Enjoy your summer days!
Durinda



2 comments:

Ginny Stiles said...

I am posting your blog address on my blog. Hope that is okay. I am still bouncing around trying to see what will work best for me on my blog. Let me know if you have any critiques or ideas of how to make it better. Meanwhile I'll just fool around with it. I so enjoy the photos of your events and travels! Haven't done much plein air lately because it is "deerfly" season in the north woods (for about two weeks). They bite!

Durinda Cheek, Fine Artist said...

Thanks, Ginny! Send me your blog address and I will post it in my list too.
No plein air around here now- temps and humidity way too high!