Going Green

"Going Green" really has little to do with the jonquils. They are just a reminder that we are keepers of this earth. My concerns for the environment involve the responsibilities of making art. When painting outside, be careful not to disturb the area where you are setup. This includes not dumping water containers filled with acrylic pigment or God forbid, turpentine or mineral spirits on the ground or ground water. Carry a trash bag, empty jars with lids, and paper towels that you can use to soak up the liquids. And take it all with you!
I saw a workshop artist throw his paper towels on the ground that he used to wipe extra oil paint from his brushes. His theory was, paint fast and then pick up the mess when you are through. Mine is, the paint is touching either plants, grass, or dirt where animals, insects, or reptiles may come into contact. Why take that chance?
In the studio, you can, of course, keep recycling your paint thinner. You know too, not to pour anything down the sink. For more on studio safety, check with www.gamblincolors.com/studio.safety/index.html.
Now, let's get outside and paint!
Durinda

Beginner Six Week Oil Class

I will be offering a Beginner/Refresher Oil Class on Tuesdays starting April 1. The class will meet on Lookout Mountain at the Happy Painters Studio, 116 N Watauga Lane. We will start at 9:30 am and finish by noon. If you are interested, or know someone who might be, please let me know as soon as possible. The class will be limited to six. I will provide a supply list when you register. Fee is $180 for the six classes. This will be a great time of year to get back into or to start painting with oils!
Let's Paint!
Durinda

Valentine's Painting

OK, I do have a mean streak once in a while. This is what was left of my Valentine's Day bouquet from my husband Bill. I thought I would show it next to my painting. My point being, you have to paint fast when you work with live flowers! They were here a few days before I finally gave in and started painting them. These actually kept well and you can see the daisies are still not bad, but the roses and other flowers are long gone. I finished the painting last week and yes, tossed the flowers!

For you painters, try working close to life size when you have flowers or a still life set up. Use as large a brush as you can and get the paint on there!
I used some impasto strokes (thick) on some of the flowers. Bill said it reminded him of a Van Gogh. (He was just trying to impress me with his art knowledge- ha!)
Now to finish painting those potted jonquils that I bought last week for my art classes and no one chose to paint them. I guess I am just a sucker for flowers this time of year!
Enjoy your week!
Durinda

Watercolor Paint Out Gear

This is a shot of my supplies for painting watercolor on site. I like a block or pad of 140# cold-press paper, a mechanical pencil, my travel palette, paints (I carry in a zipper bag), a brush or two, and a water carrier. A few sheets of Viva paper towels and I am ready to go. Everything fits in a tote or backpack easily. If I won't be painting long, I just take a bottle of water. If it is going to be all day, I carry a gallon of water in the trunk.

Usually I hold my pad in my lap and set the water on the ground. I do try to take a folding chair if I will be out in a field or woods. If parking nearby is available, I carry an old tv tray to set next to me. There are watercolor travel easels available. I just prefer to sit when I paint. I have tried using my french easel with the watercolors, but I felt like I was leaning over too much.

Recently I saw a watercolorist put a vinyl tablecloth on the ground under her chair. Hmmm- must have been for fire ants? I have painted places with them too. With watercolors, it is important to sit in the shade so you won't have a glare on your paper. If you can really carry a lot of supplies, you might take a beach umbrella. Just be sure that it is a solid color and not striped. The stripes will reflect on your paper and throw off your color mixing. You can usually adjust to a solid color.

For anyone who is wanting to paint plein air with watercolors or oils, for that matter, I recommend starting in your own backyard. Carrry your equipment and set up. Try different ways of sitting or standing and see what you prefer. Watch how much time it takes you to draw and paint outdoors. You will get faster as you practice. Think of your watercolors as sketches or studies and not finished pieces. Allow yourself to be looser than you would in the studio and you will enjoy your experience outdoors!

If you have any questions or comments, please let me know! I plan several excursions this spring out and about in this area.

Let's Paint!

Durinda

Paintings from Florida

Here are some of the paintings I worked on while in Siesta Key.
The first is a group of bottles and glasses that I set up in the kitchen. While my other paintings with wine bottles are in very neutral colors, this one reminds me of the friends that came to visit and brought paintings to critique from our plein air painting trips. The center painting is en plein air from a house outside the Selby Gardens gate. Barbara and I were in search of "color" that morning. The fog was heavy and she showed me how to paint the sky very gray and then punch in the color when the fog lifts. Guess what? It worked! I think it needs a little more work here and there, but I like it.
The last painting was started at the Artists in the Gardens paintout in Epcot last April. I carried it with me to Florida because I kept thinking that it needed something. By adding some variations in color to the blossoms and hitting the highlights again with whites, I think that did it. I may do a larger painting from this study. What do you think? That is what is nice about doing smaller paintings, you can work out the problems and then paint a larger version from them.
I have a few more to post from that month away including some en plein air watercolors and some watercolor studies of ballerinas who posed at the Sarasota Art Center.
Just a few more weeks until spring!
Durinda

Parting Shots

I am home to the mountains of northwest Georgia after a wonderful month at Siesta Key. There is never enough time to paint everything, see everything, visit with everyone, and go everywhere while there so that is why I keep going back! This year I so enjoyed painting with the Sun Coast group of Plein Air Florida and with friends who joined me, including Mr Buttons, the neighborhood cat who checked on me every day.

Photos: Lunch in Venice with Fran White and Susie Covert; Susie painting outside the restaurant; Barbara Perotti in the Ringling Rose Garden; Sandra Babb at the Myakka River; Ali Light with her work at the Canvas Cafe; and grandgirls Camryn and Caylea at the beach house.

I brought back lots of plein air paintings and large wet canvases in the car! I am now looking forward to the Wednesday oil and watercolor classes this week and the new watercolor class that begins next Tuesday.

Have a great week and stay warm!

Durinda

My Oil Painting Gear

I had originally thought I would be sending out my blog more frequently from Florida, but I found that I was too busy painting!


For those who are painting outdoors with oils, or who aspire to do so, I shot my paint gear today before loading it once again in the car. What you can't see is my backpack on wheels that holds everything except the panel carrier and the tripod. Actually, I can strap the tripod to the pack so I can roll it easily, but if I am getting out fairly close to the car, I don't bother with it. The tripod is one for cameras and it holds my pochade box with an attachment.



The largest panel I can use with this easel is a 12 x 16. I prefer the linen oil primed panels. I also have a cardboard carrier that I like since it is lightweight and easily packable.



I use filberts or brights brushes and a few rounds. For larger works, I also like flats. In the studio, of course I have a wider variety of brushes, but outdoors, it is better to carry only a few.



My paints of choice are Gamblin's. As many of you know, I owned a gallery/teaching studio for three years where I also sold art supplies. After trying many brands, I have been impressed with Gamblin's quality and consistency. You also see Gamsol which is the thinner. When going out on location, I usually pour some into a jar and not carry the container. For the photo, I wanted to show the name so you would remember it. I use their Galkyd and Galkyd Lite mediums in the studio. They help speed the drying time of oils without getting sticky. When I paint outside, it is usually going to be "alla prima" and hopefully finished in two hours so drying layers or glazing is not an issue.

I recently added Gamblin's Quick Dry White to my plein air paints. Mixing it with the other paints helps speed their dry time as well. You can check out their line of products: www.gamblincolors.com. You can order their products through Jerry's or others. Let me know if you have any questions about the paints or gear and if you have any comments about what you have used.

For those watercolorists, I will post my palette and gear next. I enjoy my watercolors outside too.

Now, get to painting!
Durinda