I'm going to give you all a break from that landscape stuff and maybe just do trees for a while. Simple trees. We'll see how it goes.
I haven't given up on the landscapes yet but maybe need to tackle this one little element at a time - trees, skies, grass, ponds, lakes, rivers, mountains, oh so many elements!! ha ha And doing landscapes from photos just doesn't cut it, folks, so I know why there are plein air painters. And I'm honestly not sure I can be one - it's either too hot or too damp or too buggy or too something (no, I'm not an outdoorsy kind of gal!).
9 comments:
Hi,Rhonda!
Just take it easy & take time as much you like. Never push yourself too much.
Kind regards,Sadami
I bought a standing easel for pleine aire. I am like you. I hate bugs, i can't bear to stand around in the sun (or the rain or the cold!!) I do not know how others do it?!?!?!?!
I have used the new easel once in my studio (indoors) I ALWAYS have an excuse about not going outside. Keep painting, even when it's a challenge. You seem to be my twin lately. :-)
Me too Rhonda, let's stay inside and sip ice tea and paint at our leisure. Sounds great!
Sadami, that's what I thought - stop the struggle and think about WHY you want to do this and if it's worth it :)
Mimi, I hear you loud and clear! Guess we'll always be studio painters.
Carol, a cool drink and no bugs or heat baking us sounds good :) I'm going to post on the tadpoles - thanks for suggesting it!
I just noticed that you're outdoors in your new id photo--nice one. I'm with you; it's either too hot or too buggy to paint outside. I did it once in a group--picked a shady spot and painted what I thought was a rhododendron (I liked the trunk). It was a magnolia. I sometimes run outside for a look; then come inside to paint what I think I remember.
I'm not an outdoorsy kind of girl either. LOL I have no issues with taking photos of pretty landscape scenes to paint!
Pleasure and comfort are a huge part of painting for the artist. If either becomes an issue, then creativity goes out the window. The trick is to love what you are doing, not do it because you think you must.
There are no rules that say you have to do plein air for landscapes. However, first hand experience in seeing colours and light are so very valuable and no photo can capture that.
Go out early morning or late in the day, do some sketches, take some photos then bring it back to the studio and play with what you have.
PS you can also do plein air from your air conditioned car...
Thanks, Hallie, Autumn and Jeanette - you've helped me see that painting landscapes just because I "think" I "should" isn't a good enough reason to brave the elements for me! ha ha
Great idea to work on the elements of a landscape to get confident - to go out and work in the field maybe?? Look forward to your trees. I did a full book of graphite sketches of British trees as a gift for my eldest grand daughter many moons ago, sketching them in the four seasons. Really enjoyed going back to them as the year progressed and they changed radically. I used local pine, a sycamore, then a horse chest nut and, of course, the British oak. Look forward to seeing your studies Rhonda.
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