Three Value to Color Exercise

During our first class last week, 

I discovered the thing the students wanted to learn the most 

was how to translate value into color. 

So today I combined a few lessons and tried something new.  

I gave them each an 11 x 15 middle grey toned piece of watercolor paper,

and set up a simple primary color still life in strong light. 

I had them prepare a five value, black to white, scale

leaving the middle square blank. (middle grey) 

They then did two "maps" next to each other. 

In the first box, they were to choose two values for everything in light

 and one for everything in shadow.

The second box, they were to choose one value for everything in light 

and two for everything in shadow. 

The challenge was to mix a color, then make a mark next to the value

 you want to compare it to, 

checking it by looking through a red transparency.

You have to make decisions about the colors,

 and assign them one of the three values you chose!    

This was pretty advanced,

and I was impressed by how they jumped right in.

We made some amazing discoveries!

Did you know that cad red light 

is the same value as cad yellow light?   

 Unbelievable! 

Some of them have only recently started painting! 

NOTE:

We played around a lot with the I phone App,

Value Viewer! 

An invaluable tool that I am getting very fond of!  

I strongly urge you to try it out! 

Fresh Paint Event

We had a great day painting in Boston yesterday 

for 25th Annual Fresh Paint event. 

With Joan Brancale and Joanne Chittick 

Laboratory conditions for plein air painting! 

Our pal Page Railsback joined us!

Joan framing our work in the parking garage! 

My wet painting! 

Joan's  

and Joanne's

Be sure to stop by the Copley Society this week to see 

(and bid on) 

the over 75 wet paintings! 

It was a great day of painting, friendship and 

such joy to be in our beautiful city!  

Fresh Paint this Sunday!

I am honored and proud to be participating in the
25th Annual 

Fresh Paint Event
hosted by the Copley Society of Boston
this Sunday from 9:00 - 4:00 pm. 

Over 75 artist members will be painting all over our beautiful city!

St. Botolph Street

8 x 8 

quick study 

My friend Joan Brancale and I went in on Monday 

to scope out the area behind the Colonnade Hotel.  

The trees blooming all over the South End are breathtaking! 

I don't generally paint in the city and haven't been out plein air painting 

for awhile so I did the above in my studio from a photo.

 It helped iron out some of the possible pit falls ahead of time!   

If all goes well, I will be doing a 12 x 12 

of this same scene on Sunday. 

Corner of St. Botolph and West Newton. 

In front of the 7 Eleven.

Come on by and say hello! 

Moving Forward

The busier I am, the happier I am. 

So I am truly grateful for all the art events and shows coming up!  

This coming weekend:

Fri. night: North River Arts  Focus on Figures opening

 (this little guy is getting an Honorable Mention)

"Barefoot Lunch"

8 x 8 

Sat. night: 

DAA Winter Juried Show Closing Party

(The opening party was cancelled during the blizzard)

"Sunday in the City"

12 x 12 

Sun. All Day:

I'm painting plein air on St. Botolph Street in Boston for 

the Copley Society Fresh Paint Event 

(The above will be my back up donation if things don't go well) 

We are still overwhelmed by the events of last week 

and are moving forward. 

 I am so grateful that I am an artist.  

Painting Therapy

Since I still can't verbalize my feelings about what is going on in Boston, 

I was compelled to paint this quick sketch from the image I took at 

the finish line right before the explosion. 

Boston Minutes Before 

8 x 10 

This is rather primitive, but it gave me a chance 

to reflect on those last few minutes of innocent bliss.  

Great therapy. 

Stay strong Boston! 

Time to Breathe

The finish line the minute "Before" 

After witnessing the tragedy in Boston on Monday,

I was too emotional and sad to do much of anything yesterday.

So I took a long, sunny walk in the woods with Cello

 to reflect and breathe. 

My thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by 

this tragic event and I am so grateful to those who

responded so quickly and bravely. 

Be Strong Boston! 

Meanwhile:

There are two more spaces left in my spring 

"Back to Basics" class starting next Tuesday at the 

South Shore Art Center.    

Come join us!

Even though it says it's "continued",

you do not need to have taken the first session! 

320 Painting Simply/Back to Basics continued

Learn how to approach painting by breaking the subject down into big simple shapes first. This process helps students loosen up and become more intuitive and spontaneous. Through a series of quick exercises and demonstrations, we will discover how to build a painting from start to finish, with an emphasis on strong composition and the use of correct values. Students will work from simple still life set-ups and photographs, using a limited palette and large brushes. At the end of each session, students will share their work and thoughts. A working knowledge of medium and materials would be helpful, although each will be covered in class content. While this is a class designed for those interested in oil painting techniques and concepts, instruction in the use of acrylic painting will be limited. The class will be limited to 8 students.

4/23–5/28 Tuesday am 9:30–12:30

Good News / Bad News About Acrylics

I was curious to see how acrylics would "translate"

 in to a larger format so I attempted this 24 x 30. 

High Noon 

24 x 30 

Turns out, I ran into some of the same problems

I have when working larger in oils!

(Scale off, inaccurate drawing, and too many hard edges.)

The good news about acrylics

is that I can paint right over this!

Nothing lost, nothing gained.

Except now, I know.

Figures in Acrylic

Now that I have an acrylic "set up" in my studio,
I couldn't wait to try doing a figure.

"Bound and Determined"

8 x 8 acrylic 

I 'd forgotten how you can keep going at it 

and not make mud, 

which can be good and bad. 

It's so easy to over work it! 

 This was loosely inspired by this 

painting by Sarah Benham, 

an artist I just discovered! 

Surprise Plein Air Outing

It was magically 70 degrees today, 

so I dropped everything to paint outside. 

Thankfully, I ended up in my pal Sally's yard. 

The New England landscape is still very muted and brown,

 so her cool kiwi green umbrella and chairs got me inspired.   

  

Sally's Deck

8 x 10 

This needs fixing for sure, 

but I was just so happy to be out there

in a t-shirt, listening to music, soaking up the sun.

It was a joyous spring surprise. 

NOTE:  Last season I didn't get to do much plein air painting 

because Cello was such a puppy.

Sally's fenced in yard was perfect for our inaugural outing!   

Once she explored the area

 she was content to just soak up the sun! 

Happy times are here again. 

Acrylics / Oils

I am often asked if my 

"One Hour Painting" approach 

works with acrylics as well as oils. 

I decided I'd better try it and find out! 

Beach Patrol

8 x 8 acrylic 

This was so fun because it was so different! 

I love how acrylics dry so fast, and you can fix things. 

Although it makes it tempting to blend

so it's harder to leave brush strokes alone.

I loved doing this today.  

I set up same way I do for oils,

using the same pallet and a gallery wrapped, grey toned canvas. 

I chose a favorite image of a house that I have painted 

many times before in oils.

I was so into it (and worried about the paint drying)

 that I forgot to take progress images,

and it was fun!  

After I painted the one in acrylic, 

I found this (dark) image of an oil I did 

February 4, 2006! 

Interesting!   

I guess the approach works with both. 

 I can't wait to explore this further!   

Note: I'm teaching another 

six week class at SSAC (#320)

beginning April 23.

Happy Birthday Grier

Our daughter Grier brought us a gorgeous bouquet
of orange and yellow tulips with  

white ranunculus last weekend.  

Happy Birthday Grier!

9 x 12 

Yesterday was her birthday, 

so I wanted to paint them in a style that reflects who she is! 

Colorful, Bold, Brave, and Fun! 

Meanwhile:

Stephen Coyle is having an opening 

of some new paintings at the 

Chase Young Gallery

in Boston  

this Friday April 5 

6 - 8 pm.

by Stephen Coyle

This guy just keeps on amazing me!  

  

Fixer Uppers

I finally got to "fix up" 

some paintings today that were bugging me. 

"Perfect for Two"

(after)  

This was the before.

I got rid of the  awkward clapboards, darkened the trees and 

lightened the sky. 

"Summer Camp"

(after) 

(before)

The angle of the big window on the right was driving me crazy,

so I fixed it. 

And I lightened the sky.

 Note:

I've changed the name of my blog about my painting classes with 

people with Alzheimer's to 

Connecting with Paint.

If you were previously subscribed to 

"Patience with Patients" 

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