Studio Study-Misty Day
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
What happened? Yesterday it was San Diego weather, sunny, warm and no humidity-just beautiful! Today, back to Seattle weather. I think my mother (God rest her) was right: The Space Program has ruined our weather. In any case, I went to the studio and decided to do a misty day scene motivated by the English watercolorists that I am studying these days, e.g. Paul Talbot-Greaves, Alan Oliver, Ron Ranson, Ray Campbell Smith, Edward Wesson, Edward Seago, etc. Any of these painters would be great for you to study because their weather is/was very similar to our own. They also created the medium of watercolor and are masters of the simply stated landscape. They work quickly, confidently after much concentration and planning. Remember, plan like a turtle, paint like a rabbit. The opposite approach will create overworked, tired and muddy failures.
A few lessons from today's study: First, the wet-in-wet background. You should practice this background effect. It creates instant depth illusion. Of course on rainy, misty days you can take advantage of this effect even in intimate scenes - remember SIT? Here's how it's done:
A loose watery wash burnt sienna and french ultramarine is laid in from top to horizon (This will be very light gray in tone) While it is still wet (very important) you use a slightly stronger verson of these colors to lay in distant tree shapes. This might take you a few times to master but you will use it many times so it is worth the time and effort to learn this. Take these two colors (no substitutes please) , a round brush you are comfortable with and the back of one of your failed paintings. Draw a horizon line (use a ruler if necessary) and then go ahead and practice this wet-in-wet background tree line. When this dries completely (v.i.) use the same mix to draw in some distant trees, then some dark trees in the foreground. Once you pop in the darker trees you will immediately notice how everything else moves back into the picture plane. Copy this effect as many times as it takes to master. Good luck.
Julie Driscoll was the first to comment on the blog. Thank you Julie. BTW, there is an excellent explanation of how to open your french easel in Tony vanHasselt's book "Outdoor Watercolor Workshop" which is available at the library or from Amazon. You could probably also google it and find a video example. If you are still stuck I will be pleased to swing by some day on my bicyle to show you how. Just let me know.
Happy painting.
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Attached Files
| Misty Day Study.jpg | BobbyFarrell | Jul 07, 2009 | 805 KB |
