An outdoor painter by preference- (setting up on location to paint from life), the works of this blog will be frequent exercises painted from whatever strikes my fancy with intent to sharpen my eye, push and stretch my understanding of paint. Note that my links will include my larger artist's site, and latest available giclee prints at Image Kind.
Feel free to inquire to the availability of any works seen here.
Decided this afternoon I would play with my reds on hand, and yellows, and do some charts to help me beef up some of my energy of late day sunset paintings outdoors...
On my large artists table, I have a plexiglas palette I mix on...and beginning along the right side put out in descending order five reds... Quinacridone Red, Cad Red Medium, Oil Classics Bright Red, Permanent Red, and W&N Bright Red...
Then seven categories across the top filtering down, the first is mixing each red with white, the second tinting with Naples Yellow Pale, the third category is each red with Hansa Yellow, then each red with Hansa Yellow plus white as a tint, then Hansa Yellow with Naples Yellow as the tint, then the last two are the reds plus Cad Yellow Med...and then reds plus Permanent Yellow Dark...and finally made a tagboard chart below. You can click on it to enlarge...
For a limited time...I will offer my new DVD, "Paint Tumbling Water in Oils" a 1hr 38 minute instructional step-by-step painting tumbling water and falls on location...for $35.00 plus shipping & handling.
This introductory offer ends October 15th, one month from today...at which time will increase to $50.00 plus shipping & handling.
In return for this one month's time offer, I simply ask that you consider taking a moment to drop me a note and let me know what you think? Your time will help me assemble comments, reviews and ideas on what artists continue to look for as I venture into future on-going video instructional projects.
Spent this morning in reflection and of humbled sorrow filled heart, honoring the memory of so many lost in New York, on this morning...the 11th of September. Watching the television, reflecting on my own memory of that day. My heart and prayers to my own family and friends in New York...and to the larger extended family and community. Let us never forget...
Then...played guitar for a wedding this afternoon...and ran home to change clothes and grab my gear. Today being the World Wide Paint Out weekend for IPAP (International Plein Air Painters)...of which I am a signature member. This was my contribution-
and here a reference photo...though quite colorless and void of values variation because of the intense blast of light. Cameras do not fare well shooting directly into the sun. Well, eyes don't suffer it very well either!! hahaa..
What an ordeal its been...near 70-80 hours editing and production, but have burned three master copies by night's end...1 hr 38minutes in length...including segments on composing good design, toning and wiping out, pigments and palette strategies and the painting from start to finish...
The set up...Canon XL2 video camera...five hours video taping!
11"x 14" oil on linen alkyd primer
Example of one of the graphic slides on organizing my composition...
Now...I intend to share a few copies with some special people, artists I respect...seeking their opinion and hopefully receiving their positive reviews...
After that...it will be ready to make available...
I enjoy an occasional rural'esque opportunity painting this far north in Wisconsin, and we do have a number of farms. Just around the corner from me and down the road about 1/2 mile...the sunlight was gorgeous last night. Of course, typical me I like that last hour or less of light, and this was once more the case.
Was a little late in promoting a northern Wisconsin workshop...this year, but was more than happy that Steve Beaubien drove all the way over from far side of Minnesota...and I'd say we worked it pretty hard. Giving Steve the grand tour of Strong Falls on Saturday, and Long Slide Falls Sunday morning ending with the Piers Gorge of the Menominee River in the afternoon.
Focus on values, composition and brushwork...walking sticks in hand, off we went.
Thumbnails...(rule of thirds, central divide, intrigue with variation but not distraction)
Long Slide Falls...morning view
Steve set up, painting at the base of the main head falls. Pretty good hike in, carrying gear, but the walking sticks make it easier.
First assigned Steve to mix up three values, a dark...mid, light and white (giving him a 4"x 12") panel...and we painted a scene across the Peshtigo River. The challenge was taking transitional halftone values, and assign them one of those three values.
What it shows...even simply in this example (mine) here...is that a decent sense of a painting and scene can be captured though having been so dramatically streamlined! More importantly though...it is an exercise in judging values. Next we mix up one or two halftones in each value...thus the dark value would have two values added slightly lighter, but darker still than the mid value. Same with the mid and light values. These halftones create the transitions within their value areas making it easier for the eyes to move from one mass/value to the next.
An amazing amount of visual information can be suggested with such. Here is a palette I mixed up for Steve...showing three main areas, the trees, rocks and water broken into their darks, mids, lights and white...
There are no halftones put out yet with these, just the basic three values to get the scene down. The halftones come as a last step. Putting them out ahead of time might get one sidetracked or ahead of oneself. By creating a system like this, in no time at all one develops an instinctual use that becomes more intuitive.
This is just ONE palette strategy...value driven. I also demonstrated for Steve the mother color or pigment soup approach, and explained the split-complementary which as an exercise is usually experimented with the last day or so of a five day workshop. More an advanced exploration...
Here is the 8"x 10" quick demonstration then I did, same scene as our smaller 20 minute value studies, but with now the fuller palette laid out-
The other thing I like to stress in my workshops is the importance of brushwork. There will be plenty of time for the artist to stylized, blend...work softer, spend time...but so many painters dab and dance their brush creating textures and marks that really are a visual distraction. I teach that we should aim to paint in two or three brushstrokes what otherwise we might do in five to seven strokes.
A good exercise...comes from this video I have on YouTube-
Here was the demo...a 12"x 9" on linen, that I did at Long Slide Falls...and Steve had said earlier he was interested in seeing me do something with my old reddish-orange undertone...which excites greens of nature, harmonizes and pulls the painting together, and in general warms things up. I decided I would also emphasize the essential brushstrokes in alla prima, that being..."a brushstroke laid, is a brushstroke stayed" and will share a close up so you can see. This blog post will also serve as a follow up for Steve (once again, Steve...my pleasure meeting and working with you).
...and a close up of this painting shows more the decisiveness of laying paint down...
(*note- all images convert to larger view when clicked on)
A good brush handling cradles the brush between forefinger, perhaps middle finger and thumb, not holding it like a pencil...and making use of the longer brush handle. Paint with the paint of the brush, meaning 3-4 strokes, then go and get more paint. Any more strokes than that you should be blending or softening, but otherwise would be removing paint. I hover my brush as though taking aim...and my hand mimics the direction the stroke will go before I actually lay it down.
I have posted everything you see here, for the most part...on Wetcanvas.com but added a .gif animation of the steps to the painting above...two second intervals, which lets you see the toning, the wiping out, and the painting's coming together-
Here was the view of the lovely Piers Gorge of the Menominee River that greeted us in the afternoon's location...
and this 8"x 10" on linen was my last demo piece of the weekend...a bit softer touch on the brush and color. We saw plenty of rafters too which was fun...
A grand time was had. Steve is a member artist with eighteen other artists at the Blank Canvas Gallery in South Park Rapids, MN...Do be sure to stop by if in the area..!
As I have spoke of frequently...its been fun finding other artists and forming bonds, friendships here in the more isolated art culture of the north woods... and we get together with some frequency in the Wabeno area especially at the delightful historic home of Tim and Connie Friesen...
A number of times during the summer and early fall, we've set up EZ-UP tents, put our work on display...and a stage for music where we as musicians also play. Catering to the near 10,000 tourists that pass by daily, calling such events happenings or "art soirees"... Tim and Connie are great hosts and cooks...where as friends we often taste many unique foods, cheeses, breads which at their artful creative hands are made.
Check out our arts consortium groups blog...and see a number of photos related to this earth oven above where this past week,I stop by Tim and Connie'sand they have this brownish neutral mud (clay) they are quite excited about.
Who else...but artist types...decide to take advantage of some local clay (straight out of the earth!)...pack it over a mold of structure and sand, and declare that soon we'll have pizza and breads! How fun!!!
Here...you see a small pizza sitting on tiles heated by a nice bed of coals...
When I saw this on Facebook...had to grab its embed code from YouTube and put it on my blog. The message is that of God's love...the love of the Father, like the father you will see here...but also knowing as a former athlete the training that begins first with a vision. Wanting something so dear and living as though so necessary.
As an artist...an instructor not only of adults in painter's workshops, but as a teacher in public schools it seems more and more in this age that less and less is grasped of one's significance, uniqueness and call to greatness.
I have summed up often a good percentage of young people today having come to the conclusion that if a thing is too difficult, too hard...then it is a sign of what is not meant to be. I believe more and more what it takes to develop one's body for sport, or one's patience and talents for creative things like the arts is coming to be misunderstood and missed. Wanting something badly enough...willingly sacrificing and working hard enough.
Imagine this attitude of something too difficult, a "sign of what is not meant to be" had it occurred in Michael Jordan's day...undoubtedly history's most magnificent marvelous basketball player of all time. His last year with the Chicago Bulls...he got something like $48 million dollars...PLUS about that same amount from endorsements of NIKE shoes...
Yet...as I like to tell young people, he was cut his sophomore year in high school try outs for not being good enough. Imagine, if he had taken that as a sign of what was meant to be or not!
Consider his career stats-
Six-time NBA champion (1991-93, 1996-98); MVP (1988, '91, '92, '96, '98); 10-time All-NBA First Team (1987-93, 1996-98) etc.
Yet, nobody remembers (or cares) about the number of times he failed, just what he achieved...and then, says this by Michael himself-
"I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career, I've lost almost 300 games. Twenty six times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over in my life. And that's why I succeed!" - Michael Jordan
As a painter, as a teacher...I am inspired by words of wisdom from people of the past. I save a document to my computer and add frequently to it to reflect and muse on...
A painter, the prime minister of England during the Battle of Britain... In a famous speech addressing his public at the height of Nazi Germany's threat, this one paragraph especially is poignant-
"Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never--in nothing, great or small, large or petty--never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy." - Winston Churchill, Prime Minister- Great Britain
...and again, as a painter something I oft quote to others and myself coming from Churchill-
"Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm!"
I am a believer, I make no apology or express shame in this day of secularism and confusion on what is true or not true...and the video touches me for reasons I'm sure its videographer maker intends...but, as a painter, a teacher...that seeks to motivate myself and others do take that message in as well!
In this vast universe...with all the billions of dollars spent, all the scientific speculation and desire to know more...our explorations having proving at best thus far, that we are unique and uniquely alone as living beings. Life...is amazing. Miraculous. A gift...and nothing, not even the most mundane small happening goes by as insignificant. Next time you are out painting...look around and take note not that you simply are observing a scene, but aware of YOURSELF observing a scene. Consider where else in all the universe as such a time as that moment is a living being opening up a tube of paint to squeeze out on a palette?
Oh sure...maybe someone in this world might be painting...but the universe is so vast and its significance should not be lost. Think on it...then celebrate no matter the outcome (good or bad painting), and see your painting as a very practical very real sense of perhaps worship, or celebration. The DEAD...do not paint...and unfortunately there are many around us dead to appreciating they possess life and moments everyday to explore what that might well mean and lead to!
Brought my eyes to water...worth the eight minutes watching. Sadly, progress is taking the land...and for many of my peers that paint outdoors, we develop that sense of what we are doing is important. Creating works that one day may serve as a reminder of what once was...but hopefully create an awareness that could serve to slow some of that down before its too late...
Well...gettn' close to that time of re-entree into the art classroom here for the fall term, and working on my new flier for promos playing music...so, cut the hair, shaved off the every growing white stuff...
Shown here with my Resonator tri-spun cone steel body guitar, imposed over one of my paintings, a gouache of Gooseberry Falls, showing thereby my dual nature as a painter and musician/performer-
...and here is a marketing sheet/flyer I send out with a sample CD of my covers and signature songs...to prospective places to play...
Once more...inspirational and marvelous time, my wife and I spending this past week at our family cabin up in the Marquette, Michigan area...and one of my favorite places to paint along the shores of Lake Superior leading north of Marquette.
Experimented this week with Senso linen IPAP founder Jacq Baldini so graciously providing some samples for me to play with...(thanks so much Jacq). Really like it...taping it to a panel to the size I wanted, later to be glued to a board...
This one was painted at Sunset Point of the west shores of Presque Isle Park...and a couple pics my wife took of me painting...
My wife standing above me as I scrambled with gear down, set up and paint took this nice picture of me at work...
This next picture the next evening...and you can see why this is called, "Sunset Point!"
Then...got one more in water being a bit low on Lake Superior...I worked my way out to position on some rocks. Was quite windy...and I had to duck my head down a few times as I was getting sprayed pretty good...this one again on Senso linen,
This wonderful week has reminded me its been way too long since my last painter's workshop put together up in Marquette, Michigan...and do think I need to start putting details together once again, soon...perhaps for next summer.
And as a reminder...this area filmed for this DVD is where my August 21-22nd plein air workshop is being held. Still room for paint students...scroll down the blog for more info
One distinct honor at the Door County Plein Air event, was meeting other IPAP (International Plein Air Painters) signature members for the first time...I myself a signature member as well...
l to r. Lori Putnam, Linda Richichi, J.R. Baldini (founder IPAP), myself, John Stuart Pryce,
and, two artists I respect and enjoy being around are (l. to r.) James Hempel (Wisconsin) and James Richards (Georgia)...(trying to talk James Richards into comin' up and bow hunt sometime!
James Hempel won a birth into next year's featured artists by virtue of winning the quick paint event popular vote with this piece, "By Prop Or By Sail"
Here is my attempt...11"x 14" on board...the "Hapuna Maru II" ...and while painting, it rained and rained. Had a half-dozen clamps holding my larger umbrella to my El Greco Trident half-box easel...keeping rain off the painting at least. Folks seemed to like it braving the elements and walking out to the end of the pier...but no cigars on popular vote later at the Peninsula Art School grounds. Ah well...there's always next time!
Went to my ole haunt, which I can always count on for inspiration just about a half-hour from home, Strong Falls on the Peshtigo River...at Goodman County Park, here in Marinette County...Wisconsin's waterfalls capital of the state.
My intent was to take advantage of some fair weather (no rain finally...!) and set up a Canon XL2 mini dvd camera to film and produce a plein air instructional video.
It is one thing to paint a plein air in the unknown window of opportunity with aim to paint well...it is another to aim to produce a good video and presume a good painting is a given. If not...then all the hauling and setting up of gear is for naught, and it is all done again on another day I suppose. Two different arts, happening at one time..
Here was the camera and my set up...showing the painting already quite near finished...
The camera has an attached microphone, and I had it on for a surround recording kind of option, but my back would be to it for much of the time. So, I hooked up a shure microphone with a mic stand on the far side of the half-box easel...coming up over the top, and with intent to pic up my voice fine but not be obstructive. Ssheesh...this means you have to like really think this stuff out!!!! hahaaa..
Here is the mic position...to give you an idea-
Here is a partial view of my subject...and I'm glad this one day in Wisconsin, the weather was willing to cooperate. Typically our saying here is, "What??? Don't like the weather??? Wait around for fifteen minutes!" Our weather is influenced by Canadian fronts, Lake Superior just north...and Lake Michigan to the east...
Here then is my effort...and an effort it was. A two hour painting basically stretched out over a five hour period of time having to perform the videography end of it by myself...
Now...comes that process of engaging another art form, that of videography and film editing. For that I use Final Cut Express as my software, and will add images of still pictures with photoshop and so forth to hopefully create a worthy instructional video...
...if that all happens, it should be available for purchase before I head back to the classroom this fall... (fingers crossed)
Went to the mill pond where I originally set up over two years ago...hot, quite windy, but beautiful light. Brought my two buddies with me...my curly haired golden retriever female who was shaved down to survive the heat, and my female chocolate lab-
Here then is my finished piece, all set for the DU banquet now...
A closeup then of the ducks now...background worked as well-
and...so you can compare the initial look of the first plein air session to the second, here they are one atop the other-
Agreed to once again paint a piece for the Pete's Lake Chapter of Ducks Unlimited, to raise money for habitat, management and so forth. Have donated my work since the early 80's to organizations like Ruffed Grouse Society, Whitetails Unlimited, Trout Unlimited and DU...one way I can help our natural resources by way of talent and a little time, a pause for the cause.
I originally painted this 36"x 48" at the Mill Pond locally a couple years ago, and having painted some teal on it this afternoon...I'll have to haul the large piece to the pond sometime this week to finish the setting to my liking. Good oil copal medium will make sure this baby is dry in time. I have to deliver it August first... Here's the set up today...my truck tailgate. You see my paint boxes, and a sketchbook propped up for references/referral...
...my sketchbooks, some are quite gestural...but enough information.
Sorta like dictation...
Here then is the work after this afternoon, and I suppose unusual for work done plein air like this to then having a go back into it to add something like waterfowl...
I tried to keep the detail minimal, the ducks more painterly...to stay in character of the painting...
And a closer view of the ducks...greenwing teal...
So...now I'll have to wait and see what the weather will allow for me this week. Heard rain tomorrow...
Yesterday proved to be most interesting and worth the near 300 mile round trip, though I only managed to paint one painting myself before the rain.
The Flying Pig Gallery & Greenspacelocated in Algoma, Wisconsin...at the base of the peninsula thumb that juts out dividing two bodies of water meeting at the tip, the bay of Green Bay, and Lake Michigan. Algoma, is nestled along the west shores of Lake Michigan.
Celebrated artist/designer Susan Murtaugh and a number of digital artists converged upon the gallery space with ipods and ipads in hand...digitally painting plein air. I received invitation as did a number of other traditional painters of plein air, to attend...set up and paint.
Susan Murtaugh, printing off one of her plein air efforts of the day...(click on her name to see examples of her work on flicker)
Artist Steve Wysocki from the Armstrong Creek (NE Wisconsin) area, and co-member of our Wabeno Arts Consortium was also there to paint, and is shown here with his very colorful expressive efforts-
I arrived a few hours after the event got started...and knew the prediction of thunderstorms coming into the play of things sometime in the later afternoon. So, elected on a smaller 12"x 9" format primed board, and set up looking at this view-
Working with oils...and with a sense of urgency and haste, pulled off I think a pretty decent effort myself. I then framed it up...saw the dark foreboding clouds near overhead, and quickly gathered my gear and stored away in my truck. As I was walking into the gallery with my piece...it came down, and pretty good!
The piece is now part of the exhibit of day's efforts by everyone, hopefully finds an interested buyer and nice home...
Enculturation imbued with print media & tv means we live in a 2nd reality, one the lens sees. Lifeless shadows, static detail rank accurate to life. My renaissance from 20 years in studio came after taking my paints outdoors. Several things happened- I saw color as only an artist can see, (painting being the deeper way of seeing); I was overwhelmed with all to be worked out in short order; thirdly, that taunt of a feeling I knew nothing of painting! Such would send many back to the pretense of the familiar, but I’m not good hiding from myself that which I’m not able to succeed. By right…I should be able to paint outdoors, and was going to do this were it to kill me. Kill me it did! So complete was that death, I could no longer aspire to paint as artists I had admired. Their works now lifeless, labored, detailed, realistic, yes...but no sense of REAL'ness. I wish I had started nature’s schooling much younger, but lives are like books. Not one chapter stuck to one narrative. Life can be filled with many chapters. It can have interesting twists and new directions, and I say go for it! *See my book on landscape painting, and new DVDs available thru “Books & Videos” at larryseiler.com
You can now purchase high quality prints of many of my works seen on this blog, with options of giclee canvas, matting and framing, greeting cards...all from Fine Art America. Follow this link here to my page, just to spend time checking it out if nothing else!
