Lately, trying to stretch, I've been painting larger studies outside. Here is one of my most recent, "Southbound Getaway" 11"h x 14"w on a canvas panel. In the past, it has been so easy to "see" the whole composition on a small panel (6" x 8" or even an 8" x 10"), that it was "more comfortable" for me to paint "smaller". However, when I would bring the painting back to my studio to create a "larger piece", this would sometimes pose a problem for me since much of the "loose brushwork" and "passion" of a quickly done plein air painting is lost on a bigger canvas. Thanks to my good friend and studio partner, Scott W. Prior, (who has been challenging me to "paint bigger") I feel like I've finally figured it out: If I use a BIGGER brush, and practice painting outside from life on bigger canvases, my translated strokes will be more "natural" and make the transition to "larger studio piece" more easily! For this particular plein air piece, I resisted the urge to grab my smaller brushes for ANY detail-and amazingly it seems to have worked!
Bravo to you, Rita.. Taking the big step to paint larger, it's a great feeling to grab that big brush, isn't it? What a fine job creating atmosphere, movement, balance and color distinction in your perspective. Your design is perfectly balance, placement of the train is wonderful, I can feel the movement. YEAH to Scott for the encouragement on moving up! A+ for effort and success!
ReplyDeleteThis is wonderful Rita! Another winner.
ReplyDeleteHow fortunate you are to be able to collaborate with another fabulous artist like Scott. Thanks for introducing me to him on Saturday.
I see he's doing a demo/talk next month for the CAC. I'll bet it'll be interesting.
Thanks Judy and Marian! I am very fortunate, indeed!
ReplyDeleteReally like your brushy style and your rich color. There's an artist in East Tennessee who paints plein air on canvases 20x24 and larger. Big brushes indeed!
ReplyDeleteThank you Shirley! Wow-20by24?! (For now, 11by14 has been a real stretch, but I'll get there eventually. I've ordered a bigger palette box and so soon will be challenging myself with 12by16 panels!)
ReplyDeleteGood job,Rita! Lovely earthy russets in this one!
ReplyDeleteThank you Steve! I was thrilled that a smaller study of this same view (earlier in the year, thus different foliage in bloom and local color) just received an award and was sold at the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association "Less is More" Exhibit! I'll bet you have fun painting the same views at different times of the year too?
ReplyDelete