Eric Alexander Santoli
  • HOME
  • BIO
  • PORTFOLIO
    • DRAWINGS
    • WATERCOLORS
    • OIL PAINTINGS
  • COMMISSIONS
  • TEACHING
  • LINKS
  • CONTACT
  • BLOG

Valleau Grave Monument and Salt Storage Watercolors

11/9/2022

0 Comments

 
  I paint en plein air all year round, but it's definitely tougher when I feel the air getting colder as we approach winter.  Cold weather and watercolor don't mix because it doesn't dry on the paper and it also freezes on the palette.
  I started today by painting a beautiful grave monument at Valleau.  My other painting is of a salt storage area; I pass by the structure a lot and always think it would be cool to paint.  The huge mound of salt looks like a mini dessert.  There were some guys working at the salt storage and they came over to see my painting; it's always fun to talk to people while I'm en plein air.  
0 Comments

Fall Colors at Valleau

11/2/2022

0 Comments

 
  Had a great day painting this beautiful scene.  I even met another painter who was walking by.  I'm going to try and get out a few more times before all the leaves are gone!
0 Comments

Just Passing Through...

9/23/2022

0 Comments

 
  Almost got blown away by the wind today, but I managed to finish this 10" X 14" watercolor, Just Passing Through....  The title has a double meaning referring to the geese passing through the scene and also to the fact that this is a cemetery and we're all just passing through life.
0 Comments

Legibility and Simplicity in Painting

9/21/2022

0 Comments

 
  Lately, I've been focusing on some basic painting principles.  I'm realizing that legibility in a painting is really crucial.  The ability to read what is going on and to simplify elements when necessary is what I am focusing on.  A beautiful painting doesn't need to be filled with details because it needs to work as a whole first; this is why a great painting looks good even as a thumbnail sized image.
 There's always so much to juggle in a painting (especially en plein air): drawing, composition, values, colors, brushwork.  I feel like simplifying those elements is the highest order.  There's a lot that I'm learning recently about my mindset also.  To keep calm and have the painting under control is really important.  These are all things that I'm continually working on. 
Picture
Shadows and Light at Valleau, 12" X 12", Oil on Canvas Panel, 2022.
0 Comments
<<Previous

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013

    Categories

    All
    Academic
    Canvas
    Color
    Colorblindness
    Drawing
    En Plein Air
    Frames
    Motorcycles
    Music
    Oil Painting
    Pet Portraits
    Philosophy
    Portraiture
    Progress
    Reading
    Reviews
    Skateboarding
    Teaching
    Technique
    Varnishing
    Watercolor
    Writing

    RSS Feed

​​© ERIC ALEXANDER SANTOLI 2023 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  • HOME
  • BIO
  • PORTFOLIO
    • DRAWINGS
    • WATERCOLORS
    • OIL PAINTINGS
  • COMMISSIONS
  • TEACHING
  • LINKS
  • CONTACT
  • BLOG