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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.
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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! 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. 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.  Shadows and Light at Valleau, 12" X 12", Oil on Canvas Panel, 2022. |
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