Page 93 - The Decorative Painter Summer 2015

teacher's corner
In the Teacher’s Corner
Plein Air Ambience
PAULA LEOPOLD cda
Spring is hopefully just around the corner and it will be
a wonderful time to go out into the beauty of God’s creation and try a little Plein Air painting. Plein Air is the French ex- pression meaning “in the open air” and for an artist it simply means painting outdoors.
This article’s main goal is not to address all of the theory of painting outdoors because there are innumerable books available to you, but to encourage you to actually try this type of painting and glean the benefits from in the “field” ex- perience. The mood and ambience when taken back to your studio, whether it be a private studio set-up or just simple painting at your kitchen table, will bring back amazing fond memories of your outdoor adventure, which is such an inspiring motivator to paint.
As I teach Plein Air seminars on location, I ask my stu- dents to keep in mind that this experience is not to create a masterpiece, but to truly capture the essence of the moment by using your sensory perceptions of seeing, hearing, smell- ing, and feeling. Let’s throw in the fifth sense of taste, so don’t forget your protein bar, water, and perhaps a little sack lunch.
Where do you go to paint and what medium do you use? I have been at the top of the mountains in Colorado looking down into the valleys as well as in open space areas with great paths accessible for even wheelchairs. Also botanical gar- dens are an excellent source of good painting material. Most importantly, I look for places of easy access and restrooms!
I have tried painting with oils, acrylics, and watercolors on these outings; my favorites are the watercolors because they are lightweight, easy to transport, and I can easily paint in my lap without an easel. I keep that bag packed at all times just waiting and ready to go at a moments notice.
Observation is key to your outdoor painting experience. You will be looking for a variety of interesting painting subjects such as objects in the distance, close-up interesting items such as flowers and trees, and a favorite is – water. When teaching
a one-day Plein Air seminar I like to encourage my students
to do at least these three different painting exercises. Don’t worry, this isn’t about the ability to draw, but to teach us to use our senses to observe. You will want your paintings to be fairly small and easy to handle. This will allow you to paint several smaller pieces to take back to your work area and more fully develop your art. Keep your paintings simple and take a camera or your cell phone along so that you can take lots of photos to help you capture and retain the details of outdoor experiences.
When doing the distance exercise, I teach what you see
is affected by the particles in the atmosphere as well as the distance, which is called atmospheric or aerial perspective. Leonardo da Vinci described this as “the perspective of disap- pearance”. Distant objects will be smaller, greyed and less dis- tinct from those that are closer to you. Using complimentary color theory in this exercise is an excellent way of achieving this muted look. I use a very handy tool called a View Finder or Catcher, which helps you crop and identify an interesting focal point. You can make a View Finder out of a very small mat with a small opening cut out of it to help you find that perfect view. This is a cropping tool to help you isolate a small area to paint.
Another exercise I like to have the students do is to pick something close up and examine the color, texture, shape, and
shadows then to fill their small canvas or painting surface
with this subject. It could be a flower, group of leaves, bark on a tree, or whatever catches your creative imagination. I like to take along several 3" x 5" cards with a few holes punched in them so I can isolate small areas of color. I am always amazed at the variety of hues and values even on a single small leaf. All of the painting projects are to be quick and without over painting with too much detail at this stage. The key to a successful Plein Air experience
is to use broad loose strokes and keep the tight ones for back in the studio.
Water is a favorite
subject, and I start by
asking – what color is
water? Typically, water
is thought to be blue,
but not necessarily so,
as water truly has a
marvelous reflective
quality and mirrors colors around it. Painting on location is such a great way of awakening our senses to see things in new and refreshing ways. When I go back to my studio and start refining and developing my paintings, my senses are revived. I not only remember the sights, but the sounds, the smells, and the textures that I experienced on location.
I encourage you to get a friend or group together and go enjoy the amazing great outdoors. This is also such a unique way of creating interest from others who are watching you paint, so be sure to take along business cards or flyers for contact information.
For suggested supply lists for the different mediums, please go to my web site www.paulaleopold.com
Rosalie Craine
Cathy
Hurley Ron
Hurley
Craine’s Cutouts & Crafts
204 Stewart Ct., Haysville, KS 67060
Phone: (316) 522-8149 rcraine306@cox.net www.crainescutouts.com
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