Tree and Moss - with Process Shots!

Tree and Moss, 10 x 8, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2023

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This another demo from my last workshop. We were painting at a location that was OVERwhelming in it's bounty of big giant trees and lots of Spanish Moss! What to choose? This was lesson in simplicity. Often a small segment of a huge scene can say all that needs to be said. 

Choose the Scene and Composition.

Sketch Shapes.

Lock in Values.

Simple Masses.

 Break up Masses with subtle value shifts, maintaining overall light and dark pattern. Save highlights until the very end! 

Fall Fade with Process Shots!

 

Fall Fade, 10 x 8, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2023

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The muted tones of fall are deliciously soft and comforting. Nature seems to be going to sleep to rest up for its spring display. I love the cycle. 

Below are some process shots...

I kept my dark underpainting very thin and sketchy.

As I added color, I toggled back and forth between the trees and sky, kind of mushing them together. I wanted to hang on to the softness and branchy-ness.  

To finish it off, I used my warmest tones and greatest contrast in the front row of trees and grasses. This added some depth. It helped push the background back and pull the foreground forward.

2023 SPRING WORKSHOPS (click here and join me):
April 14-15 - The Contemporary Austin Art School in Austin, TX (Only 1 spot left!)
May 4-6 - Anderson Fine Art Gallery in St. Simons Island, GA

Shrimp' Time and Small Works Holiday Sale!

Shrimpin' Time, 10 x 8, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2022

Available in Small Works Holiday Sale! 

20% off with discount code MERRY2022 at checkout.

Unframed. Online (shop at home). Free shipping. 

Through December 15 only.

Click show title to see them all!

Shrimp boats don't often stay docked long enough to get a painting done, and I was sure this session would be cut short. BUT, this was my lucky day. I had to paint fast, but I got 'er done! 

The Lighthouse

The Lighthouse, 10 x 8, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2021

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The St. Simons Island Lighthouse is the subject of books, legends, and many, many paintings! I have personally painted it several times, and felt an itch to give it another go during the holidays! The afternoon light on its circular form was just too pretty to pass up. 

A little history... the Lighthouse was built in 1872 to replace the original one that burned down during the Civil War. It's one of five surviving lighthouse towers on the Georgia coast, and it still protects navigation in the St. Simons Sound. Its beam of light travels as far as 23 miles out to sea! Besides that, it has a beauty and romance that is just so alluring... Never gets old! :)

Upcoming workshops:

St. Simons Island, GA - April 8-10

Austin, TX - May 14-15 (full w/wait list)

Click here for registration information.

Palm Trio - Fix it Friday #15

Palm Trio, 10 x 8, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2020

Available

This grouping of trees was the subject of one of my class demos several years ago. It's on the beautiful grounds of Laguna Gloria (a place I have missed in this crazy spring.) There is always something that catches my eye, and on this particular morning it was the light on these three trees! But... well, see below...

BEFORE

AFTER

CHANGES:

Problem 1 - All three palm trees seemed to be growing out of the exact, SAME spot. 

Fix 1 - Separated the bases of the trees allowing each to be firmly grounded. 

Problem 2 - The understory of the trees looked like boulders piled up.

Fix 2 - Darkened and cooled the understory allowing it to recede into the distance.

Giving the trees each a space to live in and correcting the values in the background grouping relieved a huge tension that plagued this painting. 

OBSERVATIONS:

It's not unusual to become a bit intoxicated with one element of a painting and completely miss something major (like those tree bases). Focus on one thing preoccupies our mind and attention, and we completely forget the other stuff. The more we paint (or do anything) the better we get at bringing all the elements together. It takes paying attention and practice! 

One friend suggested that maybe I am too hard on myself in these Fix-its. I want to share my answer, because it explains why this whole process helps me...

My ultimate goal is to learn, and to catch these things the first time around. Revisiting with an objective mind helps me discover problem "trends" in my work. Forcing myself to make the changes is like a science experiment... I start with a hypotheses and a prediction, and the end result proves my hypotheses right or wrong. 

Thank you, CP!

Click Here to see Fix It Friday #1

Click Here to see Fix it Friday #2 

Click Here to see Fix it Friday #3

Click Here to see Fix it Friday #4

Click Here to see Fix it Friday #5

Click Here to see Fix it Friday #6

Click Here to see Fix it Friday #7

Click Here to see Fix it Friday #8

Click Here to see Fix it Friday #9

Click Here to see Fix it Friday #10

Click Here to see Fix it Friday #11

Click Here to see Fix it Friday #12
Click Here to see Fix it Friday #13

Click Here to see Fix it Friday #14

Pier Reflections - and a good lesson

Pier Reflections, 10 x 8, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2019

NFS

This little piece is one of my favorites of the year, and maybe it's because of how it came about. I was out painting one morning and had really made a mess of things (BTW - you will never see that one!) At lunchtime, it was obvious that rain was coming, but I was not ready to quit. I hate going home with nothing. Thankfully, my painting buddy was in agreement and we decided to go for it and race the storm. 

Well. Something happens when we have to work fast... have you noticed that? Our creative brains take over and our worry (fear) is released. After all, if it doesn't turn out, it's because of the rain, right? But isn't that just when everything clicks? When we stop overthinking and obsessing? Such a good lesson, and one I've had to learn over and over again!

The end of the story? I finished the painting and got it covered just as the clouds burst. I was soaked to the skin by the time I got everything in the car, but I was happy. :)

Antiques on the Corner

Antiques On The Corner, 10 x 9, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2017

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Victorian Place Antiques in Brunswick, Georgia, sits at the intersection of Gloucester and MLK. I was drawn to this storefront by its charming angled entrance, and its architectural reminder of an era gone by. (I also loved the shady parkway that provided cool protection on a hot, steamy Georgia morning!) This building has been repurposed time and again for the various dreams of its ever changing owners. It is now full of beautiful antique treasures. If walls could speak, I am sure this place would tell many tales. 

Huge thanks to those of you who have checked in with concern about the flooding in Texas... I appreciate it so much! All is well with us, but please keep Houston and other flooded areas in your prayers! There has been much loss!

Summer Cloud Drifts

Summer Cloud Drifts, 10 x 8, L. Daniel © 2016

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There is nothing like drifting clouds on a summer day to calm the soul. Wouldn't you agree? Technically, it is still summer (until the autumn equinox), and here in Texas it still feels like summer. But, September! How did that get here so soon? Kids are back in school, routines are getting established, and activities are starting back up. Routine is good, (we all do much better), but I do love the cloud drifting days! 

2016 Upcoming Workshops:

Still Life: Color and Form - September 16-17, Austin, 512-323-6380 

En Plein Air: Shape and Movement - November 4-5, Austin, 512-323-6380

Both FULL with wait lists.

2017 Upcoming Workshop:

Strong Starts En plein air - March 30 - April 1, 2017, St. Simons Island, GA

Contact Anderson Fine Art Gallery, 912-634-8414

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Hidden Creek, 10 x 8, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2015

M E R R Y   C H R I S T M A S 

a n d

H A P P Y   H O L I D A Y S   T O   A L L !

Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace..."

L u k e  2 : 1 4

Park Trail - Process Notes and Demo

Park Trail, 10 x 8, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2015

Workshop Demo - SOLD

Two weekends ago, I taught a workshop in Austin and actually remembered to take pictures of each step of one of my demos!! I had to really concentrate because I usually get so caught up in painting and teaching that I forget. My wonderful students helped on that front, and as promised, below are step-by-step process notes of how I built and finished this painting. Enjoy!

Reductive Block In 

I started by covering the canvas with a mix of ultramarine and burnt sienna using a paper towel. Wiping away pigment in light areas and leaving the pigment in dark areas, I established my composition and values.

Mass in the "darks" in Upright Planes 

Working dark to light, I identified and painted only the dark values in the Upright Planes (foreground and distant masses that are vertical.) I also added cast shadows early on, to "ground" the verticals and identify the direction of my light source.

Mass in the "lights" in Upright Planes

I am always comparing values and colors throughout the process of any painting. The foreground upright plane will have more contrast and intense color, while the distant upright plane will have less contrast and muted color.

Mass in the Sky Plane and Ground plane

The Sky Plane is usually the lightest of all the planes because it contains the sun. The ground plane is second lightest because it reflects the light in the sky. 

Break Up Masses and Final Marks

At this final stage, I slowed down make thoughtful changes using subtle value and temperature shifts. I want to make sure that all the planes are reading correctly before rushing to detail. LAST, I added final marks, fun details, and spectral highlights.