Ranchland - Fix It Friday!

 

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

Click for purchase info

After this demo in a recent workshop, I looked up and immediately saw that my whole subject matter was squished into the bottom left corner of my canvas! I had been talking so much, explaining how to create distance with scale shift and atmospheric perspective, that I forgot all about my composition. 

There is a design rule that says, "Never stop your subject at the vertical OR horizontal midline. Make sure it crosses over to avoid cutting your image in HALF." Well, this ranch tree breaks that rule completely. The canvas is cut in half both vertically AND horizontally. Turns out, this was a demo on what NOT to do compositionally and a good lesson in humility for me. ;)

So, here you go, a demo do-over...

BEFORE

PROBLEM

AFTER

Problem - Subject matter is squished into the corner.

Fix - Made subject taller and wider to cross mid-lines of the page.

Problem: All the weight is on the bottom left.

Fix - Added two more trees along the fence line to add weight on the right. This also helps to pull the eye further into the frame.

OBSERVATIONS:

It's a fact of life that sometimes when we are focused on one thing, we completely miss something else! This was a great reminder to stop and assess before getting too far along... whatever you are doing. And, take a do-over if you can! 

Ocean Point and Workshop Process Shots!

Ocean Point, 8x10, Oil, L. Daniel © 2023

Click for purchase info

Last week I taught a workshop in the Golden Isles of Georgia. So much fun! We spent most of our time on St. Simons Island, but on the first day we went to Jekyll Island. My students were wonderful, and this is my demo from that morning. 

For students and painting lovers everywhere, the following images illustrate and explain my process...

Starting with a mix of Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Sienna, I make a quick outline sketch. This helps me place and contain the elements of the scene I want to include on the canvas. 

With that same mix of Ultramarine and Burnt Sienna, I indicate values within those elements, keeping it thin and dry.

Working dark to light, I paint in the dark uprights in the foreground and background planes.

I mass in color and value for sky plane and ground plane. 

Once large masses of each plane are in place, I begin to break them up with subtle value shifts.

My final marks are saved for the highest highlights and finessing edges. 

Beautiful day... perfect for a little plein airing! :)

Hidden Beach Path

 

Hidden Beach Path, 8 x 10, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2023

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Another plein air day in Georgia last month found me caught up in the "tangle"...

What do I mean by that? Well... physically, the vegetation itself was CRAZY and I kept getting lost in the vines and branches and layers. But mentally, I forgot to bring my tripod, and had to make do without it. Not good! I started out at a picnic table, but that had the wrong angle. Sitting on the ground? Not at all comfortable (Have I mentioned that I really prefer to stand?) When all else failed, I discovered that a garbage can was a PERFECT support for my paint box!!! Who knew? :)

2023 SPRING WORKSHOPS (click HERE for info and registration):
April 14-15 - Contemporary Austin Art School, Austin, TX (Wait list only)
May 4-6 - Anderson Fine Art Gallery in St. Simons Island, GA

Marsh's Edge and Small Works Holiday Sale!

 

Marsh's Edge, 8x10, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2020

Available

SMALL WORKS HOLIDAY SALE

20% off with discount code MERRY2022 at checkout.

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

Through December 15 only.

MANY, many thanks to all who have purchased a painting (or paintings) in this holiday season! I love sending these small gems off to new owners and there are still a few left to choose from. Sooooo... Click the sale title above and check it out!!! Great for gift giving! 

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

The Road Goes on Forever - process shots (and a song!)

The Road Goes On Forever, 8 x 10, oil on panel

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Today's painting title comes from a song of the same name by Texas singer-songwriter, Robert Earl Keen. It's fun to be in a concert when he sings the chorus, "the road goes on forever and the party never ends!", because EVERYONE joyfully jumps in. It's contagious!! Robert Earl announced his retirement last week... but I have to say, it's for all the right reasons. He wants to go out while he still LOVES what he is doing (not because he is sick or tired or bored). Good for him!! 

This painting is a demo from my last workshop. Throughout the painting session we all kept singing that song's refrain (well, some did, and you Texans know who you are), so I had to use it for the title. An homage.

And below... process shots... the road goes on forever... 

1) Sketched outlines of big shapes for placement, size and composition.

2) Blocked in masses of value, to indicate the planes of the landscape:

Upright plane, distant upright plane (or slant), ground plane, and sky plane.

3) Massed in best average value of greens for the uprights.

Distant uprights are cooler and more muted than foreground uprights.

4) Massed in ground plane observing color changes within the overall value.

5) Added sky plane, and included a variety of temperatures at the horizon. 

Broke up masses in each plane with highlights and lowlights. 

... and the party never ends!!! 

Thank you, Robert Earl Keen!

Precious Day

Precious Day, 8 x 10, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2021

NFS

There are some days we wish could last forever. This past Saturday would be one of those. Two dear artist friends invited our painting group to paint at their lakeside home, and to help them close up their art studio before they move away. It was a wonderful time... a celebration of who they are and their creativity in that magical place, a reunion of new and old friends, a passing of the torch as supplies were entrusted into new hands, and a last painting hurrah! 

What an honor to be included in this bittersweet farewell! Precious day, and precious heart memories. Thank you, Charles and Carole - Love you both!

Happy, happy!

Casita Studio in the woods. 

(Many thanks to Laura Barrow for photos!)

One of many gorgeous views of Lake Travis and "Sometimes Island".

(Sometimes it's there, sometimes it's not. Depends on the rain.)

_________________________________

Join me at my last workshop of the year! 

Register with Mary Anderson 912-634-8414, Or click below for info:

Autumn En Plein Air, Nov 4-6, 2021, 9am - 4pm, $495

St. Simons Island, GA, Anderson Fine Art Gallery

Summer Flight

Summer Flight, 8x10, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2021

Available

Oh, the glad freedom of summer! Don't we all look forward to those lazy days? (It's not just the kids.) Here in Texas, school started back up this week and it feels like summer is over.... even though it will be hot for months. There is always something about that first day of school that signals an end, AND a new beginning. I like the new beginning idea better... may it be a good one!!

Join me at a workshop in GA! Click for info:

Nov 3-5, 2021 - Autumn En Plein Air - Anderson Fine Art Gallery

Lagoon Reflections with Process Shots and Workshop Info!

Lagoon Reflections (workshop demo), 8x10, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2021

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Below are process shots of a demo I did for my May workshop in Austin (as mentioned before, I am hopelessly behind in my posting.) My next workshop is coming up in the fall, and will be on St. Simons Island, on the Georgia coast. If you are a painter, please join us! It is always so much fun to meet in person and discover the landscape together!

Click for Workshop Details:

Nov 3-5, 2021 - Autumn En Plein Air - Anderson Fine Art Gallery

Getting started - Block in large shapes and values of main masses.

Mass in Upright Planes (best average value and color).

Mass in Ground Plane (water/reflections in this case) and Sky Plane.

Break up masses with subtle value shifts and save highlights for the very end. 

Workshop fun! Join us for the next one!

Marsh's Edge - Demo with Process Shots!

Marsh's Edge, 8 x 10, oil on panel, L.Daniel © 2021

Available

One of my students pointed out that I had never posted the demo from my last workshop on St. Simons Island. Of course, I am HAPPY to oblige! MORE than! And by the way, if you are looking for an "in person" plein air workshop this spring, join me back in Georgia in April (the week after Easter!)

Upcoming workshops:

Click here for registration information.

Compose with Lines and Shapes.

Create an "envelope" to contain shapes using ultramarine and burnt sienna.

Block in dark value pattern of large shapes.

Keep marks loose and expressive. Still using only ultramarine and burnt sienna.

Mass in Upright Planes.

Paint "shadow family" first, using best average value (not highlight value).

Mass in Ground Plane and Sky Plane.

Paint around uprights, "cutting" and "carving in" for details and sky holes.

Final Marks.

Break up large masses by adding "light family" in all the planes, and final highlights.

Boatyard Shadows

Boatyard Shadows, 8 x 10, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2021

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It's almost always about the light and shadows for me. I absolutely love how light defines objects and the resulting fantastical shadow patterns. With this one, it was the light, the shadows AND that yummy turquoise! As the afternoon progressed, the color of the light kept getting warmer and more orangey (see below... is "orangey" even a word?) It was so much fun to watch... And paint! 

Upcoming workshops:

St. Simons Island, GA - April 8-10

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

Click here for registration information.

See what I mean??? Orangey! 

Setting Sail and Happy New Year!

Setting Sail, 8 x 10, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2021

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"I miss your blog posts..." emailed a friend and blog follower yesterday. Her heartfelt concern and not so little nudge hit the mark and got me going. (Friends are like that. Thank you, JM.) I never meant to be away for so long, but time really flies, especially during the holidays. And then it is hard to get back on track. Have you noticed that?

I spent much of November and December on St. Simons Island in Georgia... teaching a workshop, plein air painting, and enjoying family. It was wonderful to have some down time and a wide open schedule, especially after one of the craziest years ever! This is a piece from those final days of 2020. I loved that I was able to be outside, observing and painting, and soaking up all the peace that nature has to offer.

We find ourselves "setting sail" once again, with a brand new year ahead. May it be a great one for us all! So much possibility! 

2021 spring workshop schedule (click for registration details):

April 8-10 - St. Simons Island, Georgia

May14-15 - Austin, Texas

Workshop fun... 

AND... precious family joy!!!

From A Distance - Demo Process Shots!

 

From a Distance, 8 x 10, Oil, L. Daniel © 2020

Available

Yesterday I had the great privilege of doing a LIVE interview and painting demo with Eric Rhoads, publisher of PleinAir Magazine, and Fine Art Connoisseur. He has been broadcasting with a different artist every day since the pandemic started... what a gift to artists all over the world! I was interview #224! 

Click HERE to watch interview and demo on YouTube

For my short LIVE demo, I showed my "Block In" technique - how I get started on a painting. I worked from a completed demo piece I had done for my most recent workshop. The images below show where the painting would've ended up if I finished it, AND aprocess shots of how it would have all come together. 

To My Workshop Students: 

As promised, these process shots are also for YOU... a reminder of the steps we took in class!

Block In Sketch

Loose lines define simple shapes for placement of subject matter. Shapes only, NO detail. (Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Sienna)

Block In Values (darks and lights)

Loosely massed in value indicates the light and family side of the upright planes. Notice that the nearer upright planes have darkest darks, while distant uprights begin to lighten and become less defined.

Upright Planes - Shadow Family and Light Family

Mixed color is consistent with block in values and loosely massed in. Notice that distant uprights are cooler, lighter, and have less contrast. The farthest upright is muted, lighter, and leans toward blue.

Ground Plane

The ground plane is much lighter than the upright planes because it is parallel to the sky and light source - the sun. Notice that the ground plane becomes cooler and slightly darker as it moves into the distance. Conversely, the ground plane becomes more vibrant as it moves closer.

Sky Plane

The sky plane recedes by becoming more muted and lighter on the horizon. Space for clouds is left white, to be painted after all the other values and colors are established.

Clouds - Breaking up the Masses - Highlights

After all the large areas are massed in, I break them up with subtle value shifts and highlights. I have learned (the hard way) to make sure all the value planes are all reading correctly before adding these final details! ;)

My palette of mixed colors used in the painting.