In-Progress Project and Ongoing Aaargh!

Mill on the Floss  and sketch
 I've picked up another couple of library-discard-literature-type books to spruce up with new covers. Mill on the Floss is going to have this Mid-Nineteenth Century miss, as soon as I transfer my drawing to the cover and get at it with oil paints. Because I ENJOY painting portraits. A person's head is right there, a solid mass with planes and differences in value and it's expressive and interesting and...

..then there are trees. Landscapes, that is. Which I find impossibly difficult.

plein air madness
Here's my plein air attempted sketch from last weekend, done while Ron was doing a "woods walk" with some other "master foresters." It's actually the first plein air that I'm sort of, kind of, almost liking!

Comments

  1. Phil SpazianiAugust 21, 2015 at 7:10 PM

    Nice! You probably read that I'd had problems with full foliaged trees. This is better than any plein air tree-scape of mine! (Most of my work is studio made) Thanks for posting it.
    I just checked your "Woe is Me" post and agree with your judgement regarding Peck and Moylan. I love Bob Moylan's work! We own one of his wide landscapes, a rich sunset. I can't quite say he's a dear friend but i've known him for years. Another of that group is very good friend, Harry Orlyk. now there is a fine plein air artist! Harry is out there every day, rain or shine (in his van when the weather is bad)) painting up a storm! He really knows color! Even tho' i'm more detailed and "hard edge" I look at HIS work for inspiration!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Phil SpazianiAugust 22, 2015 at 10:50 AM

    Just an added note. I don't know what the sky looked like the day you made this painting, but Looking at the sky today (Sat) there is great contrast between sky and clouds. Sky is a gorgeous blue! I think your good clouds would show up better if you strengthened the sky, esp. toward the top. Not only would clouds show up but it would help balance the painting . The landscape greens are really strong , a stronger sky would help the composition.
    (I hope you don't mind but I can't help slipping into "teacher mode" every once in a while. You can kick me if I'm off base!)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment