Local Painting

Enjoyed a wonderful morning painting with friends in Linden, Michigan.  Linden is a small town with a community spot along the river that runs through town.  It is one of those places that any direction you turn there is a painting waiting to be born.  Decided to paint a view of a couple homes that line the water line.

11 x 14 inches, acrylic on canvas panel, "To Sit on the Shore"
AVAILABLE AT SCHIROS-ART.COM

More news,  If you are in Romeo Michigan this month, I have a painting on display with the "Thumb Area Painter's" show.
Also, getting ready to participate in the "30 paintings in 30 days challenge" starts Sept 1st.
I know the theme for the first week for me will be Sunflowers, they are growing like crazy in my garden.  Most of the paintings will be posted on my 30 paintings in 30 days page of this blog, hope you follow along.

Mary

Painting tips for Plein Air Painting

"Over View of Color"  16 x 12 inches Acrylic on gallery wrap canvas.  Available at The FIA Rental Gallery, Flint MI

This Summer is the first time I decided to try Plein Air painting. 

Venturing out by self the first couple times, I quickly learned some basic things.  

   1.  Travel as light as you can, and use a easy to carry easel.

The first time out I took my paints, brushes, and a panel, with the idea sitting on the ground would be ok.  Sitting on the ground is ok if you do not mind, grass and bugs getting into your paint.

Oil on canvas panel, 12 x 12 inches, "Just oOver the Bridge"
Available at DPWs

 2.  Find shade to set up and paint in.  Make sure that the spot will stay shaded for the hour or two your working.  The second time out,  found a lovely spot by a stream, and set my easel up in near a tree for shade.  The only problem with that I was at the edge of the shade and within a half hour I was in full sun with the shade moving away from my “perfect view”.

12 x 16 inches, "Bare Tree"
Available at DPWS

  3.  Take water, and a snack.  Racing out to paint before breakfast I soon realized I was hungry, thirsty, and already covered with oil paint, not a good time to walk into a deli and get food.

"Leaning Tree"
Available at DPWs

 4.  Wet lands have bugs,  bug spay, even though I hate the smell has saved me from getting eaten alive.

 5.  When you find a beautiful area to paint, make sure it is still beautiful when you are done.  Always have a bag for your trash.

Oil on canvas, "Willow in the Pond"
Available at DPWS
 6.  This tip is from my latest out door painting day, “Wet Paint”  at Applewood estate in Flint.  Level ground is your friend.  I have to say I had a perfect view on a hill, over looking a garden.  Set my easel up, adjusted the legs for the slope of the hill and painted.  While other artists had sore arms and shoulders, it was my legs that ached at the end of the day.  I had thought about the easel, but not the fact my feet and legs would be getting a work out from the slope I stood on.

Yep that's me, one happy camper:)

 7.  When your painting, try and work on the picture as a whole, not just parts.  With changing sun, and weather, there may be a point you need to stop and possibly finish the work at home.  One painting I worked on, I focused mainly on just one area, leaving a good portion to finish off site.

And did not even take a reference photo for later.  

     When I got home I worked on that painting off and on for the rest of the day, and just ended up frustrated.

  8. When frustrated don’t be afraid to do an about face…paint over it and do something totally different!

12 x 16 inches, Acrylic on canvas, 

Available at DPWs

Oh yes at one time this was a landscape,  but I like this view better :)

                              Mary

New paint, old color

After painting for a few years most artist end up with a favorite stand range of colors they use.  I noticed that the colors I pick are primary modern colors, permanent rose, phthalo blue and green, yellow.  I have avoided classic earth pigments, for some reason.  Well I decided to give a couple a try,  Raw Sienna, and Iron oxide red and see what they are like.  Decided a landscape would be a safe subject.

8 x 10 inch oil on canvas panel, "Last Rays"
Available at DPWs

Found I love the Raw Sienna, it is a shade of yellow that I just could not get from my standard yellow like Cad. yellow.  But also found Iron red oxide is tricky,  it is a very dense over powering red that needs to be handled in small amounts.
It was interesting to try something different, hope you enjoy my view of a Great lakes shore line.
Mary
Schiros-art

Plein air in the back yard

10 x 8 inch acrylic on canvas

Want to get outside and paint, but do not want to spend gas and time getting there?   Just take a walk around your yard there is bound to be something interesting.
 I let daisies grow around my veggie garden,  and they ended up being subject material for the day.
After painting one, it just was not enough decided to paint two more.

10 x 8 inches acrylic on canvas

Great way to spend the day,  and all the paintings sold, two to Texas and one to Arizona, guess I am not the only one that likes daisies :)

Mary
Schiros-art.com

painting outside

Work in process, 11 x 14 inches oil on canvas

Today I pulled myself away from the garden and went off to paint in Fenton, MI.
There is a small river that runs through town, a perfect place to paint.  Got as much paint down as I could today, almost done just a few more touches after this layer dries.  Although there were not any other painters out on this fine day, I was not alone.

Next week I will remember  to bring something for my new friends :)
Mary
Schiros-Art

How I Paint a Still-life

Pear and Silver,  11 x 14 inches, oil on canvas

                                Available at DPWs

Blue Plate Special, 12 x 16 inches, Acrylic on canvas

                                          At Bishop Gallery, FIA, Flint Mi June 2014

Thought I would share a peek at how I work on painting a still-life.  

One of the most important things I do to start, are small drawings of a still-life set up.

The drawings helps me plan the composition to work from.  Even thought I have a physical set up, deciding how I want to approach the painting really begins with the rough sketch.  

The drawings are tonal, white, grey and black, three basic values.  I do several of these drawing focusing on areas of the set up I find most interesting. Once I pick a favorite it used as a guide for my painting.

In this case I did four drawings, and ended up with two different painting. For one painting I followed the colors present in the set up and focused on the pears. 

For the another painting I went with more earth tones, and work directly from the drawings.  I also utilized my color charts to help with the colors.  

Drawing in a key part to painting because it give you a foundation to work from.  Drawing is not just for paper and graphite.  If you want to paint better, take time to draw.  Draw with pen, ink, graphite, and paint, especially paint.  Quick sketches with a paint brush helps build skill in handling a brush, and can create some very interesting pictures, also.

Mary

Schiros-Art