Artist's Corner (Continued)

GETTING STARTED:

Spend no more than ten minutes looking for a spot to set up. Spend more time creating the painting not looking for it.
Settle in and acquaint yourself with the surroundings. If there is anything that bothers you, move. Make sure your painting surface is in the shade. Close your eyes and take a slow deep breath relax. Visualize paint flowing and shapes emerging clearly in your mind. Let your mind explore all the possibilities.
TomBo pen drawing: When you are ready, note darks and light because they will change every twenty minutes. This small sketch will be your guide as the light changes. Focus and draw for no more than ten minutes. What in this scene appeals to you at this moment?
Look for what is unique about each shape. Do not generalize. Be specific.
Design your painting. Placement is important! Remember to place the center of interest off center.
Keep it SIMPLE. Don't paint everwhing you see. SIMPLIFY!

START:

Draw the horizon line then sketch the large areas; such as mountains, shrubs or trees.
Paint in the sky or the background, ie. big shapes.
Work on down the paper, darkening toward the foreground.
Plant trees, grasses or flowers in the ground. (Dark at the base.)
Add sunshine to everything on one (same) side.

TIPS FOR GOOD PAINTING:

SHADOWS - follow the shape of the ground and the shape of what is blocking the light. Usually they flow from dark to light.
Center of interest should have brightest color. (Lightest lights and darkest darks).
Don't show detail in the distance. Paint what you see, not what you know is there.
Paint details last.
Paint clouds with soft edges blending sides so they don't look like they were cut out of paper and placed on the page.

FINAL CHECK POINTS:

Check light source.
Make sure you have the middle ground and background lighter than the foreground.
Do your trees or road get smaller in the distance? They should!


Aerie Art Garden Clonard & Bruce Thomas Studio & Gallery - Artist's Corner (Continued)
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	Clonard & Bruce Thomas paint on location at the Living Desert, as well as with the Coachella Valley Watercolor Society "Field Mice" in the valley area. They are a "plein air" group that enjoy painting outside in the desert. They do a number of "plein air paintings year round at different locations. The following are some tips they follow when painting outside. GETTING STARTED: Spend no more than ten minutes looking for a spot to set up. Spend more time creating the painting not looking for it. Settle in and acquaint yourself with the surroundings. If there is anything that bothers you, move. Make sure your painting surface is in the shade. Close your eyes and take a slow deep breath relax. Visualize paint flowing and shapes emerging clearly in your mind. Let your mind explore all the possibilities. TomBo pen drawing: When you are ready, note darks and light because they will change every twenty minutes. This small sketch will be your guide as the light changes. Focus and draw for no more than ten minutes. What in this scene appeals to you at this moment? Look for what is unique about each shape. Do not generalize. Be specific. Design your painting. Placement is important! Remember to place the center of interest off center. Keep it SIMPLE. Don't paint everwhing you see. SIMPLIFY! START: Draw the horizon line then sketch the large areas; such as mountains, shrubs or trees. Paint in the sky or the background, ie. big shapes. Work on down the paper, darkening toward the foreground. Plant trees, grasses or flowers in the ground. (Dark at the base.) Add sunshine to everything on one (same) side. TIPS FOR GOOD PAINTING: SHADOWS - follow the shape of the ground and the shape of what is blocking the light. Usually they flow from dark to light. Center of interest should have brightest color. (Lightest lights and darkest darks). Don't show detail in the distance. Paint what you see, not what you know is there. Paint details last. Paint clouds with soft edges blending sides so they don't look like they were cut out of paper and placed on the page. FINAL CHECK POINTS: Check light source. Make sure you have the middle ground and background lighter than the foreground. Do your trees or road get smaller in the distance? They should!

		If problems with this site, email the webmaster,Clonard Thomas, clonard@earthlink.net Clonard & Bruce Thomas, 71-225 Aerie Road, Palm Desert, CA 92260 Telephone: (760) 568-6366 Copyright © July, 2001. All Rights Reserved.