Tuesday, February 26, 2013
St. Augustine and The Palm Coast...
Week of Feb. 16: The first pix are scenes done during my return to St. Augustine, FL. The first time there, I was short on time, it was a busy Saturday and the town jammed with people... So, I took two days, prior to my Palm Coast session to do justice to America's oldest city. I just scratched the surface, but also took a number of digital pix, to work from later. Palm Cost agriculture museum holds a great variety of early farm machinery and farm life... Plenty for the class to sketch and paint, even chickens and a monster hog!!
Monday, February 18, 2013
Winter Haven and St. Augustine, FL
Week of Feb. 9...Started the week in Winter Haven for a three day session ...weather was in the 70's and sunny. First day at Lake Alfred, Wednesday at Bok Tower - the highlight of my trip, so far!...absolutely stunning structure with beautiful gardens...constructed in Art Deco period by Edward Bok... What a day! Thursday was at the downtown park, where I got a demo finished, just ahead of a shower which lasted rest of the day.The class finished up at a coffee shop...St Augustine was a single day's visit, on a very cold windy day...50 degrees, so I did the one sketch and a number of pix... On to Palm Coast...
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Florida Groups
Week of Feb 5:
The last ten days have. Gone very fast... First Key West then Key Largo... All fun in the sun ! Now in winter Haven, then back to Palm Coast!
The last ten days have. Gone very fast... First Key West then Key Largo... All fun in the sun ! Now in winter Haven, then back to Palm Coast!
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| Key West Group |
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| Key Largo Group |
Journaling 101
Week of Jan.13 - 19th, 2013:
I departed my workshop in Eustis, FL, headed to Sebring, FL, then on to Parkland, FL, to spend the week here- near Fort Lauderdale- finishing up some of my previous sketches with simple watercolor washes. I leave today, Saturday, Jan. 19th, for next session in Key West, FL, which looks to be a very busy three days, Jan. 22-24. The Key Largo session, starting Jan. 28th, is already filled, with four 'standbys'. I have suggested a change there, to a Mon-Tuesday session for 15 and a Thurs-Friday session for another 15. We'll see how that develops, as I prefer a max of 15 students per session. This week I was the guest of Allison, Michael & family in Parkland, FL... very nice folks and art lovers to boot!
I will again review some of the items I cover, in these 'journaling' workshops: When working in 'plein air', I recommend that you limit sketches to simple scenes, such as eliminating items which are not key to the story being told. KEEP IT SIMPLE! Do a contour drawing in inkpen, so that all areas in the sketch tie together - use single lines - not a bunchof 'henscratchings' - this outline drawing consists of the outlines of major shapes in the sketch. I constantly refer to shapes, NOT THINGS... it pertains to getting the right side of the brain into action. You will know it, when you have reached this creative situation. After the basic shapes are established, then add basic detail within those shapes.
It's time to paint! ... I pick a cool color & a warm color, to start the color washes - usually going for dark negative areas, such as dark tree shapes behind a white building shape. This start begins with doing the FOCAL point, then areas around the focal point, continuing to add color washes to include the background. I add other colors from my palette, as I need them... again, keep it simple. Add basic colors by mixing colors ON THE PAPER, not mixing on the palette - that is the very First step (mixing colors on the palette) to make MUD! Example: blue with raw sienna... you will get plain blue areas, plein sienna areas and a number of combinations by MIXING ON THE PAPER! ... and start by laying in washes lighter than you feel you need, as they can be darkened as you proceed. I prefer to paint the darker areas first, then lighter areas...kindabackward, from what most watercolorists practice. I find that this helps to save white areas and the lighter washes are easily to keep subtle and not get them too dark. I also recommend signing, dating and titling my journaling sketches, as it helps to identify the time & place later on...
More guidelines later on... so, keep your brushes wet and KEEP IT SIMPLE! After all, these sketches are supposed to happen in a half hour or less!
I departed my workshop in Eustis, FL, headed to Sebring, FL, then on to Parkland, FL, to spend the week here- near Fort Lauderdale- finishing up some of my previous sketches with simple watercolor washes. I leave today, Saturday, Jan. 19th, for next session in Key West, FL, which looks to be a very busy three days, Jan. 22-24. The Key Largo session, starting Jan. 28th, is already filled, with four 'standbys'. I have suggested a change there, to a Mon-Tuesday session for 15 and a Thurs-Friday session for another 15. We'll see how that develops, as I prefer a max of 15 students per session. This week I was the guest of Allison, Michael & family in Parkland, FL... very nice folks and art lovers to boot!
I will again review some of the items I cover, in these 'journaling' workshops: When working in 'plein air', I recommend that you limit sketches to simple scenes, such as eliminating items which are not key to the story being told. KEEP IT SIMPLE! Do a contour drawing in inkpen, so that all areas in the sketch tie together - use single lines - not a bunchof 'henscratchings' - this outline drawing consists of the outlines of major shapes in the sketch. I constantly refer to shapes, NOT THINGS... it pertains to getting the right side of the brain into action. You will know it, when you have reached this creative situation. After the basic shapes are established, then add basic detail within those shapes.
It's time to paint! ... I pick a cool color & a warm color, to start the color washes - usually going for dark negative areas, such as dark tree shapes behind a white building shape. This start begins with doing the FOCAL point, then areas around the focal point, continuing to add color washes to include the background. I add other colors from my palette, as I need them... again, keep it simple. Add basic colors by mixing colors ON THE PAPER, not mixing on the palette - that is the very First step (mixing colors on the palette) to make MUD! Example: blue with raw sienna... you will get plain blue areas, plein sienna areas and a number of combinations by MIXING ON THE PAPER! ... and start by laying in washes lighter than you feel you need, as they can be darkened as you proceed. I prefer to paint the darker areas first, then lighter areas...kindabackward, from what most watercolorists practice. I find that this helps to save white areas and the lighter washes are easily to keep subtle and not get them too dark. I also recommend signing, dating and titling my journaling sketches, as it helps to identify the time & place later on...
More guidelines later on... so, keep your brushes wet and KEEP IT SIMPLE! After all, these sketches are supposed to happen in a half hour or less!
Making My Way Through Florida
Sunday, Jan. 13:
I travel to Sebring, Florida, where I worked on a Ferrari pit crew in March of 1960 - our car finished the 12 Hour Endurance in 6th place - the first private entry!...driven by DR. E.D. Martin of Atlanta, GA & Lance Reventlow of California - many pleasant memories - then on to Parkland, FL, to again visit friends for the week. I travel on Saturday, Jan. 20th, to Key West, FL for the Jan. 22-24 session. The numbers of students is improving rapidly, as I expected, after the 'holiday season'. I someow managed to depart Ohio in September. without my extra tubes of AMERICAN JOURNEY watercolors. Mona Lisa at Cheap Joes took care of that pronto! They are also working on a new journal for. me, to introduce on my trip across America. It will be similar to the Kilamenjyro journal, 140# cold press paper with a sheet of drawing paper in between each wc page, and a new 300# wc paper cover, for artists to decorate.... soon to arrive, I hope!!
I travel to Sebring, Florida, where I worked on a Ferrari pit crew in March of 1960 - our car finished the 12 Hour Endurance in 6th place - the first private entry!...driven by DR. E.D. Martin of Atlanta, GA & Lance Reventlow of California - many pleasant memories - then on to Parkland, FL, to again visit friends for the week. I travel on Saturday, Jan. 20th, to Key West, FL for the Jan. 22-24 session. The numbers of students is improving rapidly, as I expected, after the 'holiday season'. I someow managed to depart Ohio in September. without my extra tubes of AMERICAN JOURNEY watercolors. Mona Lisa at Cheap Joes took care of that pronto! They are also working on a new journal for. me, to introduce on my trip across America. It will be similar to the Kilamenjyro journal, 140# cold press paper with a sheet of drawing paper in between each wc page, and a new 300# wc paper cover, for artists to decorate.... soon to arrive, I hope!!
Christmas Time on the Road
Weeks of Dec. 23-Sunday, Jan. 6th:
After several weeks of 'r&r', I am back on the road, to visit friends in Eustis, Florida, then Jan. 9 & 10th to conduct the workshop at the Eustis Art Museum... a very excited group of artists!. We sketched & painted in the city park, next to the museum, with lots of good subjects - historic buildings, shade trees and fishermen, fishermen & more fishermen! On to Mt. Dora, again to visit old friends and see the town - tons of great scenery here - and old historical section with buggy rides and an art walk on Friday evening - caught Jane Slivka, doing her acrylic demo and then met a number of the Florida 'Highwaymen' on Saturday... great town and lots of fine galleries and FOOD!
After several weeks of 'r&r', I am back on the road, to visit friends in Eustis, Florida, then Jan. 9 & 10th to conduct the workshop at the Eustis Art Museum... a very excited group of artists!. We sketched & painted in the city park, next to the museum, with lots of good subjects - historic buildings, shade trees and fishermen, fishermen & more fishermen! On to Mt. Dora, again to visit old friends and see the town - tons of great scenery here - and old historical section with buggy rides and an art walk on Friday evening - caught Jane Slivka, doing her acrylic demo and then met a number of the Florida 'Highwaymen' on Saturday... great town and lots of fine galleries and FOOD!
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