Painting Landscapes from Life (Days 3-4) August 7-8, 2025

Join me in this two-day plein air workshop to better understand the natural elements of light and atmosphere – to communicate the intangible life force that pulsates through the landscape as we delve into this amazing and enchanted way of painting.

There will be daily demonstrations of small "on-the-spot" pastel and/or oil painting.  The workshop is conducted between hours of 9am to 4pm and possibly longer to paint late evening light or sunsets. (Please bring photographic references and/or sketches for indoor use in case of inclement weather and we are forced to work indoors)  

Day One - (Outdoors Weather Permitting)

• Discussion of materials for plein air painting in pastel and/or oil

• Discussion on the use of design stems, Noton, Center of interest, leading the eye through a painting, simplifying, and composing on the spot

• Thumbnail compositional studies

• The use of four value planes in nature

• The seven principals of design

• Black and white design studies of major shapes

• Plein air demonstration incorporating the topics discussed during morning session.

Day Two - (Outdoors weather permitting)

• Discussion of values and their application on atmospheric perspective in painting

• Plein air demonstration incorporating these topics and review of topics covered during Day One

• Discussion of Color – the color wheel, color harmony and working with a limited palette

• Edges – the study of edges in nature and analyzing their contrasts

• Reflected Light – what causes reflected light and their color effects

• Sky Light – how sky lights affect the colors of nature

• Plein air demonstration incorporating these topics and review of topics covered during Day Two.

Supplies List (for oil painting)

This is a list of the oil painting equipment I have come to prefer. I have found that buying quality products has had a big impact on my work both in terms of ease of handling and saving money over the years. 

• Easels (your choice of):

  • Bogen tripod (800-473-8098) and LederEasel.

  • Julian French easel – half box

  • Easel Pal - palette box (505-892-7752)

  • Bogen Manfrotto Tripod with Quick release Camera Mount for use with a Meyer Box and Leder Easel.

• Oils - Chromatic Colors

  • Permanent Red Medium – Rembrandt

  • Alizarin Crimson

  • Cad Yellow Deep

  • Lemon Yellow 

  • Ultramarine Deep 

  • Cobalt Blue 

  • Viridian 

  • Titanium White -M. Graham

  • Burnt Sienna - Earth color

  • Yellow Ocher

• Canvas Panels (For Outdoors)

  • Please bring 2-3 canvas panels per day in your choice of sizes (sizes 8”x10”, 9”x12”, 10”x12”, 11”x14”).

  • We will be doing small studies on the canvas panels outdoors.

• In case of inclement weather (For Indoor studio work)

  • Please bring 2-3 canvas panels or stretched canvases per day in your choice of sizes (sizes 11”x 14”, 12”x16”, 16”x20”). I mostly use oil primed linen Claussen #66 mounted to birch wood or gator board.

• Brushes – Bristle brushes made by Princeton and Signet (Robert Simmons) suggested sizes

  • Sizes: #4 – 6- 8- 10 – Long Flats

  • Sizes #6 - Rounds

• Palette Knives

  • 1 medium #8

  • 1 small #3

• Turpenoid (odorless turpentine)

• Brush cleaner – Holbein small or medium

• Palette Cup

• Paper towels – Viva 

• Small trash bags (Paper or plastic bags)

• Small Sketchbook (for thumbnails & note taking) 5x7 or 8.5 x 11

• Sharpie Marker-Black

Supplies List (for pastels)

• Pastels – Please bring the largest assortment of colors possible; Rembrandt pastels are a fine pastel to begin with; conte crayons in earth tones; a great pastel box for working in the field is the Heilman box www.heilmandesigns.com

• Paper – I enjoy using Canson Moonstone and UArt 400 grit sanded pastel paper

  • For Plein Air Work – cut paper into variety of sizes of your choice - approx. 11” x 14”, 9” x 12”, 8” x 10” – to fit small drawing board

• Drawing Board

  • For Plein Air Work – Please bring approx. 12” x 16”, 11” x 14”, or 9” x 12”, light in weight such as Masonite or birchwood.

  • Indoor studio classes – Please bring a larger size drawing board for 12” x 16” – 16” x 20” size paper sheets

• French Easel (Julian™) half box -or- your favorite outdoor easel

• Small Sketchbook – 8.5” x 11”

• Black broad tip marker

• Masking tape – 1’ (Scotch brand)

• Kneaded eraser

• Paper towels (Viva)

Class Size:

• Min # of students: 11

• Max # of students: 18