Painting Landscapes from Life (Days 3-4)
Instructor: Lorenzo Chavez
Duration of Class: Two Days (12 hours)
Medium: Plein Air Painting
Skill Level: All
Why paint outdoors? For me, the reason has evolved over the course of 25 years. Initially it was a way to grow as an artist wishing to paint landscapes in Colorado. From this simple but timeless approach to painting landscapes outdoors grew a love for and the need to commune with and study the natural world and to enjoy painting the quickly changing effects of natural light in all seasons.
Instructor: Lorenzo Chavez
Duration of Class: Two Days (12 hours)
Medium: Plein Air Painting
Skill Level: All
Why paint outdoors? For me, the reason has evolved over the course of 25 years. Initially it was a way to grow as an artist wishing to paint landscapes in Colorado. From this simple but timeless approach to painting landscapes outdoors grew a love for and the need to commune with and study the natural world and to enjoy painting the quickly changing effects of natural light in all seasons.
Instructor: Lorenzo Chavez
Duration of Class: Two Days (12 hours)
Medium: Plein Air Painting
Skill Level: All
Why paint outdoors? For me, the reason has evolved over the course of 25 years. Initially it was a way to grow as an artist wishing to paint landscapes in Colorado. From this simple but timeless approach to painting landscapes outdoors grew a love for and the need to commune with and study the natural world and to enjoy painting the quickly changing effects of natural light in all seasons.
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