Harris Beach Saga - By Verna Pooler

I have been working on the Harris Beach saga for a couple weeks.  I work between plein air and photos.  I started with a thumb nail.  Then proceeded with a full size drawing, two color studies and two paintings 30"x19".  Is Harris Beach 1 or Harris Beach 2 better? Perhaps, I should continue with another.

Thumbnail Sketch

Harris Beach Color Study 1

Harris Beach Color Study 2

Harris Beach 1

 

Harris Beach 2

Composition, Values, Big Forms, Details and Brush Work - By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas

My goal  was to practice painting large shapes with their correct values. I also wanted to limit my brushstrokes and ensure the forms were successfully described using directional brush work.  All the pieces were  painted with limited palette.They are all painted from the same photo except edited differently.
If you struggle with plein air paintings, this is an excellent exercise.

Original photograph  taken north of Brookings, Oregon.

Simplified shapes and brushwork.

Composition changed slightly. 

Another composition changed with larger brush strokes. 

This composition is more like the original photo.

Can You Relate To This Plein Air Experience? By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas

I was happily painting this street scene in my neighborhood and not quite done when -

Not quite done...

this van parked right in front of me. Can you relate to this plein air experience?

"Mysterious White Van" - 6"x 8" Oil on Canvas Board

"Springtime At Whaleshead" By Verna Pooler

Finished the plein air painting...next time I will have to finish it on site!

"Springtime At Whaleshead" By Verna Pooler - Watercolor On Paper

"Whaleshead Storm" By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas

I painted 6 Whaleshead studies the last 3 days. I am enjoying the different weather conditions on the coast. This was a challenge because I have not practiced clouds. So I brought this piece into my studio to finish it.

"Whaleshead Storm" By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas - 6"X 8" Oil with Brush on Pintura Canvas Board

Layering Color With Brushwork By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas

I take classes often to improve my brushwork technique. This method below is carefully layering color so that the under painting continues to show.
You start with a large brush - size 8 flat - and as you layer the color you go to smaller brushes such as a 4  or 2 flat.
The focal point has sharp edges and the color intensity is pushed - again -while keeping the under painting. At the end is when you  focus the directional strokes to create form and with the right color and value.

"Rooster #3" By Verna Pooler

I didn't like my background.  After washing off the background, I painted it black...works.

"Rooster #3" By Verna Pooler, Watercolor On Paper

One Day Color Pencil Workshop By Verna Pooler

Today, I attended a one day color pencil workshop at Pt. Reyes. Enjoyed it but have so much to learn. A  total change in pace:)

"Rooster" By Verna Pooler

Painted rooster on gold gesso 300# watercolor paper using 3 colors: cad orange, quin. magenta, and turquoise. A challenging triad. Guess I'll be doing more roosters. There were so many on Kauai.

"Rooster" By Verna Pooler - Watercolor on Paper

Black and White Studies By Verna Pooler

My struggle continues with abstract value studies.

Is there hope?:)

Guess, I had better suck it up and try again.

"Beach Memory" By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas

This is an oil with palette knife painted by Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas in the french impressionist style. There was no black paint used to create this artwork.
It is a wet-on-wet technique where the paints are layered to keep the initial under painting. The under painting starts with pure color perhaps some white to create the correct value.

 "Beach Memory" By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas - 8"x10" Oil on Canvas Board

"Rooster" By Verna Pooler

I've tried to do a grayed abstract value, but making no progress. I can mix the phthalocyanine blue and vermilion and get three values.  Don't know how to stop before it is a goner!!!
At Tuesday painters, I painted a rooster from a pic I took in Kauai. Now, I look at it and see too much pure color. Who said being retired is easy?

"Rooster" By Verna Pooler - Watercolor on Paper

"Have A Glass" By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas

I took yesterday's study and painted it on an 8"X10" board.  I pushed the color just a bit more and painted thicker.

"Have A Glass" By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas  Oil on 8"X10" Board

"Urban Plein Air" By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas

I was up early painting the other morning to meet with some Urban painters and before I knew it, it was time to go home.  What a great way to spend the hours. 

"Urban Plein Air"  By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas -  8"x10"Canvas Board in Oil

"Knitting Challenge" By Verna Pooler

Definitely out of my comfort zone! But, didn't want to give up:)

"Knitting Challenge" By Verna Pooler - Watercolor On Paper

"Colorful Character" By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas

Today's open studio model was a wonderful, colorful character and musician, J. P. Baily. After he finished modeling, he played and sang a song he wrote. It was great. We all  danced and laughed.
My goal was to keep it simple and use color with confident brush strokes.  I didn't want to describe much.  I am happy with this piece.

"Color Character" By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas, 20"x20" Oil on Gallery Wrap

Pushed Out Of My Comfort Zone

I was pushed  out my comfort zone with color today. I had to walk away to wrap my brain around what had just happened. I painted a successful bottle and then the instructor pushed a few changes.  I had no idea what to think.  My masterly ellipse  at the top of the bottle was changed to simple color. My highlight was dabbed. The color was pushed to a magenta on one side and into the background. I had to walk away.
I looked at other students' painting and then I returned. I slowly began to understand what the instructor was doing.  Then I added my own expressionist marks.
I am very happy with the progress. Homework suggestion was to setup a still life and paint it over and over again until the brush strokes are automatic.

Oil On Linen Sheet Study By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas

Persimmons By Verna Pooler

My persimmons are not quite ready to eat. At Tuesday Painters, I set up this still life. Yesterday I added the background. It was painted on 300# watercolor paper. Don't know what to do with all of these painting, but, I enjoy the challenge of trying to do better.

Christmas Watercolor By Verna Pooler

This week while I was thinking about the upcoming holidays, I decided why not do a Christmas watercolor.  My daughter, Jennifer always does a watercolor painting for her holiday cards.  I got out the candle holder my Dad made for me many years ago and set up this still life.  It was painted on a quarter sheet.  Hope you enjoy it and that it makes you smile.

A Brush With Expression By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas

I attended a wonderful workshop by Elio Camacho at Wright's Custom Framing in Brookings, Oregon. This time I learned more about expressionist style using color and brush work.  It was recommended after I painted my first still life to paint it again. This would reinforce what I learned. I got a lot out of this one day event.

I taped two 9x12 linen sheets on a board to paint the bottom painting first and  then recreated it in the top panel.

First study where the instructor pushed the color on the  red pot, green vase and tabletop.

Second attempt with more confident strokes and without the green vase.

"Christmas Preflight" By Jennifer Thompson

Each year since at least 2006, I have painted an aviation themed Christmas painting to use as our card. This is the one for 2013..."Christmas Preflight" (Plane Christmas, 7th in a Series) watercolor on paper, 11"X15".

"Christmas Preflight" (Plane Christmas, 7th in a Series) By Jennifer Thompson, Watercolor on Paper, 11"X15"

"Free Parking" By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas

Since I had an old canvas and yesterday's paint still mixed on my palette, I decided to practice my   cool and warm gray colors with big brush strokes.  I was happy with the results.
There is not a lot of detail in this painting but I think it describes the alley and the car. I painted "alley stuff" in the background with abstract shapes. Again, I am happy with it.

"Free Parking" Oil On Linen - 8x10"

Verna Paints Yupo

After looking at this watercolor for a few day, I decided it was done. As you may remember, I painted with Sharon Guinn. We each had a bouquet of flowers, which resulted in totally different paintings. The common thread in was the vivid Doak liquid watercolor paints.

"Gold Beach" By Verna Pooler

Finished another watercolor this week from a sketch I did last month.  Yesterday, I painted in Gold Beach with Sharon Guinn.  It was a creative time with yupo paper. Hope this sunshine last all week.

"Re-Visiting Bandon" By Verna Pooler

Was happy with my previous watercolor painting . I made finishing touches at Tuesday Painters. 

"Re-Visiting Bandon" By Verna Pooler - Watercolor On Paper

"Autumn In Yosemite" By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas

I painted in Yosemite Valley about two years ago and it was wonderful. I am back painting the same scene and so happy. There is  hardly anyone here and it feels like I have the run of the park. Beautiful. I hiked the trails and took pictures. The leaves are dropping fast so I know winter is coming soon. I was told it was unseasonably warm. I am loving it.

"Autumn In Yosemite" By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas - 8X10" Oil On Canvas Board

"Autumn Dance" By Jennifer Thompson

Spending a long weekend at Coeur d'Alene with B. It has been good to get away and relax. A bit of snow this morning but it is cozy inside. I have a fat novel, a bit of knitting and my paints.....

"Autumn Dance" By Jennifer Thompson - 7X10" Pen and Watercolor on Paper

"Changing Seasons" By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas

I have studied hard for the last year on how to finish a landscape yet keep it looking fresh. This is not easy. But I am pretty happy with this piece I painted today at the Watt Avenue Bridge in Sacramento. I think I see the light.

"Changing Seasons" By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas - 8X10" Oil On Linen Canvas Board

Watercolor By Jennifer Thompson

What with one thing and another, I haven't painted much this month; just this rather unfortunate landscape which I plan to do over. I wanted a reminder of our summer fun in the Idaho back country, and Brian wanted, "...the Stinson on a sand bar by the river and a deer peeking out of the woods...". So, I have those things, but what a mess. I had no idea what to do with the foliage, and it shows! Also, the river I just whipped in after having pretty much written off the whole thing. I will have to give it another go.

Watercolor By Jennifer Thompson

Study By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas

Here is another study to completion where the paint is layered  to keep each under painting. Quite the effect, isn't it?