Blog

"Afternoon Delight"
9"x12" - Oil on RayMar linen



Sunday was our last day in Greg LaRock's workshop. We were back in Laguna Beach -- this time in Heisler Park at the north end. The day started off pretty foggy but ended up as another gorgeous Southern California day at the beach.

Saturday had been planned to be only the students painting all day with Greg's timely suggestions and guidelines, but he was convinced to finish with a quickie which I promised I'd post. Here it is:

On Sunday, Greg did a demo in the morning - reviewing all of the tips and information he had talked about on the previous two days and illustrating this as he did his demo. I enjoyed watching as he transformed a blank canvas into a lovely scene in about two hours... all the while talking and explaining (and trying to dodge the torrents of water as workers hosed down the bathrooms above us on the hill) the various points he was trying to make.

By about 11:00 he had finished his demo and he sent us off to find spots, eat lunch and relax.

I found a spot looking in the same direction but higher up on the hill and behind some tall purple flowers and a palm for some shade and a cool breeze.

As Greg dropped by to make suggestions and comments, I asked him how he managed to get the "crisp" look to his painting. He said that he doesn't mix the paints on the canvas but lays in the mixtures cleanly and then adds any pure color to attract the eye. Perhaps some day I'll get it.

However after struggling with what to do with the foreground (put in the purple flowers or leave them out and paint the part of the cliff I really couldn't see) I worked it out and in the end was pretty happy with my painting.

Greg ended the day with another critique session which I again found really useful. I think critiques and suggestions as you are painting or immediately after finishing up are really useful. Your mind says you're not "done" and you are ready to hear and accept these important and useful lessons which directly relate to what YOU'VE just done.

All in all... another good experience!!

We met on Balboa Island near Newport Beach, CA for day two of Greg LaRock's plein air workshop. Greg had told us that this was OUR day to paint and that he expected us to complete four.... ( YES.....FOUR!) paintings during the day.

Greg's a pretty smart guy and a good teacher. He had been talking about blocking in large shapes of a general color for each of the various big shapes in your composition in order to cover the canvas and eliminate the urge to noodle or pick at a painting. He said the only thing that should catch the eye was the area that attracted you as an artist in the first place. Your shapes should be planned. The artist has the obligation to create and paint what we know will make a good composition and lead the eye where we want it to focus......... even if the scene is different. He pointed out the "sweet spots" we all know about - approximately the four corners of the center rectangle when your canvas is divided by four lines horizontally and vertically.

Shapes should be varied from large to small.. and the artist should avoid making shapes that repeat or which are two uniformly spaced. He reminded us to save dramatic value changes or contrasts for the center of interest. This "focal point" is also where most of your hard edges should be placed.

By challenging us to paint four paintings (even if they were small) he knew we would have to keep them as simple as possible..... What I call the KISS principle.... Keep It Simple, Stupid!

Well I'm sorry to say that I failed Greg's challenge. I only completed three of the 6"x8" paintings I started. ("Waiting", "Yellow House" and "Fruit Stand".) I finished the fourth, which I had sketched out and made color notes about on site, when I returned home. ("Sidewalk Shadows" on the right side of this post.)

Despite not meeting the number quota, I was really pleased with myself. I tried to keep to the idea of large shapes of general color without noodling. I think I designed the paintings well enough so that the eyes are led to the focal point or center of interest in each case. I also challenged myself to paint boats and architecture which have always been difficult for me from a rendering point of view and I think I pulled them off fairly well. (Greg did a little mini drawing lesson on how boat shapes are simply rectangular boxes with a triangle attached.) AND... quite frankly... three's more paintings than I've ever done in a single day, anyway!!

Despite the fact that WE STUDENTS were supposed to paint all day, Greg was convinced... (we WERE pretty tired by then) at the end to do a demo which he pulled off in about one-half hour. He even put people in it!! (I'll post a photo of it in the next post.)

Each day of the workshop ended with a critique session and I have to say that, while kind, Greg did an excellent job of critiquing each artists' work. He talked about specific good points and made clear and doable suggestions for improvements. Another good lesson for me was to hear him say that he always waits at least a day after finishing a plein air piece to evaluate and make improvements / corrections on it. It was good to hear that every artist becomes so "in" to what they are working on, that it is necessary to walk away and see it with fresh eyes - the next day or later to really evaluate the work properly. I'll talk more about critiques in my next post.

Thanks for visiting!

When I was a Principal, I would take an art workshop about once a year and I'd try to take a class that met weekly in the evening. I really had never done any drawing or painting until I began to contemplate retirement and decided that I'd better have something to do... to challenge me and to help me to enjoy life beyond the "up at 5:00 off to work... work till you drop routine".

"Agave By The Sea"
8"x10" Oil on RayMar Canvas

Little did I know how engaging and fulfilling the art world has become in my life.

Now that I've retired, I find myself taking more workshops. I've enjoyed them all - the traveling, the learning and the meeting wonderful people. Initially I was absolutely and totally over my head. Luckily I didn't really know how much I didn't know. The artist-teachers were kind and patient. I still have so much to learn but now I can see that each time I hear the same thing in a different way from a different artist ..or the same artist.. I begin to understand it better.

I wondered, this time, however, whether I should take yet another workshop (I've taken 5 workshops since I retired two years ago). I'm glad I did. I had a great time, I enjoyed painting in a beautiful spot and I began to understand and apply a bit more as I painted. I had chosen to sign up for Greg's workshop because I like his work. Luckily I found during the workshop that he is a nice person with a well-thought out set of ideas that he shares easily with his students.

Greg talked about all of the usual important points in painting: focal point, composition, color mixing, values, edges and shapes. What I found most useful at this point in my journey was his emphasis on planning and designing the painting. What is it that you are trying to convey? (WHY are you painting this scene?) Does the drawing support what you are trying to convey (He came by often and made suggestions for corrections on drawing... reaffirming my need to work on drawing.) Do the colors create depth or atmospheric perspective? And probably most important... although it's by far not the first time I've heard it... Am I simplifying my shapes so that any details are at the focal point and all other elements of the composition lead the viewer's eye to the "main idea" of the painting?

Look how crisp and lovely his painting turned out. Where does the composition of the painting lead your eye?

On day one we met at a beautiful park in South Laguna. The day started out pretty overcast but was soon quite sunny and warm (emphasizing the need to block in all elements quickly and simply and not chase shadows and light.) Greg did a demonstration where he talked and showed us what he meant as he explained all of the principles needed in a successful painting.

In the afternoon we all chose our spots and tried to put into practice all he had discussed. Greg came by to each of us several times, making suggestions ... finding the good elements and pointing out what needed work. One of the endearing things Greg said several times to all of us, is that we need to take our failures and put them behind us. With each painting are some failures and some successes. We need to carry the successes forward and build on them.

I LIKE THAT PHILOSOPHY!! Thanks, Greg LaRock.