Bison Sketches

The past few weeks have been filled with time spent drawing. Bison are such a cool subject for drawing. Their musculature makes for interesting shadow and highlight combinations.

 

Sketchbook Pages

Some days I just don't feel like painting. It is however, a rare day when I don't feel like drawing. Here are just a few pages of pencil studies from the past two days. Keep drawing!!!

"Pocket Water"

"Pocket Water" 17.5x10 acrylic

My love of trout water has always drawn me to places like this. Being able to capture scenes like this with brush and paint is an added bonus spending time here with a fly rod. Only good things come from visiting places like this.

Drawing.... AGAIN!!!!

"There is always time to draw, so stop making excuses and just do it!"

Yesterday's field study

It seems I say that a lot these days. During the course of a 4-day show, I'll bet I get asked a dozen times by young artists what it would take for them to be a better painter. The answer is always straight forward and simple. DRAW!

But there are always excuses. "I don't like to draw." "I don't have time." "I only want to paint." Blah blah blah. 

Drawing is the one skill seemingly forgotten among many up-and-coming artists. With the incorporation of digital photography and powerful (and very useful!) programs like Photoshop, drawing skills seem to be largely ignored. Instead of using photography and Photoshop to complement a solid concept derived from a sound creative process, they are used as a crutch or a shortcut to bypass the necessary skills needed to produce good art. That is a huge and very noticeable mistake.

A quick gesture study from a photo on the internet

Most people look, but do not truly see what's in front of them. Their perception is based on what they think they know about an object, rather than actual observation. The ability to block out this preconceived noise and learning to actually see is the most important part of creating representational art. Nothing can teach a person how to see better than constant and repetitive drawing exercise.

So... my young artist friends... buy a sketchbook. Hell! Buy 4 or 5 cheap ones! And start filling the pages with what you see. It's always interesting to look at the pages of a full and tattered sketchbook and see the progress from the first page to the last. It is at that point you will learn the importance of drawing. It is always a productive and enjoyable way to pass the time.

"Prelude to Autumn"

Inspired by a recent day afield, this small painting came together rather nicely. I may need to explore the possibility of painting this motif in a larger format.

"Prelude to Autumn" 8x6 acrylic

 

Plein Air Afternoon

I've been wanting to do more plein air work recently, so today I took the afternoon and set out to find a suitable location to paint. It didn't take long to find a good spot. With the leaves starting to change to their autumn colors, I parked the truck and lugged my easel to an overgrown field in Goddard State Park. The warm sun felt good as I set up my easel and a young deer wandered by as if curious about my intentions.
It's funny how quickly time passes while I paint outdoors. I try to work fast hoping to capture the essence of a scene before the light changes too drastically. Today, I finally noticed I was starting to get cold and the sun was dropping behind the trees to the west. I'd been there for nearly 2 hours at that point and wished I'd brought along the sweatshirt I left in the truck.
As you can see in this last photo, the light was significantly different than it was when I started the painting. Still, I managed to get it to where I could say "done". 

I smiled as I hauled my gear back to the truck, happy with my effort. I'm looking forward to getting out there again soon!

Problems to Solve

I've been working on a piece titled "Rock Star" for several months and I can't seem to finish it to my satisfaction. It has been one of those paintings that came together very quickly, only to land with a thud at the end. It's spent a large part of the past 6 months leaning against the wall facing the corner... being punished like a rotten child!

The bird... the most important element... has been the sticking point. I've painted in several, only to paint them back out as though they had perched for a second and flown away. I have gone back and forth between a white-throated sparrow and a magnolia warbler... working many poses and gestures... but they feel stiff and lifeless to me. They don't yet feel like they belong in the painting and it frustrates the hell out of me!

So I am going back to the drawing. I may even change the species of bird (again!). I'll keep working until something clicks. It's not so bad. The challenge inspires me.