I had a great day today, teaching my studio painting class at Deb Komitor's studio in the Old Midland School.
Whenever I teach, I try to give my students something new to consider, something new to think about trying.
Sometimes, it's a new color harmony, a different way of looking at values in paintings, a new technique.
I like to think of all of these elements as tools in an artist's toolbox. Some tools you use all the time, others just once in a while.
This is today's complete demo painting in acrylic - 12" x 12" on canvas.
This would work just as well painted in oil as acrylic.
The scene - looking north from the entrance to Garden of the Gods,
with the footpath leading us towards Queen's Canyon.
First - the painting surface.
I painted over and old acrylic painting. I coated it with a
coarse layer of white acrylic gesso to cover up the old painting. The texture of the previous painting coming through added an
interesting texture to the painting surface - also a good re-use of a painting that wasn't a keeper!
I applied a warm yellow underpainting, then created a tonal study - basicly a one color sketch - with brush and burnt sienna as
a plan for the next layer - the color. You can see little bits of the warm underpainting still showing through
in the distant hills, on the edge of the path and on the undersides of the dark green trees.
Next - applying the paint with palette knife.
The local color - the actual color of the scene - was applied loosely over the underpainting with a palette knife.
Knife strokes are expressive and bold, with edges and effects we might not get with more refined strokes of a brush.
Here you see the horizontal knife strokes on the path, which help it "lie down" in the landscape.
Larger, more angled strokes create the juniper in the foreground.
Smoother paint passages in the sky suggest distance.
Thinner, dryer, dragged knifestrokes suggest more delicate sagebrush.
Lastly, some finishing touches.
I went back to the paintbrush to apply some juicy chunky strokes of yellow on the rabbit brush.
I feel free to use whatever "tools in my toolbox" - various techniques, tools and tips - suit my purpose at the time. You should too!
Happy Painting!
Laura
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