Team chat - Painting to a Conclusion

The last team chat post was about Plein air and quick warmup paintings as learning tools. These are two important learning tools I used to improve my skills as a painter.

BULLETS

• Observational skill - painting what you see - as in painting shapes, light and shadows with colours you see.
• Developing paint quality, as in juicier brushwork - lost and found edges - the painterly aspect. 
  

This post is about the next BULLET - "painting to a conclusion" - one painting at a time or in a series concept to a conclusion. 

I'm a firm believer in "one painting at a time - good or bad...move on". I'm also a firm believer in learning your subject first by studying it and doing quick warmup studies. If you want to paint cows........study their characteristics, gestures, then binge paint a bunch of cows until you're comfortable before going for the Gold! 

If you learned how to use your first BULLET, "Observational Skills", seeing and painting shapes gets much easier as you go!

The sun, moon and snow had my attention at the end of 2009. Richmond had a lot of snow that winter! It was perfect for a series of learning paintings..... studying the morning sun effect through bare trees and how the light reflected on fresh snow. I had a perfect 10 studio window view to capture all the action every morning.

Below is a total of (12) paintings completed over (11) days, including, (2) 16x20s and (1) unsigned failed 16x20 canvas. which to me meant, the series energy was done....move on!!!

EXAMPLE of a Learning Series

2009 WINTER SUNRISE (plein air)

 #187 December Snow 10x8 oil on linen (12-20-09)
 

#188 December Snow 10x8 oil on linen (12-21-09)

#189 December Snow 10x8 oil on linen (12-21-09)

 #190 December Snow 10x8 oil on linen (12-22-09)

#190 December Snow 12x12 oil on canvas panel (12-22-09)

 #192 December Snow 10x8 oil on linen (12-23-09)

#193 December Moon 10x8 oil on linen (12-23-09)

#194 December Snow 8x10 oil on linen (12-24-09)

CONCLUSION

(larger 2-session painting)

#195 Christmas Moon in Virginia 16x20 oil on linen (12-26-09)

#196 Winter Sunrise 10x8 oil on linen (12-27-09)
 

 CONCLUSION
(larger 2-session painting)

 #197 December Dawn 16x20 oil on linen (12-29-09)

 A FAILED  CONCLUSION - TIME TO MOVE ON!!

#198 Not Signed 16x20 oil on linen (12-31-09) 

 

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT NEVER STOPS!

Once in the studio, the focus was soon on developing paintable subjects - in my case, basically painting anything about the sun or moon had my attention in 2009. Working in the studio quickly led to more organized painting. A good thing, because Plein air was always more in search of a paintable view than actual painting.....

Rotating subjects in the early days played a big part speeding up my personal progress. I'll show how it worked favorably with Venice in next Team chat post.