Painting Big from Field Sketches

I paint out doors all the time. Sometimes I'm out painting in the field everyday for weeks, it all depends on the weather and the season. Then...I'm back home painting the big paintings  in my garden or in my studio from the small plein air studies...

Fall Foliage in Cummington

A few water color sketches from my recent trip to the Berkshires.

William Cullen Bryant's barn.

Looking from the house down to the five corners.

Another small sketch of the barn...

Painting the Landscape with Confidence

The 20 minute field sketch...or how to get a sure fire handle on painting en plein air.

So many  people go outdoors to paint and get overwhelmed when on location. 

That used to happen to me when I first started painting outdoors.

It wasn't easy being in the middle of my subject! 

Not to mention the wind, tides and the light changing all the time. 



I really needed some guidance. 

I registered to take some workshops with some of the top landscape professionals in the field...only to be wait listed...

Then one day the tide turned. I was accepted ! I went to Idaho to study with Scott Christensen for 10 days... It was painters boot camp! I returned to New England with a different perspective.  

The night after I arrived home I drove to the York River to see what I would do with this paradigm shift. After sunset I painted a very quick painting of the York River.  

York River Autumn, oil 6x12. 

In this class I will share what I learned.

  

The 20 Minute Field Sketch ~ Painting the Landscape 

Plein Air Class

Half Day Outdoor Class

MEDIUM: Oils, Acrylics, Watercolors
LOCATIONS: Southern Maine & New Hampshire Seacoast 

DATES: October 15th to November 12th ~ 6 Weeks ~ Saturdays 

TIME: 1:00 ~ 4:00 PM 

TUITION: $180  

LEVEL: Beginning Plein Air to Intermediate 

CLASS LIMIT ~ 12

INFO: & Registration: Great Works River Studio: MARY BYROM; info@marybyrom.com 

CONTACT: Mary Byrom, Great Works River Studio, 102 Wells Street ~ North Berwick, Maine 03906 ~ 207-676-9933

This class will hone skills and improve painting and decision making abilities. Each week the class will be in a different location (seacoast, woodland, marshes, ponds, farms, village) to learn the specifics of working with diverse settings, subject matter, light, and changing weather. Each class will help you to learn to think on your feet through the process of making choices and decisions of subject matter and design that are influenced by location, light and weather.

This class is for anyone with some experience painting with oils (in plein air or the studio) who wants to improve their skills.  We will paint at different locations and situations that might be challenging on your own. 

We will follow good, solid procedures using the guidelines of the fundamentals of landscape painting en plein air. The more you understand the fundamentals of making good paintings the more you will be in control in the field.

We will learn and practice 6 steps for use on location to guide us in making decisions. We will ask questions, make decisions and work deliberately as we focus on rendering the motif. We will learn to study outdoors, learn to design and to make deliberate choices. We will key paintings, mix colors and select elements to make a good design. 

In each class we will be painting at a new location covering the specifics of the motif, lighting and weather for that day.  This will give the student good tools for painting in all seasons and all kinds of weather. 

Suggested canvas/panel/sizes (6x8, 8x10, 9X12).  Paper sizes can be larger.

If you are a beginner, intermediate OR experienced painter you will gain confidence and skill. 

Materials list provided upon registration. 


QUESTIONS? Email me !  mbyrom@maine.rr.com

FRESH PAINT FRESH AIR

Art Happenings in Boothbay Harbor, Maine

Boothbay Harbor is a real happening place in the summer! Marcus & I stopped by on a Friday evening for the opening of a show for PAPME at allen david Gallery.

The last time I visited Boothbay Harbor was years ago during wintertime. Yikes, what a difference in the summertime. It is a destination for sure ! 

The harbor is packed full of pleasure boats. This large yacht sailed in, tied up and left some of its sails up. I think it was getting ready to depart for a sunset cruise.

No one was around. I would have loved to set up to paint it, but we were on our way to an art opening.

So much to see and so little time. The docks are full of signs promising to show you whales and everything else out on the open sea.

On the dock tucked in among all the boats advertising their ocean adventures was an enterprising young man.  Ben Schell is a caricaturist. He's so busy he's looking for a back-up relief artist!

He found one! He was talking to Michael James White, an illustrator from Sarasota Florida who just happened to be summering nearby at his good friend's home.

Michael immediately took me to meet his friend Rick Dickinson, a painter who has a nice gallery across the street from the wharves. 

Rick and Michael were delightful!  The painting world is a small world. Michael is a neighbor of Marcus' brother Tom in Sarasota and Rick attends Ingbretson Studio in Manchester, NH. 

We couldn't linger for long as the opening was starting at allen david. 

When we arrived the band was playing away and the art lovers were pouring in.

Our friends Ellen and Al arrived in great spirits with their dear friend.

It was a perfect summer evening.

Ellen was in a elated mood. When she arrived at the opening both of her pieces were already sold!  Bravo! 

Go here for more painting adventures!

Fast & Slow

I was looking through my sketchbooks the other day checking out the way I respond to situations.

House at Mackerel Cove 8x10 pen & watercolor 

Outdoors I am racing, zip, zip, zip getting it down before the light, tide, wind... changes.

Pears & Glass 8x12 watercolor

Indoors doing a still life with fixed light, no moving objects, a stable temperature.... all is calm.  I still paint fast...its instinct.  But you can tell its indoors by the way the painting looks....all is calm.  

Surf

 The Nubble is a great place to paint surf. 

 Waves I , 6x6 watercolor 

You can drive up, park and set up in minutes! I did a bunch of sketches in watercolor  before I painted a couple of oils.

 

Waves II 4x6 watercolor

Pink in the waves? Heck, I thought I was reaching for a violet...

Waves III 3 x6 watercolor

...never know what you'll end up with when you are moving fast...

Little Art Lovers

I was painting cultivated water lilies today in Boothbay at  Coastal Maine Botanical Garden  ...a lovely large garden with many visitors.   Two little red haired girls spotted me painting in a tucked away corner and were dying to talk to me...their mom was holding them at bay.  

Loren, Sadie, Tatum & Rebecca...  two sets of sisters...

I told them to come over. Rebecca is the artist, she likes to paint... 

Her mom took one look at my setup, told me Rebecca was eyeing my gear  and will want her to buy a big easel like mine... very smart girl... its my favorite set up!  

Young Artist

I was out at Parsons Beach yesterday working on my marsh series...when I heard a voice near my elbow ask. "Do you always draw before you paint?" 

When I looked up there was a thoughtful boy wrapped in a big red towel.  He'd noticed me sketching...A good habit I've gotten into that helps me see the subject matter better and helps me make choices...

Willy draws all the time. He especially like whales and the ocean. 

He said he can draw but painting isn't so easy...now isn't that something the rest of us can relate to?  

I told him if he keeps at it by the time he's 17 he'll be really good!

Maine Plein Air Surprise

While driving around Wells Harbor checking out the views and looking for Maine plein air painters...

.... I spotted a guy painting way out on the walk way...I went over to say hello...

Heck !  It was Erik Minzner !

What a delight ! I know Erik thru FB and this is my first 3D encounter...in my own neighborhood!

Erik has the new rollsroyce of easels... a gloucester style designed easel named the "Stapleton Kearns" and made by "Take-it-Easel " hand made in Vermont. He gave me a guided tour of all its great features.

His slim 16 x 20 paint kit and palette sits on top of the cross braces. 

He carries the rest of his gear in a basic tool carrier.

What a strong sleek beauty!

The great new Eric Tobin designed feature - really handy.

And of course because Erik's a big guy he has a big umbrella...a solar beach umbrella that he clamps on to the easel.  A great set up for a painter who gets out there to paint. 
When my cheap gloucester copy wears out I'll definitely get one of these !
SEE MORE PLEIN AIR ADVENTURES AT:FRESH PAINT FRESH AIR

Read it on the streets of NYC !

Since September 2010 my blog is published by the international media company Epoch Times. Every week my blog appears in their online edition. 

Once a month the NYC edition publishes a print version of my blog.

 My editor and copy editor are great ! 

Here is my editors choice for this month. Enjoy! 

Plein Air at Wolfe's Neck

Two plein air paintings I did at Wolfe's Neck Farm are for sale this week at the farm.

 Early Summer Tide

OIl on panel 10x28 

$950

Grazing at Sunset 

Oil on panel 9x12

$700

To buy now contact : Wolfe's Neck Farm

....or you can attend the Art Fest and take part in the SILENT AUCTION on June 18th.

Wind on the Nubble

Yesterday at the Nubble the wind was tearing and the surf was pounding. It got so cold I put on my wool gloves. I felt fine until the mist came in sideways and everything got totally soaked...still got a painting in!

Extreme Painting

Plein air Magazine has a feature called Extreme Painting.

.  My good friend Jane Ramsey came up to Maine last November to paint with me.  She had never been to Maine before...so I took her all over to paint in as many locations as we could in 4 days. She took my picture while I was painting in strong winds on Parsons Beach. She sent it in to the magazine. They published it this month - what a surprise !

Thank you Jane! 

  

Quick Sketches ~ A Young Model

This week I finally got to go to a figure group....we did 45 minute sketches of a lovely young girl....I did these on unsized paper ...next time I'll try watercolor paper which will be able to bear more water and techniques...

A bit rusty after doing landscapes for so long....I tried a first one...

6x7 watercolor on Rives BFK

The second pose I left the lights white and liked the effect...

6x7 watercolor on Rives BFK

The third pose was lovely .... Marry Bullock put a halo of stars on her ...she became an instant angel !

8x14 watercolor on Rives BFK

Thank you Mary for hosting this group! 

In the Barn

Marcus caught a few moments of me sketching on our trip to Pineland Farms.  It is tough sketching lambs & ewes... They move all the time ! Then again what else is new? Its what plein air painters deal with...

For more details of our adventure see : FRESH PAINT, FRESH AIR 

Watching Ice Melt...

A really great thing happens when you are out doors painting...stuff just happens and you roll with it. 

Hey, we know the rules of the game: its gets hot, its gets cold, it gets dark, the wind stops blowing, the wind starts blowing, the tide comes in, the tide goes out, it starts snowing, raining, sleeting or...it gets sunny!  

A guy comes home from fishing and rows away in your "model dory", a really big boat docks, blocking the view of your subject...or a guy drives up in a pickup truck, gets out a chain saw and cuts down the tree you are painting!  Really - it happens. 

My 5 star event was getting caught in a cattle drive in Targhee Canyon ... 

This day was peachy...the stars were aligned.  

For more adventures see FRESH PAINT FRESH AIR

Salt Water & Green Ice

A quiet, moody morning on Adams Point was the perfect place to set up and paint.  As winter moves into spring the changes are rapid. A couple of days of warm temperatures  can make a huge difference. I really love watching the ice break up and move around as spots of open water take over the once frozen bay . 

Adams Point on Great Bay 

For more photos, details and to view the painting go to FRESH PAINT FRESH AIR

Painting the Moody Blues

A small appetizer... an afternoon in the marshes painting the moody blues...

FOR THE NITTY GRITTY DETAILS...SEE FRESH PAINT FRESH AIR 

Thinking of Spring

I'm in the studio and out in the field these days... mixing it up. 

This painting was done in much warmer weather when I wanted to try out my new alkyd primed substrate.

3 Skiffs, study 

Oil on panel 6x8 

FRESH PAINT  FRESH AIR