symphony

 Moody Symphony is a plein air gouache on 400# hot press watercolor paper measuring 22"x32".  

At The Muth

Very happy to have three new paintings on display at the Mary and Peter Muth Interpretive Center at the Newport Back Bay

The paintings will hang until January.

The paintings are as follows: In the Weeds 36x 36, On the Side 12x 24.and Morning Heat 12x 24

 

SOCALPAPA Quick Draw

Saturday morning SOCALPAPA had their plein air Quick Draw ahead of their annual Back Bay Art Show.  I had gone and painted a couple of times to paint in the weeks leading up to the event.  In preparation for the event I created a fairly extensive checklist of things to do.  The worst feeling at an event is to not be prepared or have all of your essential tools at hand.

I paint quickest in pastel.  My style seems more unique compared to the other mediums I paint in.  The surface I paint on is also unique.  I make my own surface from plywood, pumice gel, and acrylic paint. I believe this gives me an advantage in compositions because I am able to paint larger than my competitors.

Since I had painted this scene a couple of times earlier I was able to improve on my earlier efforts and take what I did best from each painting.  The practice pieces also helped me manage my time.  I worked basically from top to bottom and back to front.  I knew when to paint each part of the painting to catch the light I was looking for because the clouds broke at basically the same time on my practice rounds.

I finished the clouds as the sun broke down the June gloom.  I invested the most time in the background so that my ariel perspective read correctly.  The painting progressed in mark making from small to large.  As time was running out I moved to the foreground and finished in a flurry.  The foreground was so detailed and dynamic.  It could have been intimidating but it wasn't because I purposely don't give myself enough time to second guess my decision making at the end.  I build to a crescendo.

 "Morning Heat" plein air pastel on board 24x24.

Good Morning, Afternoon, and Good Night

A couple of weekends ago I had the single most productive day of plein air painting.  It was a plein air marathon.  I painted from 9am till 6pm.  There were no breaks.  It was one painting after the next.

My first painting had a more complicated foreground and took longer than expected.  This is the first time that I developed the agave in the foreground.  The painting measures 36x24 inches and was painted on board with pastel.

The conditions changed as I finished up the first painting.  The overcast conditions changed everything.  Usually the afternoon paintings in Laguna are sunny.  I really liked what the sky was doing. My focus was dialed in.  It is one thing to be in the zone for a couple of hours; but to maintain that focus over the course of eight hours was exhausting.  The overcast conditions made it a little easier because I wasn't having to battle lighting changes.  This plein air painting is 24x36 inches and is pastel on board.

 By the time I started the third painting of the day, the sun was beginning to set.  I do not consider myself a tight painter.  As each painting progressed so did my flow.  Everything just happened like I was on auto pilot.  As this painting progressed the lighting began to change quickly.  Usually I lock in the sky at the start, but I really loved what it was doing and I chased the light.  That is the beauty of pastel; you can react so quickly within the painting.  The rocks became more simplified as the day progressed.  I wanted to develop the water in the foreground the shapes and patterns were really attractive to me. This painting measures 24x24 inches and is a pastel on board.

The best day painting for me...ever.

Moody

Sycamore Project

Sycamore trees have been a source of inspiration for me for many years.  Their shapes are so interesting.  The twists and turns they take defy reason.  The color of the bark.  The way they look throughout the seasons have made a deep impression on me.

I have driven miles to paint these trees.  The character that develops over time in Sycamore trees reminds me of the character you see in your grandparents.  Some of them seem super grumpy while others seem elegant.

My favorite places to paint Sycamore trees are: Chino Hills State Park, Dilly Park in Laguna Beach, and Irvine Park.

The Hills Coming Back

The Hills Coming Back 24x36 inches soft pastel on board.

This great view was only possible because of the tragic loss created by the wild fire in Chino Hills.

I made the board earlier that day.  I always look at the sky before I make the board and think about the color of light where I am planning on painting.  The board is 3/16 " good two side plywood with a pumice gel and acrylic paint solution brushed over the surface.

The initial drawing was challenging because of the amount of information I wanted to include in the painting.  The size and the shape of the board limited the panoramic nature of the composition.

At this stage of the painting, I have focused on the elaboration of the colors, values, and the details of the shapes.  In this painting I then decided to try and complete one area of the painting at a time.

I wanted to complete the foreground first to establish the darkest values so that I could better judge the atmospheric perspective within the painting.

I moved from the foreground to the background to establish the counter point in values within the painting.  I completed the painting in the middle ground.  This was a new approach for me.  I am not sure how much better the end result is but it is nice to be flexible in my approach and problem solving processes.

I like to include these small sections of my paintings to allow the viewer the opportunity to explore the painting further.

These "micro compositions" are like the puzzles pieces.  When viewed by themselves they show the diversity of color, mark making, and shapes that contribute to the overall gestalt of the painting.

Some areas in the painting have passages that emphasize color harmony and subtle transitions.

The interplay between mark making and scrumbling.

Contextual abstraction within the painting.

The amount of detail within small areas can be considerable.  Does it overwhelm the composition or does it further the objectives?

In this section as well as the others you can see the importance of the color of the board.  It is the first color which helps determine every subsequent color.  It also creates a level of color unity.  The underpainting conveys the idea of notan.  It is not just what you put down on the surface but also what you do not put down.  

I like the diversity of complimentary colors in this painting.  How many mini abstract paintings are held within the overall painting.

The finished painting on site.  The sun at my back and directly on the painting surface.  One of the advantages of painting with pastel is the complete lack of glare on the surface.
 

The Hills Coming Back finished.

The value shot.  The sun drenched hills seemed to flatten out the value scale.

The detail shot allows for a deeper exploration of color, detail, texture, micro compositions, and the relationships between all of them.