Second Day of Still Water Workshop

I went to the second session of the "still water" painting workshop taught by Karen Philpott. I am learning a lot from this workshop. I love that it is so motivating for me. I've come home from each of the two I've attended so far, eager to get in my studio and paint!

A side note of general workshop info: One of the best things about this particular workshop is that Karen doesn't demo for HOURS. At some of the workshops I've attended (by both well-known and not-so-well-known artists) the artist would get so wrapped up in his/her own painting that they'd spend literally hours demo-ing how to paint a particular scene. The attendees end up sitting there watching for hours. And of course there are the attendees that hero-worship the artist and ask lots of questions and make lots of flattering comments, and so (in my opinion), the artist is off on a major ego-trip. In an all-day workshop, the demo would last ALL morning. I've had to employ the ever-handy "got to go to the bathroom" move just to stand and move around and get my blood flowing again. That's the reason there are two artists, in particular, that were so long with the obvious ego-inspired demo that I will never take another workshop from them.

Thank goodness, Karen doesn't do that! With Karen, she shows how she begins the painting and how she lays in the main shapes, and how she start laying in the lights, and then sends us to our set-ups to start painting the same photograph. She sets it up so we can see her finished painting of the scene (that she completed and framed before the workshop began) and the one she'd begun in class as a reference. The rest of the day is spent with us painting and Karen right there giving assistance.  It's a great plan of action for a workshop.

Here is my painting from day 2 of this workshop:

Oil on 16x20 linen panel

This week's photo reference was three empty boats tied up to a pier - although the pier isn't in the photo. There is actually the tip of a fourth boat in the far left of the photo, but Karen left that out, and so did I. 

I'm pleased with this painting. I may do a few more touch-ups after it has had time to dry a little.

Painting Still Water in a Landscape

Today I attended a workshop at On Track Studios taught by Karen Philpott. It was a really good workshop. Karen had a presentation showing how various artists have handled painting still water. It is really fascinating to see how different artists handle similar scenes. Then she demonstrated how to paint a still water scene. And then, each of us students started working on our own still water paintings.

Here is my painting.  I am pleased with it, and now I'm anxious to get back into my studio and try another still water painting.

"Morning Reflections" oil on 12x16 linen panel

After looking at the painting more, I made a few changes - nothing major - just a tweak here and there.  So this is the final painting:

"Morning Reflections" Oil on 12x16 linen panel

Sunset in Alabama

A high school friend of mine posted a photo the other night of the sunset where she was.  The photo was beautiful with the oranges and yellows of the sunset reflected so beautifully in the lake below.  It reminded me of the trip to Alaska that Ron and I took with Lily and Sophie three years ago. We saw ponds and lakes so still that the snow-capped mountains beyond them were perfectly reflected in the water.

So I messaged my friend and asked if I could use her photo as a reference to paint the scene. She agreed, and I immediately started painting. I finished it earlier today.  Last night, after I'd blocked it in, I went online and researched information about painting water reflections.

At an art show I attended last month, I saw a painting with an interesting textural component that really appealed to me. It wasn't "dotting" with the paintbrush, but it was similar to that - building up the paint by dabbing it onto the canvas.  So I experimented with that technique in the trees for this painting and achieved a similar texture. Not exactly the same, but it created an effect I really like.  This is oil on 9 x 12 linen. And I have to say that I actually like my trees in this painting.  So maybe that new technique will be my lifesaver when it comes to trees!

I haven't given this painting a title yet. I need to ask my friend where she took the photo.  I plan to send the painting to her after it dries and I get it varnished.