Supplies Needed for Plein Air Painting with Acrylics

 

Recently I had a art friend to share with me that they would love to plein air paint, but they did not know what to bring with them.  So I thought about what they had said to me and I took the time to write out in this blog post on what you need in order to paint in plein air.  In this blog my goal is to give you a lists of recommended things to bring with you when you go out to paint in plein air.  

Whenever I personally go and paint in plein air I record my experience in the form of photos and videos.  It is important to me to document my experience so that I can share with others my passion of art.  There have been a few times where I have left my home to go and paint and relized when I got to my scene that I had forgotten to bring something which was necessary for the experience of painting.  Here are just a few of those supplies that I had forgot to bring paper towel, sketch book, pencil and spray bottle and paint.  

Here are a list of supplies that you should have when you go to paint in plein air.  The following is a list of supplies when you go out to paint in plein air 1. French Easel 2. Brushes 1 liner a large and small size flat brush and 1 large and small size round brush. 3. Stay Wet Palette.  4. Sketch Book with #2 pencil. 5. Adjustable View finder.  This is two L shape cut outs from foam core about 1" to 2" or Two inch gridded view finder.  6. 8x10 panels or stretched canvas  6 Hat . 7. Container of Water 8. Spray bottles 9 Spiked Umbrella.  Perfect for hot summer days.

I hope this blog post has helped you to know what to bring when you decide to paint in plein air. It is always good to have a list of supples and check them off the list as you prepare.  Also check the weather forecast for conditions where you are painting at.  Finally, it is always wise to plan ahead of time as to when and where you are going to paint in plein air go check out the location in advanced or prior to painting to see if the surrounding are suitable for you and safe.  I hope this blog post has help you to know what to bring when you decide to paint in plein air.  

Thank you for reading and please share this post with others who you think would benefit from the content.  Meantime stay safe and healthy.  Pick up a pencil or brush and create some art. Shalom

How to Draw a Portrait from a 3/4 view

Have you ever so someone wearing some particular accessory that captured your eye?  As a artist you have the ability to recreate what you see that inspires you.  When it comes to doing or creating a portrait whether it is a drawing or painting you have the artistic license to emphasis what is important in you art work.  As seen here in the picture above that is what was done. 

In the blog post I would like to share with you how I created this drawing with the purpose bring into focus the hair bow.  

Here is my process into making the portrait drawing.

I decided to create this portrait drawing from a 3/4 view.  In this first step I created a three dimensional line drawing as seen here below.

I started out using vine charcoal and I toned my paper down by using the side of it. Next, I proceeded by plot marking my paper for the most distant width and height points which is not seen on the picture above.
I placed in the features of the face by establishing the proportions with only lines.  Then I went into more detail by rounding or curving the lines to make the eyes nose and lips as seen above.




For the second step I created a value drawing of the portrait.

Here in the picture above I have shaded in the neck and established the garment on the shoulder.  By doing this I have made the drawing to start appearing more three dimensional.  I am drawing from my easel which helps me to not have distortions in my view.  The lighting was poor at the time when this drawing was first started. Since then I have increased the light in my studio.



For the third step I completely finished the charcoal drawing.

In this step I completely laid in all of the features of the portrait and value ranges.  Now the foundation has be establish to introduce color to the hair bow.



This next and final step color is added to the drawing.

I introduced color to the drawing in order for the eye of the viewer to focus on the hair bow.  I choose this color scheme because it is rare to see green and yellow in clothing.  In order for me to accomplish this I used prismacolor pencil which is a wax pigment to it.  I did not use any solvents in the particular drawing but in others I have.  This solvents help break down the wax therefore making it easy to blend and cover completely the tooth of the paper.  It is better to purchase paper that has  tooth to it, in other words, paper that has texture to it.  This will support the extra media added to it.  It is good to purchase papers that are thick and supportive of fluid added to it for example mix media paper and watercolor paper.

Bow & Beauty done on Strathmore drawing paper 14"×17" in charcoal, color pencil and soft pastel.

This is the final look to the drawing.  You can now see the ear rings are added to it.  This draw was originally stored back in 2015 and was completed this year in 2020.  If you are interest in more post of the drawing I produce then please visit my YouTube channel under Dee Weaver Art there you will find over 50 videos.  Also visit my online gallery at www.fineartamerica.com and www.artpal.com there you can fine to purchase at your choosing.  Also you can email me at deeweaver15@gmail.com  Thank you for visiting my blog be blessed.

How to Paint a Cloudscape and Cityscape

There is nothing more beautiful in nature than a colorful sky at sunset or at sunrise.  Also what is beautiful is a city skyline at twilight and a towering thunderstorm looming a city.  In this blog I discuss how I painted a cumulonimbus cloud with an anvil top near city buildings.

I started this painting like most of my paintings with an underpainting.  I used a yellow ochre wash to accomplish this.  

Here is a view of my glass palatte a palatte knife and the colors I mixed.  I used phthylocyanine blue, sky blue, medium red, medium gray yellow ochre, flesh, and white.  I blocked in the sky using a #5 filbert brush. 

In this stage according the picture above I blocked the the sky in.  I used a liquitex slow dry medium to retard the drying process.  For the dark cloud color value I used a mixture of sky blue, medium gray a small amount of medium red. 

Here is the image of the painting before I altered the clouds and building.  I was not satisfied with the form of the cloud at the time they looked a little flat.  I reworked the clouds using a #4 round brush to blend and block in the form.  I premixed all the values of color for the clouds and applied the paint. 

For the cityscape in the foreground I used medium red, phthylocyanine blue and burnt umber.  I look at this cityscape in the fore ground and I said to myself, "It looks flat".  As a result I gave it a 3 dimensional perspective by mixing titanium and black to produce a gray hue.  I applied paint along the side on the right of the tallest buildings.  

Finally, for the reflective light I mix orange and yellow ochre and I used titanium white for the highly reflective light from the sunset.  I did this by using a #4 bright brush and a #2 liner brush. 

"Twilight Strike" done in acylic on stretched canvas @ 16"x20" DWeaverArt © 2018

Thank very much for reading this blog post I look forward to sharing with you more of my process and creations.  Please message me if you have any comments or questions about this painting through email at deeweaver15@gmail.com or share your comment below.  Thank you

How to Paint Storm Clouds and Wheat Field

For the longest time going back to when I was a boy I have always been fascinated with weather particularly thunderstorms.  Thunderstorms are dangerous, they have a history of destroying property and taking lives.  Whenever I'm indoors at home and I hear thunder I immediately go to the window or look outside at the sky whether at night or in the day.

There is a beautiful appeal to me about thunderstorms in the fact the cloud are so different in their appearance.  The clouds have a cauliflower appearance to them and according to the time of day beautiful values of grays and blues.  As an artist I am moved to paint these majestic cloud onto the canvas.  So in this blog I want to share with you how I produced this paint from imagination.

After drawing a thumbnail sketch of what Im going to paint, I determined that it was going to be day time theme in which there is a thunderstorm appoaching a wheat field.  As you look at the photo above I have a glass palette with duck tape around the edges to prevent myself from being cut.  Grey board underneath glass palette.

A square piece of white watercolor paper also underneath the glass.  I have a palette knife and 3 brushes.  The 3 brushes are hog hair bristles a #2 bright brush #4 filbert and a #5 flat brush.  The colors I used to mix for the sky and mostly the clouds seen here are  phthalocyanine blue, sky blue, titanium white, neutral gray, flesh yellow, and flesh.

I used a sponge brush which is not shown in the photo above to stain the entire canvas in order to remove the white.  I used the #2 bright brush to paint in the features of the subject.  I used a wash of yellow ochre for the underpainting.

Next I used the same #2 bright brush for the edges of the clouds and I used it to block in the stream of water.  Also the sky was blocked in with a #5 long bristle flat brush.  This is the only stage I used the #5 brush.

"Storm Appoaching Wheat Field" done in Acrylic 10"x10"  ©2018 DWeaver Art

The rest of the painting I used for the trees titanium white, light green yellow ochre, grass green, and phthalocynine blue.  Finally, for the wheat field and cast shadow on to the stream of water I used neutral gray, black, perminent red, phthalocynine blue and raw umber yellow ochre and titanium white.

I hope this blog has inspired you to paint and have taught you something you can use in your next painting.  If you have been enriched by this art blog then please feel free to comment below or send me a messege at deeweaver15@gmail.com  Thank you very much. Find a pencil or brush and create something beautiful.

How to Paint a Cloud above Clouds in Acrylic

Clouds are very beautiful to me.  I really enjoy looking at them espeically during twilight or earily evening.  They then to take on a more remarkable beauty of colors.  For example, lavender, pink, orange, yellow just to name a few.  In this art blog I want to discuss my approach at painting a clouds above clouds. 

 
The first step is to do a thumbnail drawing of what you plan on painting.  After a very small thumbnail is completed with its over all values of at least 4 then it is time to move forward to doing an underpainting from the thumbnail drawing. 

Here as you can see from the photo above is the underpainting of a cloud.  An underpainting is done in a monochromatic color scheme like the one above in the photo.  For this underpainting I used yellow ochre to place down my composition and values.  I also used a #2 bright brush to apply the paint.

Next I added color to the underpainting.  For the darkest values of color I mixed in phthalocyanine blue, permanent red and a little amount of gray.  For the middle value tone of color I mixed in medium yellow, yellow ochre and orange.  Now for the highest value for the clouds I mixed medium yellow, titanium white and a very small amount of yellow ochre. 

I used the same brush from my underpainting a #2 bright brush which has short bristles unlike a flat brush which has longer bristles.  I mixed in two values of blue for the sky to give it a more atmospheric depth of illusion.  For this final mix, I used for the darker value of blue titanium white with a very small amount of sky blue. 

Finally,  I mixed in for the lightest value of sky with titanium white, a small amount of sky blue and a trace of yellow ochre.  Like orange and red to name a few colors they are very saturated and can easily dominate or take over the color value and intesity.  The technique I used is that I used the tip and side of the bright brush to paint in my clouds.  Last for painting in the sky I used a #8 filbert brush. 

I hope this process post on painting a cloud above clouds in acrylic has been helpful and inspiring.  If you are pleased with this post feel free to comment below and perhaps share with me your approach or your personally feelings about this post.  Thank you very much.










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Color Pencil Drawing of Head Wrapped Woman

"Colorful Head Wrapped Woman" 9"x12" done in prismacolor pencil on gray toned paper DWeaverArt © 2018

Painting in Still Life using Acrylic Paint

I titled this painting "The Holy Bible and Candle".  The Holy Bible contains the written and inspired word of God which is holy.  How appropriate to title this piece because through out the Holy Bible particularly in the Psalms and Proverbs of the old testament God's Word was symbolized as light.  The word light occurs 272 times through out the Bible.  Job being the most with 31 times, Psalm 24 times and third Isaiah with 22 times. The Holy Bible contains truth for mankind it reveal God's heart and thoughts concerns all the issues of life.  In Psalm 119:105 it says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a lamp to my path," Also Psalm 119:130 says, "The entrance of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple."  When I think of artist who are know for painting light they would be Rhembrant and Kincade.  These artist were know for capturing mood the overall feeling and essence of the setting or subject.  Rhembrant a dutch painter in the 15th century in Europe painted his subjects in dark settings but lit in candle light with a dark background.  While Kincade painted out door sinces of cottages with a beautiful pallate of pastel colors expressing the indoor and out door artifical light.  I'm sure you may know others besides these to artist who are know for painting light.   In this painting I wanted to work on the skill of painting light.  If one is to have a basic understanding of painting light they must understand value the lightness or darkness of a color.  Also one must know color theory the desaturation and saturation of a color.  Finally one must grasp the concept of warm and cool colors on the color wheel.  A color can be warm, cool or neutral being (black grey and white).

Here is my process on this painting explained.  I used a #4 bright brush which is a shorter bristle and mixed raw umber and yellow ochre.  I watered down the colors to a wash to ground the canvas or to stain it.  At this point I established the compostion with a line drawing.  Here you can see where the point of emphesis being the flame on the top of the candle.  If you notice this design happens not to be a strong compostion.  There is only two subjects.  Finally, I want you to notice the perspective being established to create a sense of depth in how the bible is placed.

   
Now at this stage I have already blocked in the the entire painting.  I want you to notice at this point, the top of the candle the use of effectively creating the illusion of light.  This is how I accomplished this by mixing orange yellow orcher and medium yellow.  This allows the eye to see the glowing effect of light.  I did now use black to create the darkness of the background and shadows.  I mixed phthalocyanine blue raw umber and crimson to achieve this dark value.  Finally, I want you to see the surface of the table in which the light is reflected and fades as it recedes in to the darkness.  The candle is casting a shadow onto the table surface.  Here you see the reflective light on the rear side of the  bible and candle.

"Holy Bible and Candle Light" done in acrylic 10"x10" on canvas DWeaverArt © 2018