I frequently rework paintings, particularly ones I am not satisfied with. While I am pleased now, this collection of Los Angeles sketches was never quite right, and for a long time I wasn't sure why. I finally realized the colors were too strong. So the other night in my studio I started playing around with white paint. I lightened the sky with titanium white, and created a sense of atmosphere with varying degrees of wash over the background. In the process I smeared some of the details, which loosened the painting up, and gave it more energy.
While I am a fan of bold, bright colors, there is something to be said for muted and subdued tones, and trying to develop the look of faded colors on a hazy summer day, (or in the case of Dodger Stadium, a warm August night).
It is finally finished. Rameen admires the completed wall mural. It is in his office.
Here are the final sketches from my long weekend in Vermont. I spent some time after the last class wandering around the hotel and sketching. The next morning I did a couple of quick sketches while waiting for my flight to Chicago. It was early and the sun was just coming up. I like to sketch inside the plane as well. The top sketch was from my outbound trip, but here I have added some color. The fellow in the hat was wearing a neutral colored shirt - I changed it to add interest. FInally, a view of the engine.
I packed my minimal travel gear (artist field sketch box, travel brushes, sketchbooks, portable easel and campstool), and drove over to the lake for a Saturday morning paint out. I found a bench in the perfect spot for two different views.
I did a study sketch in my 6" x 9" Aquabee sketchbook, and the final in an 11" x 14" Canson Montval watercolor sketchbook.
This is a three-part sketch of Fabrizio Optometry in Whittier. Each sketch was done on a piece of 6" x 9" Aquabee Super Deluxe sketchbook paper with a Sanford Uniball pen and Holbein transparent watercolor. The paper was attached to a cradled hardboard panel that had been coated with gesso. They are framed in clear acrylic boxes.
Here are some quick little sketches I did after the workshop, of scenes around the hotel.
I taught an outside painting class today, to many enthusiastic students. We did two quick landscapes of the area behind the hotel before it started raining again. It was the perfect wrap up to the event.
Here are images from my second day at the Vermont Art Event for Holbein. I did two demonstration paintings of Philippe's Restaurant and a painting of a sunset in Redlands
Valley.
After the classes were done, I went over to the Holbein Warehouse to film some videos for the Holbein You Tube channel.
