Rockland Workshop...
This painting was done in South Thomaston, and it’s a place I’ve painted before, but not on a day with such vibrant color. I did a similar scene on a grey day in early spring, when all of the grass was still brown and the trees bare. When I happened upon the scene again, I was excited by how different everything could look. This painting is a 12×16″ oil on canvas.
I’ve been slow about posting new entries, mostly because I’ve been running around the last few weeks. Last week I was teaching a 5 day workshop in Rockland, ME. The week before I was traveling through Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, Canada checking out a new place, and getting a little bit of painting done. I have a few new paintings from that trip, which I’ll try to get up here soon.
The workshop was my first 5 day class, and it was great. We got lucky with the weather, spending most of our days painting on site. We only got chased inside one morning, and the sun came back out quickly. Everything went pretty smoothly, and I had a great group. They were funny and all very laid back and fun to work with. I was careful to pace myself for the week, so I wouldn’t crash half way through, and I did a pretty good job. The focus I need to give everyone the help they need is just exhausting. But overall I was really happy with how everyone did. I started with b+w value studies the first day. Then temperature studies the next morning, and a limited palette that afternoon. All week I stressed the value of getting a really good structure into the painting in the very early stages. That meant alot of talk about comparing values, and color temperature, and observed colors, and composition, and a fair amount about paint handling. In these workshops I’m trying to help people improve their plein air paintings, but I feel like the techniqes we focus on the most hold true in how I approach everything I paint. So I hope my students bring alot of these ideas home and incorporate them wherever they might fit.
Posted on Tuesday September 22, 2009 | 5 Comments
5 Responses to “Rockland Workshop”
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Colin,
Is it me? I only get the red X…no picture.
Great painting Colin! The blue green key throughout kicks ass.
Colin, I can’t tell you enough what a wonderful experience it was being in your workshop. Not all artists are good teachers but you are! Thank you for all your help. I can’t wait to get started again.
I want to be as good as you but realize I have a long way to go. The exercises were a big help in taking me back to my roots. I miss Maine already..!
I second Ellen’s post Colin – It was a great week and I really enjoyed your class! Every day that I’ve been out to paint, I think to myself “what color note would Colin put there to make this better?” Thanks again for a great class!
Colin. You are extremely sensitive to the subjects you paint and it comes through.
The road is smashing. So often, the angles are off in pictures like this one.