Same Location, Different View ?

Dusk At...Dock- Plein Air Oil- K.Hitt Copyright All Rights

Same location, is it the same view? The first time sitting here, the goal was to quickly catch an impression of the colors quickly passing through.









This first, done the last time VPA visited this wonderful property that's owner kindly shares with us. Last Saturday, had the luxury of sitting out at the end of the dock once again, under my umbrella listening to the sound of jumping fish as tried once again to capture the view. These Mangroves so intrigue me... and how the water moves in and out with the tide.

Low Tides Calm- Plein Air Oil- K. Hitt Copyright 2011 All Rights Reserved

The next time painting this scene, shall use these plein air references for a larger studio piece.  Have sketches of the birds that use these same mangroves for their roost as they fish... or preen.. or simply seek shelter.  A beautiful spot, that so enjoy the opportunity to paint, especially en plein air.  No criticisms meant to any who love the art of photography, but as a painter, can not ignore how the light is shed on a subject.  It simply can not be fully reproduced by a camera lens. Though it can be beautifully captured indeed...  the effects of the light, and trying to depict those little light bulbs and make them go off on the canvas... is the finishing touches on each plein air painting.  They are not quite all here on this last... shared here is simply a quick photo taken with my phone of the work in progress.  Think will save this piece to be simply 'en plein air' reference that it is. Another area of study for myself, is the area of atmospheric perspective.  It remains my greatest challenge to achieve en plein air.  I will take it as good news that I am not done learning it myself yet, for that means once again I surely will find myself sitting out at the end of a dock. More good news, is the canvas above is the same canvas that I had a another first experience with.  It is the canvas that I wiped the days painting off of the week before.  So progress indeed! This Monday VPA is out and about again.  As I have been spending countless hours in the studio of late, working on illustrations.  Plein Air, has taken on an added importance.  It helps me to see how to paint, like nothing else can.  I always marvel as I study some of the Master artist's works that I so love.  One of my favorite paintings of all time "Lilly Lilly Carnation Rose" by John Singer Sargent was completely painted outdoors on location.  The effects of light on that scene one of the greatest challenges of his subject.

I have two little post-its that always hang next to my easel in the studio.
One post-it: Sargent's 5 types of light; 1. light 2. shadow 3. midtone 4. accent (can either be darkest or lightest) 5. reflective. 
The other post-it: John Carlson 4 types of light, lightest to darkest; 1. Sky 2. ground plane 3. slanted planes 4. uprights.

As many artist in history depicted the same subject more than once.  We too can take our lessons from the 'Masters' ...Monet for example with his Haystacks, or Cathedral. Review them for yourself.  The effects of light on a scene... at different times of the day, so cast it into a different view completely. If you enjoy painting... allow yourself the luxury too of capturing a scene from life.  Photography is an excellent tool for reference indeed, but nothing can match learning to capture the effect of light from life.  Same location, different view? Try the exercise yourself perhaps... either do a sketch or painting from a photograph, then try to do the same location from life.  Or perhaps, as here, two different times of the day at the same location.  How has the view changed before you? If a full landscape is overwhelming to start... perhaps a simple still life is a better place to begin.  The key is to give yourself the luxury of live observation and trying to depict it.  There is much to be learned there, that can not be learned any other way. 

I look forward to getting to start my painting week once again en plein air with VPA monday morning out and about.  So thankful that we never stop learning... and I so look forward to what I have to learn next. 
May it be an UP day! Paint away! K

En Plein Air

Day Dreaming from my studio easel... and looking ahead to Saturday.
VPA MAP paints here Saturday. I so look forward to spending the day en Plein Air... hopefully with NO wipe outs :0) May it be an UP day! K

"Dusk At ... Dock" K. Hitt - Plein Air Oil - Copyright 2011 ALL rights reserved
 

For more info visit here:  VPA ='s Venice Plein Air

Another First On Monday

Oil 

By K. Hitt Copy right 2011

The Big Bad Rain Monster - Page 4 sample Illustration 

 

Monday was a working 'hooky' day and thoroughly enjoyed it, dare I  confess. Just had to get out of the studio. So, it started with instructing a 4 hour semi-private painting lesson to two very talented students, then lunch and headed to one of my favorite local spots to paint plein air.  Was at the same location the heading photo for this blog was taken.  Beautiful day, Scenes, LOVED the back lite lighting on the palms that came with the sunset. Great clouds just enough to add fabulous color to the sky....  SAD truth though, had another first at plein air yesterday too..... I completely WIPED OUT my Painting!  Heard of and have seen others do so before.  The eternal optimist that I am never had before, though have painted some down right BAD plein air paintings. Always held onto the thought in the back of my head that could tweek them out to work, in the studio at a later time. Well not this time... and decided this piece of linen was worthy of a far better painting.... and scraped the hours of work away.  Must say, though sad... VERY FREEING MOMENT to say the least. From there packed up my paints and walked all through the park refreshing my memory of all the things that I have always loved about it.  So NO fresh paint plein air to share... but still a learning day of plein air and the joy of watching the effects of light blanket the view.

So instead will share a sampling of upcoming Children's Book that am illustrating. "The Big Bad Rain Monster" should be available SOON. The other two that am illustrating are due to publish in February. Not permitted to share those images just yet. They are part of a wonderful new series coming soon.

So back to my in studio easel for the rest of the week.  Then Saturday yeah, another shot at plein air. VPA has a MAP.   More info on that can be found at VPA blog

May it be an UP day!  K

New Event, Plein Air MAPs & Workshops for this year

See my Instruction Page above for Workshops available this season. One starts in less than two weeks.  Also I will be a special guest Artist at a New event coming up at VAC on November 10th. Should be fun for all... Get your tickets early and save money.  Should be a great evening to support the Arts and enjoy Fine Wine, Fine Food and Fine Art. Hope to see you there!

VAC Wine Tasting: Fine Art, Fine Wine, Fine Food  

Reflections At Fort Desota - Plien Air Oil - K. Hitt 

Reflections At Fort Desota - Plein Air Oil - K. Hitt - copy right All rights reserved

PLEIN AIR HAT time to share VPA as in Venice Plein Air and our MAPs as in Meet And Paint.  Creating a new page here, and also it will be posted at PAF, Plein Air Florida for those of you in the area that enjoy painting en Plein Air with others.  Goal is for Three Mondays and One Saturday each month for VPA to have a MAP. Holiday's and schedules sometimes interfere.... but visit PleinAirFlorida.org and on their calendar is a list of all the plein air groups painting in Florida.  Another wonderful group here is led by Terry Mason named PASC.  They meet on Thurs. morning.  Check back by the end of the week for the page being added here dedicated to VPA and MAPS. Our first MAP will be at good ole Casperson's Beach, and our next after that at the beloved Myakka State Park.  Stay tuned.  again, exact dates and times soon to follow.

in the meantime, here are some plein air views of reflective light.

Myakka Morning - Plein Air Oil - K. Hitt. Copyright all rights reserved

Myakka Gold - Plein Air Oil - K.Hitt. Copyright all rights reserved

Many times one of my favorite subjects to paint is reflective light. That amazing warm glow that blankets the land and changes the view completely by its qualities taking hold of the ordinary, plain, dull even. Admiration of the light on a clump of Ponderosa Pines began this morning. In His Light... Before The Dawn began today with the appreciation of Light, and the difference it makes, and the difference of our perspective when we view it and share what that view makes
www.InHisLightBeforeTheDawn.blogspot.com

 

For The Record

 

"For The Records" a Plein Air Oil that won the "people's choice" in the show it was displayed, reminds me of the awesome surf out at our Jetty of late. 

Enjoy Surfers!(Just a phone camera shot... Sorry about that)

As I post this painting, I remember exactly what and why took up the art of Plein Air Painting...

for the joy of experiencing all of these "For The Records" and recording them for history sake.

Being the founder of VPA, Venice Plein Air, am reminded its time to restablish these MAPs that many in this area loved.  MAPs are simply Meet And Paint!

So, also because have been MARRIED to my studio easel and drawing table of late due to illustration deadlines.... I am also reminded of the importance of 'en Plein Air'

To GET OUT SIDE AND PAINT.

So those of you that are members of VPA, drop me an email if you would like to be a part of the next MAP.

I will send out a month calendar of Three Mondays and One Saturday of places around our area for a MAP

Will also share with you another that facilitates a group that meets a bit beyond our immediate borders on Thurs. mornings.  SO ample opportunity to keep the records straight and keep you outside painting.

May it be an UP day

in EVERY way

K

Caspersons In Wind And Gray- Plein Air Oil... and one of the first en Plein Air Paintings that I ever did.  Learned all about the wind blowing your easel away that day.

 

Step By Step Still Life Drawing Example

From the Sketch book... below you will see the steps along the way to this finished sketch.   

To enlarge any of the images, just click on them.

 To begin your drawing...  remember it's all about finding a good relationship. Find the big shapes first.  Break them down....  NO DETAIL needed to start.  All the detail in the world will not improve your drawing, if its out of proportion.  Confirm that you have all the relationships in place before you start in on the details.  These first three photo's are examples of the steps in how the foundation of your drawing begins. With your subject being broken down to very basic shapes, look at the relationship of the objects. Did I mention its also all about finding  GOOD RELATIONSHIPS. (Yes the fundamental lessons in life are also a part of learning to draw  :0)

NOW that you have a good relationship :0) You can start on your next step. As you start to think about the detail, now its time to remember the world is not defined by a line around it.  NOW its time to find the values in your shapes

 

 

 
Many of your edges are actually defined by a value.  Within the shapes that you have already defined , the relationships that you have already established, now your next step is to focus on is hard edges vs soft edges with your values.  Your eye will be led to where the dark and light meet, in other words the highest contrast.  Four simple values are; Dark, Next to Dark, Next to Light and Light.  Light often is the value of your paper in graphite drawing.  In Conte, its your white chalk. Note, Dark is as close to black as you can make it.  This is what your soft "B" lead pencils are for. The higher the number, the softer the lead, and the darker its effect. This just touches on all that is is available to learn about drawing, (tools, technique... foundation).  This foundation is what actually enables you  to paint.  Even abstract artists need to learn these techniques and what makes for a strong composition.

One of the hardest lessons to learn when drawing is that the negative WILL make your positive.  The way you draw the light... is by NOT drawing it... but planning for it.  Notice here how the original basic shapes of the flowers are now broken down and further defined.  I intentionally did not use the word 'detail'.  Its still about finding the good relationships, shapes and values.

This, of course, is just the basics in approaching a still life and learning to draw.  With a few basic foundational tools, we all have the ability to draw.  We may not all be Leonardo Da Vinci. There is a reason Da Vinci is titled a "Master" not to mention a genius.  You will find the most important way to learn is practice practice practice.  Leonardo spent countless hours applying this foundational tool to every piece of art he created.  Good draftsmanship is key. As in life as in art... finding good relationships is key.  Its not about the details, its about the relationship.

To summarize : When you start your still life.  

• Remember it begins by finding the overall relationship of your objects.  
• Break down the shapes. 
• Define your values, and your edges with values.  
• The negative will make your positives.  You need DARK to make the LIGHT.  Dark is how you draw the light.... by NOT drawing it, but planning for it and drawing the dark around it.

I am offering drawing workshops this season where this and more will be explored.  Workshops  ONE of the popular "Building A Strong Foundation - FUNdamentals of  Drawing.  It is a three day workshop.  One will be held at VAC  Workshops  I also have another at Boca Grande Art Alliance Workshops .  I will show you much more than this, and help you to develop this foundation to every good work of art.  Solid draftsmanship.... by DRAWING.  Will help teach you to SEE like an Artist.  Hope to see you soon!

Put On Display

Sun Setting On The Blue Moon Rising - Oil On Linen 24 x 30 Copyright 2011 K. Hitt

This Painting was hung in the recent exhibit at the Venice Art Center and will be on display there until Oct. 7th as a part of the "VAC Instructor's, Staff and Board of Director's Show" . You can ask at the front desk for my supply list that also list this years upcoming workshops at VAC.  They are listed here too on my Classes Page.  I was very honored at the Opening by how many shared that the painting above was picked "favorite".  It is one of my favorites too, along with depicting one of my favorite locations in Venice.  Can you guess where it is?  I added below a few of the steps along the way of this painting too.  Enjoy.  The photo doesn't quite do the colors justice.  Hope you will stop by in person and see for yourself.

Another unique side to this painting... learned that there is a truth to once in a 'blue moon'.  This exact setting will not take place again for another 100+ years.  Sun was setting, literally as the Blue Moon was rising.  Hence the title.  May it be an UP day!  Hope to see you out and about.  K