Many people often ask how I develop studio works from plein air studies.  This post will illustrate a recent example.

Almost 3 years ago, I did a plein air study of the beautiful Rawah Peaks above Laramie River Valley not far from my home in Northern Colorado. 

The peaks were spectacular with a bit of autumn snow on the highest peaks.  The aspens were ablaze in shades of yellow and gold.  The ridges of pine added a nice contrast as the scene receeded for miles. 

But, having been too caught up in the vastness of the scene, I didn't think through the composition of the plein air study very well.  I was too literal in replicating exactly what I saw.  But the end result was a boring forground with the aspen groves bisected by a large field of sagebrush and yellow grass.  And the distant mountains were too distant to reflect the majesty I felt while there.  Also, the peaks were centered from right to left in the painting (boring).  Simply put, I captured the colors and values, but missed capturing the mood of the scene.  It fell apart with the composition. 

Recently, I was digging through my old plein air studies in search of something to inspire a studio work.  This study spoke to me.  I saw the possibilities.  I saw where it had failed originally.  A few thumbnails later in my handy dandy sketchbook, and I knew how to proceed. 

Compare the two images:


Study for "Autumn in the Rockies", 10 x 12


"Autumn in the Rockies", 16 x 20

This reveals how I often use my plein air studies.  I seldom simply replicate the scene in a larger format.  Rather, I develop the bigger ideas I want to express and rework the elements of the composition to best express those ideas.  I zoomed in on the mountain peaks to make them more dominant and majestic.  I didn't care if the mountains weren't true to reality.  I modified them.  I also created more interesting patterns in the aspen and pine covered hillside in the forground, eliminating much of the open sagebrush area.  Again, this wasn't true to reality, but further up the valley, the hillside does look like this.  Thus, I captured the feel or spirit of the area, which was much more important than capturing an exact likeness.

The resulting painting is much more about the rugged wildness and solitude of the Rockies.  It is about the deep canyons and valleys, the forested hillsides, the majestic peaks.  Subtley, you can feel the voluminous heaves of ridges covered in pine as they ascend to the baren, rocky peaks.

The painting reveals pristine glory among God's creations.

Incidently, I didn't refer to any photographic reference.  I used only my plein air field study, imagination, years of experience, and memory to develop the final painting.

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This painting is available through Keating Fine Art in Aspen, Colorado.

Painted:
May 20, 2010
6:00 pm
Painted on location, Goat Rock Beach, Jenner, California
Painted during week-long Sonoma Plein Air event.
Very windy.
Loud crashing surf.
My son gathered rocks and shells while I painted.

Water can be tricky to paint.  It is constantly moving and changing.  The trick is to observe the reoccuring patterns and paint that.  Don't try to capture a freeze frame rendering.  You want the water to look as if it is moving.  Once again, the key is observation.

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Painted:
May 20, 2010
9:20 am
Painted on location, a couple miles north of Jenner, California, during Sonoma Plein Air event.
Gusty winds.  Needed to pick sand out of the wet paint.

I am always impressd by the myriad of moods present in nature.  Different light and weather conditions can transform the same motif into something completely different.  It happens daily, sometimes hourly.  This painting was done the day after Coastal Rocks near the same location (they are the same rock formations seen from different angles).  Coastal Rocks was gray and rainy.  This day was sunny but very windy. 

To truly capture the multitude of moods nature has to offer, one must paint on location in all types of weather, all times of the year, and at all times of the day.  There is no substitute for experiencing nature while painting.  Being immersed in the time and place results in paintings with more clarity of mood and emotion. 

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Painted:
May 19, 2010
2:30 pm

Everything worth doing is worth doing right.  Don't take shortcuts.  You will only sell yourself short and be dissapointed in the outcome.  Whether in art or any other endeavor in life, things of true value require sacrifice and effort.
 
This painting is an example of that principle.  It would have been easy to just snap a photo and paint this scene in my dry studio.  But if I would have taken the easy way out, I would never have captured the subtle value and color shifts.  I would have missed the mood entirely.  But I chose to make the added effort to paint from life despite the rain.  From the knees down to my feet, I got quite wet from the thick grass and brush.  It was also fairly chilly, probably mid to upper 50's.  But, these seem like minor sacrifices.  I gave up comfort in exchange for capturing the mood of the scene as I experienced it. 

Painted on location, a couple miles north of Jenner, California.
Painted during a week-long Sonoma Plein Air event.
Light, but steady rain.  Yet, somehow calm and peaceful.  Sublime.

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May 19, 2010
10:50 am
Painted on location, Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve
Guerneville, California
Painted during week-long Sonoma Plein Air Event
Lightly raining.  Forest interior provided some shelter from rain.
The mood was quiet, peaceful, and contemplative.

On our way to the coast, we stopped at Guerneville to get a new windshield wiper.  The gentleman in the store suggested we go to the Armstrong Redwoods Reserve.  I am glad we did.  My son and I walked the nature trail in this spectacular spot.  We felt small beneath these towering giants.  We were in awe.  We were about to leave, when I decided to go back and paint.  This is my son's favorite painting from our trip to California.

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This painting was a great example of using bits of color to imply detail without actually rendering any of the detail.  Only one car is rendered with just enough detail to be recognizable as a car.  One car is almost, but not quite.  All of the other cars are only implied.  Our minds interpret them as cars because of the context of the rest of the scene.

Painted:
May 18, 2010
5:30 pm
"Quick Draw" painting done at Sonoma Plaza, Sonoma, California during Sonoma Plein Air Event.
Bustling with both cars and people.
Once in a while there was a break in traffic which enabled me to place the moving cars further down the road.
This was my first street scene ever.  Exciting.  Full of energy. 
This was the favorite of many collectors and artists alike.

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Painted:
May 18, 2010
2:15 pm

Painted on location, Grove Rd, in the hills west of Sonoma, California
Painted during the week-long Sonoma Plein Air Event
Interesting shapes and values.
Partly cloudy, shifting light.

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