Landscape Workshop Last Hurrah

Heber Valley Vista- 6" x 8" Oil by Greg Newbold

As I mentioned in my previous landscape workshop post, I left the workshop just a bit early to try to find one last location that interested me. I could have stayed and had another go at Deer Creek and the surrounding vistas, but I was itching for something with more trees. I drove home through Midway, Utah and stopped at this spot overlooking the Heber Valley.

I had just over an hour to bang out this little 6" x 8" study. Of all the pieces I painted at the workshop, this one may be my favorite. It seemed to come together quickly (I didn't exactly have a choice since I had a commitment at home that I need to attend), but Things seemed to fall in place and the paint was flowing. I think it has the feel of a larger painting, so I think this one may make it's way onto a bigger panel someday.

Painting with Bill Perkins Redux

High Water- Oil, 8" x  10" by Greg Newbold

I unfortunately had to miss the second day of Bill Perkins plein air workshop but had a good time on day three. We traveled about 20 minutes up Provo Canyon to Deer Creek State Park and found places to paint along the edge of the water. I wanted to try something different and chose a composition where the water came right to the bottom of my picture. I was literally right on the water's edge. Whenever a boat went by the lapping waves would splash on me a little bit.

My view at the edge of the water

This one turned out better than I originally feared but not as well as I had hoped going in. I guess that's the nature of outdoor painting. Sometimes all the elements converge and you get something great and other times things sort of fall apart before your eyes. One thing I am learning (the hard way at times) is to not "chase the light". That means not constantly changing shapes and shadow patterns as the light shifts. I spent so long on this one, that the light on the trees shifted from near shadow to side light, but I tried to refrain from adjusting things. The texture of the trees was also a challenge I don't think I lived up to. I just need to get faster at putting down my impressions I guess. Anyway, After this one, I had one more shot before I had to call it a day. I'll post that one next time.

More Painting with Bill Perkins

Three Bales- 8" x 8", Oil by Greg Newbold

Later in the afternoon, following a delicious lunch at Station 22 in downtown Provo, we got back to painting. I have long been attracted to farm scenes and couldn't resits trying my hand at the large hay bales we found dotting a nearby field.

We found these bales just to the east of where I painted in the morning session

I decided on a small 8" x 8" panel for this painting. It was a challenge to capture the solidity of the bales and also inject interesting color into the shadows.

In progress, in the shade. The color shift in direct light is always interesting.

I like the overall design but I am not sure if I quite captured the color I wanted. I only had about an hour and a half to paint this one, so I was concentrated on big shapes and trying to get color notes down. I will have to reevaluate it in studio and see if I can "pull it out of the weeds" so to speak. I definitely see things I will want to adjust. 

Painting with Bill Perkins

Toward Provo Canyon- 8" x 10", Oil

Last week I took a couple of days to attend an outdoor painting workshop with Bill Perkins. It was a good chance for me to continue developing my outdoor painting skills. The more I paint outside, the more I realize the only way to learn to paint outside, is (stunning revelation) to paint outside. I feel like I get more comfortable and confident with every painting. I feel the paintings are consequently getting better as well.

The actual scene in west Provo looking northeast toward Provo Canyon

This is my first effort of the workshop and I like certain things (the composition, overall color and values) and other things I'd like to have captured better (the texture of the trees and the mountains). I thought the two main trees were too similar in size, so I adjusted the shape and size. Looking back, I think I pushed the color a little too much in certain areas and I'll probably tickle it a little in studio before I let it go.

In progress on the easel

I tend to want to have something that I can call finished. Bill kept stressing that for him, these outdoor studies are just a way to "capture a moment in time". He concentrates on getting maybe a dozen spots of color and value down in an accurate way and then using the study to create authentic interpretations of the scene in studio. I admire that approach but still bring myself to not want a more finished painting from the experience.

Bill Perkins Color Boot camp
Bill Perkins site