Oil Painting

On a clear day we may be able to “see forever,” but as we see in this summer photo of the Val d’Orcia in Tuscany, the haze of earth’s atmosphere has a strong effect on the clarity of forms as they recede into the distance.

To capture effects such as this an artist can employ two interrelated theories, Atmospheric Perspective, and Mass. The concept of Atmospheric Perspective focuses on 3 components: shapes, values and colors. We are all aware that shapes appear smaller as they recede into the distance, but notice that their edges also soften; darks lighten (the value range is restricted) and colors are muted in the distance. This means that clearly-defined edges, the strongest value contrasts (white and black) and bright colors only exist in the foreground where we can clearly see details. This brings us to the concept of Mass. In a massed shape, details are restricted. When you notice the larger silhouette shape before the details, you are seeing Mass, and that’s what happens as the atmosphere become thicker. In the photo below, the early morning fog has massed the trees and distant hillside, contrasting with the clarity of the grain field, where details emerge.

I live and paint on the Big Island of Hawaii where the Kilauea volcano had created a daily haze for 3 decades until this spring. When we were downwind of the eruption, there were days when the horizon of the ocean disappeared entirely in the vog (our version of smog). So I’ve had the opportunity to observe and paint varied atmospheric effects for 38 years.

When painting seascapes, the horizon line can present a challenge. On a clear, crisp day it can appear as a hard edge, and the dark value of the ocean contrasts sharply with the light value of the sky. Hard edges combined with strong contrasts will visually come forward in space, but the horizon needs to read in the distance and not compete for attention with foreground objects. The concept of Atmospheric Perspective provides a way to control this important transition.

Another use of these two concepts is to direct the viewer’s attention within the composition. In this painting, I used the fog to mass the background trees which shifts the attention to the trapper and his horse in the foreground.

This applies to interior scenes as well. In this still life by Chardin, the edges of the table are almost lost in the atmospheric shadows except in the center foreground where it becomes an integral part of the focal point.

The use of deep shadows in interior scenes forms the basis of chiaroscuro, where forms are revealed in the light and fade into the obscure mass of atmospheric shadows which the masters used so effectively.

In short, as objects recede into an atmospheric space, the edges of shapes soften, the value range is restricted and colors are muted. This shifts the viewer’s attention from individual details (which can no longer be discerned) to the larger silhouette shape. So atmosphere causes objects to mass.

Overcoming Plein Air Obstacles

I love plein air painting. Painting outdoors is such a special experience because of our unique engagement with the environment. Here we are with our panel, some colors, and our brushes, trying to convey something about the place where we stand – the light, the air, the wind, the bugs, the people – so much to take in. It can be an exhilarating experience, taking all of our concentration as we get lost in this world we are creating on the canvas.

But, as we all know, it’s not all sunshine and roses – even when we’re painting sunshine and roses. Like anything in life, the pursuit has ups and downs, and we must be flexible and learn to roll with things, both external and internal. This article is about getting over the hurdles that stand in our way. I have my obstacles; I am sure you have your own. Let’s find ways to work on overcoming some of the common ones.

Get out the Door

First things first, we have to leave the house. What is that thing that is going to get you out the door? For me, when I need an extra boost to find a couple hours to get outdoors, I fall back on my mantra, ‘What would Pete the Street do?’ For those not familiar, Peter Brown is a prolific British painter, best known for his paintings of his hometown of Bath. I don’t know him personally, but from what I can gather, he paints in the morning, afternoon, night and probably in bed. This may not be totally accurate, but for my purposes Pete the Street is the quintessential plein air painter. He isn’t going to let the weather, location, or pretty much anything stop him. He is going to make that painting! And be happy while he is doing it. So asking myself, ‘What would Pete the Street do?’ is my way of telling myself to pack my stuff, get out the door and get painting.

This works for me, and I know mantras may be a bit new-age-y for some, but finding your own short and simple way to remind yourself how much you want to get out there is a quick way to give yourself a boost when you need it. Maybe you post photos of paintings that inspire you on your refrigerator or play a piece of music associated with getting ready to go. The trick is to keep it simple, so there’s no debate – we’re out the door!

Set Your Easel Up. Yes, Right Here

Let’s find a spot to paint. Who hasn’t seen a beautiful spot they would love to paint and then thought, ‘But, there are so many people around.’ Yes, I know there are plenty of confident and social painters among us, but I would bet there are quite a few reading who would rather head for the safety of their studio than take the chance of lots of people looking at them while they work. I know this feeling very well. I love people, but insecurity in my work can definitely let those feelings creep in. But once again, our hero, Pete the Street comes in. ‘What would Pete the Street do?’ Yep, he just saw this beautiful building in town and he’s gonna set his easel up and paint it right there.

You would be amazed at how much confidence you can gain by taking the plunge and painting in public. While you may worry about our values or our drawing, most people are just going to be impressed that you are out there doing it! They aren’t coming to give you a critique. If anything, they will probably be impressed and give you a word of encouragement. And you will have gained valuable experience in painting this place or light effect that you have been wanting to paint. The next time will be so much easier, and so on, until you don’t give it a second thought.

Just a side note, I don’t want to minimize the value of privacy. Sometimes the ability to really focus and minimize distractions can be important. And, if you see a nice, private place to paint that might not be in the public domain, don’t be afraid to ask if you can paint on someone’s property. Owners of vineyards, marinas, farms, etc. may be excited to have an artist on their grounds, as it shows their customers and visitors that it is a beautiful place.

Stick With It

All right, let’s do this! We’re out, we found a great spot to paint and…right, this is pretty hard. We all know that painting outdoors is not as easy as it may look. We get the rewards of beautiful days and fulfilling work. But challenging ourselves is part of the equation if we want to improve. Maybe you are comfortable with trees but stay away from a specific subject, such as architecture or water or people. Whatever it is, attempting those challenges will bring discomfort, either in the process or in the results. And that’s okay! To improve, you have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable; it just means you’re learning. And who knows, you may find that you have a real ability in your new subject matter.  And more than likely, those reasons you were staying away will prove unfounded.

Embrace the discomfort and understand that if you want to progress to the next level, you will experience this feeling, sometimes in the middle of the painting and sometimes over a period of time. Stay with it though. Give your painting an extra 30 minutes past when you might stop, and try to figure out that thing that you know isn’t quite right. You may not resolve it on this painting, but sticking with it could provide the insight you need the next time you approach that problem.

Share Your Work

After a solid effort out in the field, we made some progress, congratulations. And with that, we can do some evaluating. How does it stack up against your others? Better than the last? I admit, I often ask my kids for feedback – ‘Do you like this one?’

 ‘I like all your paintings, Daddy!’. Thanks, kids. Yes, they are 6 and 4 years of age, not the toughest critics.

But really, sharing your work can be a great way to increase the value of your time spent working. Instead of making a snap judgment – this is good or not good – taking the time to evaluate your painting with another person is a step toward real learning. Did you nail the composition, but missed on values? What was successful and what wasn’t? Finding friends, willing family members, or teachers to help you is invaluable.

And they don’t need to be painters or ‘art people’ to be helpful. When I have family visit, I purposely put out paintings where I want to see their reaction. It can be very helpful to see what people respond to, what emotional reactions they have. It helps me see my work through other people’s eyes. Sometimes it is so hard to see what is on the canvas without our emotional attachment. This makes sense. You put your heart into something; it can be pretty difficult to see it objectively. Let those around you help you with their observations; they probably see things you don’t.

Keep Going

Painting can teach us a lot about the world. We see things we wouldn’t otherwise see by observing the world in a way that few do. We connect with places and people by painting them and showing people how we see them. And we learn a lot about ourselves in the process. I hope some of the ideas in this article will help you look at your own obstacles and find ways to push through them so you can be free to pursue the paintings you want to make. Make sure to share them with us so we can give you a thumbs-up, and watch as you become a more complete painter.

In the art world, one should paint what you are connected to. I live in California outside of Oakland but I have my family roots in Vermont. The light in California, especially where I live is sunny just outside the fog belt. Sunny days in the summer with purple and blue cast shadows. In Vermont, there is so much atmosphere as the moisture is thick and hanging in the summer. The sun is the light for plein air painters and it is very different in Vermont and California.

I have been back in school at the Golden Gate Atelier, Oakland, CA. Finally honoring the craft of drawing and painting much like the 19th-century training. We have a controlled light source that falls like a waterfall on our models and casts. My latest ah-hah moment as I’ve been able to orchestrate value with color.

OMG do I love color. I’ve always used so much and never knew how to orchestrate the background with it. The subtle half-tones in the light coordinated collectively is the key.

I’ve done this art training for so many years that it’s considered a luxury but in reality, I felt I needed the training. After all, when I look at Sargent, Zorn, Gerome, and observe the drawing you wonder why, and what was missing in my prior training?

I write this in the early morning in the hope of a new day. The plants get watered, as the light and the birds wake up. Coffee and calling my east coast friends from California, I’m able to catch them at coffee as well.

This funny thing called art that I’ve dedicated my life to happened because as a child, I was surrounded by artists. I was influenced especially by artists in Vermont. It is there at the Landgrove Inn where I taught plein air workshops for the last 15 years.

There’s always the hope of being a great artist and I would question my pride if I ever get to that elusive place. One of my favorite paintings in the atelier system is just an exercise, but it took forever to complete. If I had not been forced to take it all the way to the end I would not have recognized how far I could have taken it. It was blind faith and forcing myself to focus. The ultimate test of pride would be to destroy it.

In this process of focusing, I know I have the tendency to lean towards ADD and distraction. When the going gets tough, I tend to jump to something else. Dunning Kruger effect might even play a role. The paper published by Dunning and Kruger is titled “Unskilled and Unaware of It: How Difficulties in Recognizing One’s Own Incompetence Lead to Inflated Self-Assessments.” I’ve had to recognize specifically the importance of drawing in my painting process which thankfully was available at Gold Gate Atelier in Oakland, Ca.

I have gone through much self-searching in my ardent quest for knowledge. Coming to the end of the semester, it is time to review my work. Yes, it’s good, but how does it compare to the heroes of the past? What is extremely crippling for me is the comparisons and competition. This is where ego and pride get in the way. I do feel that art should speak for itself. If it’s good it will resonate with someone. Don’t forget that the iPhone and androids allow us to store thousands of pictures but it is not a painting.

It’s time to jump off the cliff of my own work bathed in California light and Vermont light. Without light, it’s difficult to see. Art is about seeing. I never take that for granted. Knowing how far to go for finish in a painting is the goal. When you say what you wanted to say then your painting should be complete. This song, Moonlight in Vermont, creates a picture and for the moment of hearing and reading these lyrics, I am happy and whole. I want my art to do this for others.

“Moonlight In Vermont” a popular song about the U.S. state of Vermont, written by John Blackburn (lyrics) and Karl Suessdorf (music) and published in 1944.

Pennies in a stream
Falling leaves of a sycamore
Moonlight in Vermont

Icey finger waves
Ski trails on a mountain side
Snowlight in Vermont

Telegraph cables, they sing down the highway
And travel each bend in the road
People who meet, in this romantic setting
Are so hypnotized by the lovely…

Evening summer breeze
Warbling of a meadowlark
Moonlight in Vermont

Telegraph cables, they sing down the highway
And travel each bend in the road

People who meet, in this romantic setting
Are so hypnotized by the lovely…

Evening summer breeze
Warbling of a meadowlark
Moonlight in Vermont

You and I and moonlight in Vermont

How would you rate your listening skills?  Do you struggle with communicating with art buyers or gallery directors? Are you involved in leadership in an art-related organization? When asked to speak to a group about your art, how comfortable are you?

In 2017, a man that I met at my church invited me to attend a Toastmaster’s meeting. I was vaguely aware of Toastmasters, knowing that it involved public speaking. I decided to attend. I became a member because I saw the activity would help me grow in ways that I needed and could not obtain elsewhere. At the time, I was in transition from part-time Radiologist and part-time artist to full-time artist.  

As a physician, I thought I knew a fair amount about communication. After all, for 40 years I had been giving people bad news or explaining a procedure and it’s potential complications. I had given numerous talks over those years with positive feedback. I had accomplished many roles as a leader. 

However, after joining Toastmasters, I realized that I had been approaching the whole process backward!  My order of priority was: Leading – Speaking – Thinking – Listening. I thought that if I was a strong leader then I would be able to speak with authority and convince people to trust me. I doubt that anyone would have described me as a good listener.

In Toastmasters, I  learned that the correct order of priority is: Listening – Thinking – Speaking – Leading. Many people may think that the sole focus of Toastmasters is public speaking but the Toastmaster’s motto is: “For better listening, for better thinking, for better speaking, we learn by doing”.

One of the roles that members have in a meeting is to be an evaluator of the speakers. It is impossible to be a good evaluator if you are not a good listener and observer. It is impossible to accurately assess human interaction without being a good listener. When you listen to someone, do you think about making eye contact? If you are looking elsewhere, what does that tell them about your level of interest? Do you respond with positive facial gestures? Do you wait until they finish before speaking or do you interrupt them? Do you jump right into responding or do you take time to think? 

In our fast-paced world, we have to think fast. In Toastmasters, we learn to think fast but also to how to focus on what to think about. An evaluator has only a few minutes to organize their thoughts and give a verbal response. We learn how to give effective feedback according to a system. The system focuses our attention and organizes our thoughts.

In one segment of the meeting called “Table Topics”, we learn to think at warp speed. At first, I hated this segment but I have come to appreciate its value. The Topics Master presents a topic and calls on individual members to give a 1-2 minute talk on that topic. You have about 15 seconds to think and start speaking.

It is only after listening well and thinking well that you are ready to speak. It is only after speaking well that you are ready to lead well. The two main goals of Toastmasters are to communicate effectively and to lead effectively – in that order. 

How is this related to the artist’s life?

How well do you listen? One of the aspects of speaking that I had given no thought to before Toastmasters is body language. You encounter potential buyers of your artwork, art patrons, gallery directors, and art students. How aware are you of their body language and your own?

Did you know that your body language influences trust more than your words? Have you not met someone that you did not trust but could not say exactly why? Your subconscious (what we refer to as “our gut”) is assessing the other person’s body language. A good listener brings that subconscious evaluation into their conscious thought process. They do it by consciously evaluating body language.

For instance, if you approach someone and they take a step back, are you consciously aware that you have invaded too far into their personal space? When you explain something to someone and they cross their arms, are you aware that they don’t trust what you are saying? Do you observe what the other person is doing with their hands? It may surprise you how much we communicate with hand movements. This is why people find it hard to communicate without moving their hands. Do you often stand with your hands in your pockets or behind your back? Are you aware that this communicates that you have something to hide? Are you aware that standing with your body oriented at 90 degrees to someone else is a defensive posture – showing a lack of trust?  How often does your body language contradict your words? When this occurs, people believe the body language, not the words. 

After listening to your potential client or student, do you take time to carefully consider what they said? Do you respond to only the words you heard or also to the body language you observed?  As you respond, are you consciously aware of your own body language? 

If you have a leadership role in an organization, your effectiveness will depend on being a good listener, a good thinker, and a good communicator.  Effectiveness as a leader or communicator depends on trust. Effective leaders and communicators ask themselves: Do they trust me? If the answer is no, then you have to find out why. Why is this potential client not comfortable with commissioning an artwork? Why are they hesitating to buy? Why is the gallery director not promoting my work? Why is the student not trying the technique I showed them? Why is my audience not making eye contact with me?

At some point in your art career, someone will ask you to give a speech or make a presentation about your work. How much do you desire to be an effective speaker – to communicate an idea or concept that your listener will trust? Most people fear public speaking more than they fear death. Is that true of you? 

Toastmasters will enable you to be a better listener, thinker, speaker, and leader. It is fun! It will broaden your contacts. It will introduce you to people who will help your career in unexpected ways. The new online Toastmaster’s Pathways program allows you to choose the learning path that best meets your needs. Your area will likely have many clubs to choose from that may have different emphases. You can attend up to 3 meetings for free at individual clubs. 

Find a club near you at www.toastmasters.org
Book References: “Trust Me” and “Power Cues” by Nick Morgan.
Contact Ken Requard: kenrequard8@icloud.com
www.kenrequard.com

Design, noun, 2) the purpose, planning or intention that exists or is thought to exist behind an action, fact or material object. 

In this post, I want to say a few things about intelligent design.  Intelligent design requires creativity.  It means using our imagination. It involves planning and purpose.  In painting, it’s a process of sorting through a myriad of details selecting only those which support intents.  Which implies a clear intent exists in the first place.  Intent may take various forms, but it usually flows from an emotional response to subject matter.   It could be the desire to convey a simple mood, to extol the beauty of nature or tell a story.  Whatever its form, intent looks beyond the mere transcription of facts.  Art is not in the facts.  That’s not to say the ability to represent nature is dispensable.  That’s still important.  But art is in the selection process aimed at setting emphasis.  It involves seeing nature in simplified, paintable terms.  Simplification is, therefore, the root of design.  Design differs from composition in that you can crop to a good composition, but design requires thoughtful arrangement of elements.  

In May of 2018, I participated in the Forgotten Coast En Plein Air event in Florida’s Panhandle.  My official capacity was as a Plein Air Ambassador.  Tons of great subject matter there including an abundance of shrimp boats.  Indeed, the fleet of commercial shrimpers is one of the regions enduring legacies. Early in the week, at the Florida’s Finest Plein Air exhibition (which included a few of my works), I overheard one patron say to another “The last thing I want to see is another painting of a shrimp boat”.  I understood the comment completely.  Shrimp boats are part of the prevailing culture.  They’re as plentiful as bikinis on South Beach.  Surely some of the thrill is gone.  No doubt shrimp boats are the most painted subjects in the area.  But I don’t see them every day.  So, to me, a marina full of shrimpers is an amusement park for artists.  I was drawn to the marina at Mill Pond as if pulled by a giant magnet. 

Amidst the retorts of laughing gulls, breathing in the aroma of salt air and diesel fumes, I walked the perimeter dock of the “U” shaped cove, admiring vessel after vessel.  I was captivated by the weathered charm of the gritty watercraft as the words “Who wants another painting of a shrimp boat” reverberated in my head.  Inhaling once more, the pungent admixture of salt air and low droning engines fueled my inspiration. I vowed to do something more than a mere “painting of a shrimp boat”.  With that clear intention in mind, I looked for something a shrimp boat could do besides sit for a portrait.  That’s when the crusty visage of a rod and reel fisherman appeared.  Light bulbs went off as I saw the possibility of using the shadow side of a shrimp boat as a foil for the play of light and shadow across his figure.  That decision clearly shifted the emphasis away from shrimp boats, without avoiding the boats altogether.  So, the painting became more than just “another painting of a shrimp boat”.  The overall design plan was the stacking of values from foreground to background, dark in front of light in front of dark in front of light and so on.   Emphasis on the figure was further supported by using very saturated colors for his shirt, chair, and hat.  The warm shadowy sides of his face and arms further separate him from the cool shadow behind.  At the same time, virtually every value on the figure is either lighter or darker than the shadow side of the vessel.  Simply put, contrasts in value, temperature and saturation differentiate the figure from its foil.  I could further dissect the design of the painting but the decision to use the boat as a foil for the figure is enough to illustrate some salient points about design.  It’s also enough to say, “Mission accomplished”. 

RobertJSimone.com