Oil Painting

Why I Paint En Plein Air

Kathleen Dunphy OPA · Aug 14, 2023 · 8 Comments

"Exhilaration" by Kathleen Dunphy OPA — *Exhilaration* by Kathleen Dunphy OPA

The thermometer in the car topped out at 104 degrees on the way home. I walked in the door after a frustrating morning out in the field feeling spent and exhausted. I had set the alarm for 4 a.m. so that I could get up and get out to my plein air destination right as the sun came up on this summer morning. But ignoring all my plans, Nature took her own course and decided to cast a few stray clouds on the horizon, just enough to obscure the sun and completely change the look of the scene I set out to paint. I tried to be patient and wait it out, but by the time the clouds passed, the sun’s angle was too high for the effect I wanted to paint. And after that it was just too dang hot to stay outside any longer. Argh. It’s times like this that I can’t help but think about the comfort of the studio and the quick snapshot I took of the scene when I drove past it last time I was in the area. And the question that so many people ask me: Why plein air? Why not stay in the studio and use those great photos you took? Why haul all your gear out there and stand in the heat/cold/wind/bugs just to do a little painting you could whip out in your climate-controlled studio in no time?

*Winter Color Notes* by Kathleen Dunphy OPA
6″ x1 2″

The answer is simple: no painting done from a photo can ever compare to the energy, immediacy, and sense of place that can come through in a plein air piece. Somehow the feel of the day, be it heat or cold or wind or just a perfectly pleasant morning, makes its way down the arm and off the brush and onto the canvas. I wish I knew how it happens so I could fake that quality in the studio, but that’s the magic of plein air. Our experience comes out on the canvas. All our senses help to create the painting, not just our vision. We hear the cows lowing, we feel the breeze, we smell the hay…..it’s all there on the canvas. Even my worst plein air pieces have some small element of that particular day in them. I feel like I’m recording a moment in history: it will never be July 28, 2023 at 6:00 in the morning ever again in the history of the world, but now I have a little bit of it on canvas. How exciting is that?

*Land’s End* by Kathleen Dunphy
12″ x 16″

Not all of my paintings are completed on location, and I paint many larger works entirely in the studio. But every piece I paint has its genesis in plein air studies. Working solely from photos leaves my paintings looking flat and unexciting. I use my reference photos to jog my memory or to help me come up with better designs that I may have overlooked when I was on location. But I can’t tell you how many times I’ve discarded a studio painting because I didn’t have enough plein air information on the scene to make the painting look convincing and alive. All the answers are outside, and even the most frustrating day of plein airing brings a more acute awareness of the subtleties of painting from life. Those skills honed outside make the studio work that much easier and fun.

"On The Way Home" by Kathleen Dunphy OPA — *On The Way Home* by Kathleen Dunphy OPA

The day after that disappointing plein air excursion, I went out and hit it again…driving to that same spot and waiting for the sun. And this time it was perfect–all the things I love about painting outside came together in a couple of magic hours. I painted two quick studies for a larger studio piece I’ve had rattling around in my head for some time now, then rewarded myself with a loose, just-for-the-heck-of-it study on the way home. Standing in the shade of an oak tree with my dogs lounging around my feet, painting blooming oleander and distant hills with no expectations in mind except for the fun of putting paint on canvas: that’s just about as good as it gets. And that’s why I plein air.

Drawing Anatomy in the Old Master Tradition

Charles Miano · Apr 4, 2016 · Leave a Comment

Study of Achilles, red chalk on paper, 17x22 — Study of Achilles, red chalk on paper

For many years I have been inspired by the dynamic and masterful draughtsmanship of the Old Masters. Artists such as Leonardo, Michelangelo and Raphael have influenced the techniques of many artists, as their drawings have touched a very deep sense of what it means to be human. An intense study of the science of human anatomy combined with imaginative creative prowess enabled many Italian masters to communicate not only naturalness but also an intense expression of the inner human condition.

Inspired by these artistic greats, my own approach to anatomy drawing is based not only on a clinical dissection or memorization of the anatomical parts, but on a holistic interpretation of the human figure, which emphasizes the oneness or unity of forms, life, energy, and movement. While a thorough knowledge of the structures of the figure is absolutely necessary, it is only the beginning for developing works of art that can be a vehicle for expressing profound ideas and intrinsic universal concepts. Working from life is an absolute necessity for expanding one’s understanding of anatomical concepts as one can see the action of the figure and pick up on the nuances of how forms interact with each other. It also is endlessly fascinating and can alleviate the boredom that one could feel from book memorization.

Study of Achilles, red chalk on paper

In this drawing you can see one main line of action which represents abstractly the large movement of the figure. It is a C- curve which starts at the heel of the left foot and travels up through the line of symmetry or centerline of the torso and through the back of the head. This was the first line of the sketch. I recommend that when working on any figure drawing, be sure to sense the main line of action for your pose. If it isn’t sufficient to express the gesture than you may consider changing the pose in order to make the idea stronger. In this way you can avoid wasting time on a figure that will ultimately lack emotional impact.This is an example of how my process usually starts with the largest line of movement or representation of life. Just like a flower or tree grows outward from the internal energy, so does a drawing. I then proceed to smaller rhythms of the figure to organize my structures. These larger structures will intern organize the system of anatomy including bones, muscles and tendons.
With the life and energy captured through rhythm, I then build solid structures or volumes. I recommend keeping it very simple at first. Usually only using modified cylinders, spheres, cones and boxes. You can see an example of this in the unfinished head, which has a gesture but also a simple structure. Only after understanding the fundamental structure do I proceed to modeling the more specific anatomical forms.There is great importance in emphasizing the bone structures of the figure. Know them well as this grounds the rhythms and also provides a strong foundation for the muscles.
Rendering the smaller anatomical forms of the torso, including the inter-digitation of the serratus anterior with the bundles of the external oblique and lower portion of the aponeurosis of the external oblique or inguinal ligament, became a focal point of this drawing as they fell along the main line. It is also important not to over exaggerate the symmetry of the organic nature of the muscles as can be seen in the treatment of the semilunar line or furrow between the external oblique and the rectus abdominus. Knowing the muscles intimately, including origins and insertions will give your work believability and authority. Be very careful not to treat them as bumps and bubbles, as this diminishes the natural organic quality of muscle fiber as well as the specific character of each form. In other words, don’t end up with a bag of walnuts!

Sevasti, charcoal on paper

Sevasti is one of my favorite models at Southern Atelier. A mature women in great physical condition provides an excellent opportunity for character study and to impart feeling to ones knowledge of anatomy. Though we all have the same parts, our anatomy grows with us overtime and becomes a testament to our experiences. Sevasti grew up as a trapeze artist and her body shows the years of practice and endurance she has gone through.
Notice how the entire body reflects the emotion caught in the intensity of her gaze. All of the S – rhythms of the pose seem to be leading the viewer to it. In this classic contrapposto you can see the pinch and stretch of the torso. I purposely exaggerated the fold on the left side, where the thoracic portion of the external oblique closely adheres to the form of the rib cage and the flank portion is pressed upward by the anterior superior iliac spine.
The strength of the right shoulder, including the anterior and acromial portion of the deltoid along with the acromium process also becomes very important in telling the story of the emotive impact of the figure. Its important to maintain a theme to ones figures and reinforce that idea each step of the way. This can lead to a powerful image.

Man Reaching, charcoal on paper

I learned a lot from this sketch. It was a fascinating study of a wonderfully lean model at Southern Atelier. This was the 2nd of two studies from the same angle. In the first, the arm was relaxed. Through this sketch I was learning how the anatomy of the back changes as the arm is raised. It is important to understand how one action on the figure creates reactions that reverberate throughout the body. Particularly intriguing and challenging was organizing the muscles around each scapula. Despite the complexity of the back muscles, one can still get a sense of the bones underneath.

Be sure to understand the direction of both the posterior spine of the scapula and the medial border which turns laterally when the arm is raised. Look carefully for the evidence of these landmarks. Knowledge of the purpose or action of each muscle helps in understanding what may seem as overwhelming complexity. For instance, knowing that the Acromial portion of the deltoid abducts the arm gives a reason for the volume of that form in this position. Knowing that the posterior deltoid is responsible for pulling the horizontal arm backward tells us that the muscle is somewhat flattened. Understanding the origins and insertions of the muscles is also essential for credible work. In this case, It is fascinating how one can follow the posterior deltoid as it thins to its origin on the spine of the scapula. As the arm is raised the infraspinatus can be seen.
These few examples constitute, for me personally, an exploration in the variations of anatomy; how it can create riveting art that never fails to fascinate in the process. Time and again, this search proves to be the joy of figure drawing. Many artists use a shorthand to draw the figure, which oftentimes can lead to monotony in their art. Drawing inspiration from the Old Master tradition, one can still be a modern explorer- and discover new pathways in the variation and abundance of the personification of the natural world, the human figure.

The Value Of Value

Richard Nelson · Mar 21, 2016 · 2 Comments

When teaching, the first thing I like to point out is that PAINTING IS HARD! So after 20 years or so it was interesting to try to break painting down into its essential parts in order to be a better instructor. Of course, there is nothing new here other than the way my brain has distilled my ongoing education. See if anything below resonates with you.
After much thinking and analyzing I realized that my seven steps are inspiration, composition, drawing, value, color, paint application (includes edges), and calling it done. It also seems that there is usually an element of contrast or balance to most steps; something dominant and supportive in the composition (not 50/50), some stuff drawn out or rendered out and some less so, some dark and some light, strong color and muted color, sharp edges and soft edges, thick paint in the light and thin darks… and usually not half and half or 100% or 0% in any of these aspects.
Truly one can spend the rest of one’s life in any of these steps or areas, and yet as artists we generally wield them simultaneously! This is why PAINTING IS HARD. I make the analogy to juggling or spinning plates. And just to make it more complicated, sometimes if we get too involved in process we somehow defeat the spark which inspired us to make art. To use a musical analogy, we don’t enjoy listening to musicians practicing scales. We want to hear creative melodies and stories. In painting this is ‘picture making’.
In terms of subjects, still life is a great way to hone the process. You don’t have to contend with changing weather and light as you do when painting landscape, and you don’t need the artistic anatomy understanding of the figurative or portrait artist. You can have your setup available for as long as you need, and you can even begin to introduce narrative or other kinds of inspiration; color, drawing; whatever is motivating you. Once you have a handle on your process and materials you can venture into other subjects with some confidence.
It became apparent after teaching a few workshops that folks were missing value, which is simply the range from light to dark with which we render form through light and shadow. It is a foundation for representational painting, and yet it seems that often we are seduced by color, and miss value. This can really create problems and frustration! So, I began starting still life classes with an exercise where everyone paints a simple object monochromatically, and then in color; the same size on the same canvas, side by side.

It’s quite a revelation. I will wager that nearly any painting that you love will look good in black and white. The values are like a great skeleton on which the painting hangs. And sadly the inverse is also true; when a painting isn’t rocking your world you’ll often find that it doesn’t hold up well in grayscale either.

So, try leaning into value a bit and you might make some quick progress! Just spend a little extra time trying to capture the accurate range of light and shadow before getting lost in color.
And don’t forget the secret eighth step: REPEAT OFTEN!

Resolutions That Stick

Lori Putnam · Jan 3, 2016 · Leave a Comment

WOW, I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling a bit “over-stuffed” with holiday cheer right now. It’s that time of year again, when most of us resolve to make a change for the better. My resolutions? Oh, I am always trying to lose the added pounds, exercise more, draw every day. You know, the usual stuff. But the average New Year’s resolution fizzles out in about 6-8 weeks. Here are three ideas to guarantee you won’t drop the ball, by committing to others instead of only to yourself this year.

Pledge to give. Whether it is time or money, it doesn’t matter. Just do it. There are lots of places to volunteer your time or donate your money that will help others in the art world (or otherwise). Obviously, finding ways to serve in your local community, or on committees in organizations to which you belong is the easiest. Most of us sell ourselves short in that regard. You may be thinking you have no particular skill that would be useful. Chances are there is a job or small task with your name stamped on it. If you feel you cannot make any time to volunteer, perhaps you could make a monetary donation. Even $10 helps. If you wish to make your donation to an arts, look for respected organizations, like donating to the OPA scholarship fund, to a project like Kevin Macpherson’s ArtAmbassador.org, or by browsing through GoFundMe.com or Kickstarter.com. There are lots of others of course. Just check them out carefully. These are just to give you some ideas of where to look.

Share your talents. Teaching is an amazing way to improve both yourself and someone else at the same time! Take a look at your calendar right now. When is your best opportunity for offering a workshop, an evening of critiques, a one-day class, or a public demonstration? Mark it on the calendar today; set your price (or maybe it’s free); determine the when and where; and get the word out on social media right now. Once you have committed to sharing your talents to others, you will not be caught backing out on that resolution for sure! Trust me, you will benefit just as much or more as those you teach.

Collaborate with others. What is something you have been wanting to try? Skydiving? Maybe something a little less scary. Perhaps there is an art exhibition in which you would like to take part, a fundraiser in which you have considered participating, a competition you seem to miss due to procrastination every year, a workshop you have always wanted to take, or an art trip you have been meaning to plan. Who would you like to do that with you? Who can encourage you and commit to the same idea? Call up a friend or two or send them an email right now. They may just been needing a little encouragement too. So get the ball rolling and find someone else who might want to share in an experience with you and make it happen.
See. There you go. Three resolutions all wrapped up with a bow and ready to celebrate. And you didn’t have to leave your chair or eat a celery stick.

The Nature of Oil Painting

Howard Friedland · Dec 20, 2015 · 2 Comments

As an artist that has been working with oil paint for over 40 years, I am still trying to understand as much as I can about this wonderful medium. It seems like every year, new improved and safer products are being developed by paint companies to make artists lives easier. With these new technologies, a greater variety of colors are also available. It is important to keep up with the current solvents and mediums as well so we can attain the highest quality of work. It is critical that artists be confident that these new products are stable and archival. That is why I was so glad that Scott Gellatly from Gamblin Artists Colors agreed to speak to the participants at this year’s OPA convention in May.
Scott is very passionate about passing on the heritage of oil painting to “millennials.” Oil paintings, he says are “authentic, natural, relevant and enduring.” Gellatly believes that it is vital to convey the message that “slowing down and taking the time to make art” will give balance to the fast-paced lifestyle of the “Internet generation.”
Note: Below are just a few of the topics that Scott shared with us. For more information, Scott is happy to answer any questions that you may have about Oil Painting materials and the process of making them. You can contact Scott Gellatly, Product Manager at www.gamblincolors.com or 503-235-1945

Oil paint is basically made with pigments, linseed oil and, when necessary, a minute amount of driers. These ingredients are mixed and then run through a series of passes in a milling machine until the desired consistency is achieved. The oil is derived from the flax seed. Flax is the same plant that fine linen canvas is made from.
Some of the benefits of oil colors are: Luscious working properties, Unique wetting properties, Depth of Luminosity of transparent oil glazes Ability to be cleaned and restored over centuries.

Studio Safety and personal precautions for the artist was another topic that Scott felt was crucial to talk about. It is important to read the labels on the tubes to be aware of the ingredients. Some popular colors, which are very toxic, such as Lead White, Vermillion, Emerald Green, Cobalt Violet etc. are made using harmful ingredients like Lead, Arsenic and Mercury.
They are good colors but can be dangerous to use (or misuse) for any length of time. Suitable replacements now exist for traditional lead-based colors, for those painters who no longer wish to work with lead. Vermilion (mercury) and Emerald Green (arsenic) are largely obsolete. Some painters choose to wear gloves while painting, as it makes clean-up easier. However, it is not necessary to wear gloves while oil painting. Skin contact is not a route of entry into the human system for oil colors. Oil colors can be easily removed from hands with soap and water.
Health of the Environment Proper disposal of paints, solvents and mediums.

Image: Gamsol, Galkyd painting mediums, Gamvar

“The days of turpentine are over!” Gamblin has developed safer solvents and mediums like Gamsol and Galkyd among many others. Now they even make a Solvent-Free Gel. He even advocated using the sludge from the bottom of your thinner to make an all-purpose grey to use when you block in your start….hmm interesting idea! Gamblin uses the remnants of all the colors in the manufacturing process to make and tube-up something they call Torrit Grey.
Health of the Products ensure longevity. Building a painting and varnishing it properly avoids cracking or blooming issues down the road.

I am not a chemist! I love to paint! Therefore, I am very happy there are folks like Scott Gellatly (also a fine painter in his own right) who have the expertise and willingness to share his vast knowledge with us so we can make the wise decisions about which materials will give us the best results and which ones we might avoid.
Thank you Scott for an enlightening and entertaining talk.

Oil Painting

Study of Achilles, red chalk on paper

Sevasti, charcoal on paper

Man Reaching, charcoal on paper

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