I did some practicing at home this week on what teacher (Jim) said needed to be my last step with the sky — producing a mottled effect throughout.  So that’s what i did first half of class today.  Then, finally (I think it’s been a month of classes on those clouds!) i mixed up color for beginning to block in trees in the background.  Hard for viewer to tell how this is all going to turn into trees — at this point, take my word for it.  Meanwhile, along the way, i tried to learn another brush technique.  This one is with a fan brush and requires a touch somewhere between a push and a flick.  Practice !

Well, i know i haven’t posted anything in several weeks, but there are reasons for this hiatus.  In early January, Ed, my regular oil painting teacher, left for two or three months to take care of dying mother in England.  In his absence our new teacher, Jim, who is now the manager of the gallery and is a nationally recognized artist himself, has taken over all of Ed’s classes  – and that has meant a HUGE change in class.  first of all, he does not want us taking our paintings home; they are to be class project only.  That of course means i can only work on my painting once a week in class.  The biggest change, however, has been that Jim takes a much more didactic approach.  And he is much more specific in his expectations about the task at hand.  For example, it’s taken me three weeks just to do the clouds (and i am not sure they are really “done”).  The process has involved me trying to learn 4 very specific brush strokes which were new skills for me.  You have to worry not only about thickness of paint; whether or not surface of canvas is wet or dry; whether or not to use oil; and how to hold the brush. Prior to getting to the clouds i spent several weeks trying to get the snow fields to “work”.

 

If this sounds like i am complaining, not true. It is true that it’s been a bit frustrating — however, i am learning so much that i would like to continue with Jim when Ed returns.  That may be sticky — we will see.

So, to the project behind all these challenges:  I am working from a photo of a painting entitled “Orchestral Arrangements” which i found in one of my art magazines.  It’s by an artist named Kim Lordier, who works mostly in pastel.  I fell in love with the subject of the painting, and with the light and color .  So i attach below a photo of my reference photo and also my beginning progress on this project.  I am aware that snow will need to be darkened ; and that the water in the lake will need to be adjusted — among other things.  So — still very preliminary.