Studio paintings VS Plein Air paintings

This large 24x48 panorama of the Rubies that I'm working on in the studio drove me into a frenzy to get outside to paint!  Impossible to get the same feeling in the studio.

 Thank goodness I had a gorgeous day to get outside to paint!! I am suffering with a bit of cabin fever despite the "glass hut"  I have to sit in. I really needed to see if I could breath more life into my colors and there is absolutely no substitute for first hand experience. After a few hours out my own front door and two paintings later I'm a very happy girl!  Can you "feel" the difference in the two paintings?  Now I'm ready to tackle the large piece again..... Hey, maybe I'll haul it outside to finish up! 

11x14    Oil - a challenge mixing the different shades of blue and still be warm.

Winter Sheen

20x30 Oil Palette Knife painting

Details

I wanted to paint a large painting with the values very close in range, I sometimes get carried away with my darks so to help me work that out I decided painting the values closer together might help me. I am very pleased with this painting, very suttle and the sheen on the mountain is just like it was the day I was standing out there painting the little study for this last February. I was unable to find my original photo's so the painting was done solely using my little study, between that and using the palette knife I felt very free to be the "artist"
and tell the story my way!

Hope you enjoy it too, thanks for visiting,
Kathryn

Ruby Mountain Spring

20x24 Oil  Palette Knife

Details

A Palette Knife painting that I must say is my favorite to date! The photograph of this piece just doesn't do it justice. I must learn more about photographing the artwork for the web page.  This is a nice sized painting that will be framed in a beautiful gold frame to set off all the wonderful colors in this painting. I love the shadows of the clouds and then the sun sparks through to hit and it seems to just glow.  I painted this painting twice, I have one in a 10x12 Study and this large one. The two paintings are very close to the same with a few minor adjustments to color in the larger painting to read correctly. I like to paint small studies after my sketching process is done then on to the larger pieces, rarely do I sell the smaller study paintings as they are for my reference when it comes time to paint the larger paintings. 

I hope you enjoy it and thank you for stopping by.

 Kathryn

Maynard Dixon Painting attempt

The View

9x12 Oil

a photo of an article on Maynard Dixon

painting on the side of my studio with the view.

 I found an old article about Maynard Dixon and my first thought was to try to paint the Ruby Mountains with his style to see what happens. The scene of course is different but has all the same elements for color that I wanted to get.....I need a whole lot more practice, but dang is was fun to try it! 

Tomorrow is a New Day!  


Thanks for visiting.

Gold in the Canyon

 

20x24 Oil on linen

Where I live here in Northeastern Nevada it is gold country. Gold is in abundance deep down in the ground and gold mining is the main source of income for a lot of families in this territory. The Ruby mountains were named after trappers found red garnets in the 1800's and named the Rubies after their ruby color.....I enjoy watching them turn red in the sunsets most evenings and thought that was why they were named the Ruby Mountains for a very long time. Well, despite the history lesson, I found Gold in the Canyon.


Hope you have a lovely day!

A taste of Winter!

9x12 oil en plein air on Raymar panel

It was 24 degrees yesterday morning when I started off for a morning of painting in the canyon. Cold, crisp and absolutely beautiful. The painting above was completed on sight and I must admit I am delighted with it. When I arrived at this location I sketched three different options and thought I had decided on which one to start with. After setting up my tripod and pochade box I glanced up in a different direction and this scene just begged me to paint it. So I did a quick sketch of it and began painting. 

 Below is a photo of the start of the painting I had initially planned to start with. I was able to get a good start on this before it turned too cold with the light breezes kicking up. This painting will be finished in the studio after I return from a week long painting trip to California. A workshop with the award winning artist Kathleen Dunphy  http://kathleendunphy.com/  Painting for 5 days, 7 hours a day and "NO Whining" aloud. Should be a wonderful experience for me.

Lamoille Canyon Sunrise

9x12 Oil on Raymar Panel

This canyon is 10 minutes from home. A month or so ago..., wow, it really doesn't seem like it's been that long ago! I went up the canyon in my usual style.....spur of the moment and early. This wasn't where I painted for the morning but it was a moment that stayed in my mind and now is a beautiful piece of art.

 I know, I know....I was looking at the total posts for this year and I've been slacking! Watch out though, I'm back!  and hopefully better than ever!

I've so many ideas swirling around inside and now that some major chores are done I'm headed out the door to paint a little more before the weather turns Cold.

Thanks for Visiting!