Use gesture sketching to speak the language of landscape

Here is an event coming up at the U of O Bookstore in Eugene. You might want to mark your calendars.

Some students from the workshop have been asking me for some post-Workshop coaching. My first advise is to develop your "language" capabilities visa vi landscape by sketching in soft pencil or charcoal. Here are some examples. Make sure you are sketching everyday prior to painting.

Workshop Recap and Self-Critique

"Coburg Hills" (2010)

A landscape should exhibit a profound structure, mostly based on value transitions, not just pretty colors. I am pleased with this painting that approaches such structural forms.



"From Eagle's Vantagepoint" (Workshop retreat, 2010)
self-critique: Some nice value transitions at top of painting but mountain lacks the structural forms in the first painting.



"View from Up Top" (Workshop retreat, 2010)
self-critique: ditto



"Demo piece" (Workshop retreat, 2010)
self-critique: a ligher key, lovely colors and forms, very fresh and spontaneous but not much structure. View had little opportunity for perspective.



"Demo piece" (workshop retreat, 2010)
self-critique: this one is barely started but was intended to demo use of big brush to block in shapes.


"Demo piece" (workshop retreat, 2010)
self-critique: shapes maybe too central. Also just getting started but shows use of big brush to indicate colors and forms in gestural fashion.



"demo piece" (Workshop retreat, 2010)
self-critique: demo of painting a landscape from imagination. Lacks plein air authenticity but result is still somehow satisfying in capture of memory of strong color and value contrasts.

Note: some of these paintings can be seen (and purchased) at Soriah's restaurant on 13th this month (September, 2010).