100 plein air paintings in 100 days - #84/#85/#86

#84 - "The Rundle Range"
Original Oil 6x8"

10/07/09 (5:15pm)
These 3 paintings were done on the same day (4 actually, but the first was a wiper).

Carol Carmichael commented recently to say, "I have NEVER painted plein air and know it would help me progress.  Definitely got me thinking - that's a start. "

Carol, in my experience (and that of all of my artist friends), you can pretty much guarantee your first few plein air sessions will not produce a stellar painting. There are a lot of things to sort out and it takes a few tries to get the hang of it. It's pretty tough to be a once or twice a year plein air painter, I would say if you're going to do it, it's helpful to dive in fully and commit to a fixed time (say 20 plein air paintings of the course of a summer) so that you can push through the start of the learning curve. Fellow artist Bobbi Heath has been doing this and I applaud her tenacity!

I do hope this project has inspired some of you to get out there. I needed a motivator, and would never have been this dedicated if I hadn't made it into a project. Knowing there was a deadline (and a finish line) helped me dig deep and get out when I didn't feel like it, and once I was out there I always (ok, almost always) loved it.

#85 - "Blowing Through"
Original Oil 6x8"
For purchase info click here

10/07/09 (7:45pm)
I was painting with Bobbi and Sharon today, and at this point they decided they were done for the day and would rather watch than paint. Based on this I decided to try a 1/2 hour painting, as if I was doing a demo. They were so quiet and respectful while I painted this, and afterward encouraged me to do another. That's when everything changed...

#86 - "Artistic License"
Original Oil 6x8"
For purchase info click here

10/07/09 (8:25pm)
3 artists painted this one, even though I was the only one holding a brush. By the time I was halfway in Bobbi and Sharon were both firing out suggestions, one on each side of me:  "Put an orange highlight on the water", "no make it purple", "trees darker", "no - trees lighter". Together: "More paint on the sky, lighter! ooh, ooh - leave those brushstrokes alone!" It was so funny, they were vocalizing the inner dilemmas that are always going on in my head when I'm painting, but it was weird to have it coming from the outside in. It felt like the old cartoons with the devil on one shoulder and the angel on the other (won't say which one was which) - let's just say it would have been an entirely different painting if I'd been standing there alone - and not nearly as entertaining!