Plein Air Painter
Dorothy (Stott) Clark
www.griswoldart.org
The Barn @ Pleasant View
Pleasant View
Griswold Connecticut
How I did it:
March like last year started with a vengeance. Lots of snow with single digit temperatures. Billy was out early with the snow blower. I was out early with my paintbox. Sitting in the truck, I did my 15 minutes a day sketch with my number 2B pencil. Taking lots of notes for colors and sunlight. Second truck sitting, I meticulously drew on my watercolor paper and refined this drawing sipping tea in my studio. I looked out the kitchen frequently at the barn. Third, all bundled up for 7 degrees, I did the painting of the sky and background. Notice I used touches of masking fluid for the electric wire and touches of snow on the ground that were hit with sunshine in the distance behind the barn. So my water doesn’t freeze, I add a touch of vodka to my water. You can see this sitting above! Fourth sitting, I paint the barn and begin using my #4 Rigger Brush to paint the trees. Fifth sitting, I refine all this. Sixth sitting, I paint the snow. Then inside for hot tea!
March like last year started with a vengeance. Lots of snow with single digit temperatures. Billy was out early with the snow blower. I was out early with my paintbox. Sitting in the truck, I did my 15 minutes a day sketch with my number 2B pencil. Taking lots of notes for colors and sunlight. Second truck sitting, I meticulously drew on my watercolor paper and refined this drawing sipping tea in my studio. I looked out the kitchen frequently at the barn. Third, all bundled up for 7 degrees, I did the painting of the sky and background. Notice I used touches of masking fluid for the electric wire and touches of snow on the ground that were hit with sunshine in the distance behind the barn. So my water doesn’t freeze, I add a touch of vodka to my water. You can see this sitting above! Fourth sitting, I paint the barn and begin using my #4 Rigger Brush to paint the trees. Fifth sitting, I refine all this. Sixth sitting, I paint the snow. Then inside for hot tea!
My Supplies:
Daddy’s Old Truck
Alizarin Crimson, Windsor Blue, Yellow Ochre. (All Windsor & Newton Watercolor Paints)
Remember if you learn to mix, you create beautiful colors that are all you with the least amazing of paints. I always tell my students to keep it simple and traditional.
My small Wiskey Painter’s Palette with a small bottle of spirits so my water doesn’t freeze.
My Rafael series 6404 #8 & #13 brushes
My Isabey#4 Rigger Brush
Paper: TwinRocker Cold Press. Because most watercolor companies get bought out and are continually changing (not for our betterment) the way they make paper, I now always remove all sizing on my papers with hot water and a kitchen sponge before I go into the truck to paint. This means the paint can seep into the paper for beautiful clean unpuddled color like my ancestor Plein Air Painters.
Painter’s Note for her students: Truly none of this can be achieved if you don’t draw for fifteen minutes each day in your sketchbook with your #2B pencil. Remember to honor the Plein Air Painters who were before us and share all you know to keep our traditions alive in this world of computer s as the artists.
Daddy’s Old Truck
Alizarin Crimson, Windsor Blue, Yellow Ochre. (All Windsor & Newton Watercolor Paints)
Remember if you learn to mix, you create beautiful colors that are all you with the least amazing of paints. I always tell my students to keep it simple and traditional.
My small Wiskey Painter’s Palette with a small bottle of spirits so my water doesn’t freeze.
My Rafael series 6404 #8 & #13 brushes
My Isabey#4 Rigger Brush
Paper: TwinRocker Cold Press. Because most watercolor companies get bought out and are continually changing (not for our betterment) the way they make paper, I now always remove all sizing on my papers with hot water and a kitchen sponge before I go into the truck to paint. This means the paint can seep into the paper for beautiful clean unpuddled color like my ancestor Plein Air Painters.
Painter’s Note for her students: Truly none of this can be achieved if you don’t draw for fifteen minutes each day in your sketchbook with your #2B pencil. Remember to honor the Plein Air Painters who were before us and share all you know to keep our traditions alive in this world of computer s as the artists.