I have mentioned before that I am not really a
plein air painter, I am a landscape painter. I work outside a lot, but I also work in my studio just as much. I had this painting in the studio from last summer,
or the one before maybe. I can't
remember if I have shown it., I think not. But I was scratching my head over it and decided it needed a little more subject. I have made up and
inserted birdhouses in gardens before. That is one of my little tricks. I have an inventory of likely stuff I like to drop into paintings of gardens.
What you see in the picture is made of masking tape which I have drawn on a little with a pencil.. I mocked up the birdhouse with masking tape that I
carefully cut out with a scissors and a razor knife and stuck to the painting. I moved it around a bit and experimented with the size and perspective until I liked the way it looked. Below is a picture of the tape birdhouse. All of this took perhaps an hour and a half.
Now I will draw around the birdhouse and fill in the space with white remembering to "leave the line" so I don't enlarge the birdhouse by accident. I am going to drop the birdhouse right onto the painting without changing anything else in the area. I want to avoid repainting the background. At least that's the plan, it should be efficient. It helps to plan things carefully, I almost always make the time back later, and I get cleaner looking work.
I have mentioned before that I am not really a plein air painter, I am a landscape painter. I work outside a lot, but I also work in my studio just as much. I had this painting in the studio from last summer, or the one before maybe. I can't remember if I have shown it., I think not. But I was scratching my head over it and decided it needed a little more subject. I have made up and inserted birdhouses in gardens before. That is one of my little tricks. I have an inventory of likely stuff I like to drop into paintings of gardens.
What you see in the picture is made of masking tape which I have drawn on a little with a pencil.. I mocked up the birdhouse with masking tape that I carefully cut out with a scissors and a razor knife and stuck to the painting. I moved it around a bit and experimented with the size and perspective until I liked the way it looked. Below is a picture of the tape birdhouse. All of this took perhaps an hour and a half.
Now I will draw around the birdhouse and fill in the space with white remembering to "leave the line" so I don't enlarge the birdhouse by accident. I am going to drop the birdhouse right onto the painting without changing anything else in the area. I want to avoid repainting the background. At least that's the plan, it should be efficient. It helps to plan things carefully, I almost always make the time back later, and I get cleaner looking work.
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14 comments:
You never cease to amaze me, Stape. I've used Photoshop to add things and move things around, but had never thought about doing something like this.
By the way. I ordered and received the Stapleton Kearns model of the Take It Easel. Dude, it kicks the Beauport's butt. It's a Cadillac.
You know...it's the way to go, in my opinion. Work outside. Take it inside and look at the painting. Then give it what it needs. The two little paintings that I did the other day, outside, were heavily edited and arranged. People were enjoyed looking at the differences. They liked the paintings better than what was there. It was a valuable lesson.
That's a good blog post....thank you. And nice painting, too!
I've also heard of putting saran wrap over a painting to test adding something, I think I like your idea better.
I'm also with you on the plein air thing, I like painting outside put I feel no compunction to finish there because of some rule about calling it plein air because of what percentage was done plein air. Besides it tends to make me rush and be quite unhappy with the result.
I would have painted in a mountain lion....
The freedom to make a better painting. Your advice helps to free-up instead of shackle down a
painters way.
I do want to get more experience painting outdoors. Revisiting them in the studio helps to see it on the "operating table"
(..scalpel, this isn't going to hurt, much...)
Your garden painting is wonderful!
Adding that birdhouse puts life and
flow! A real gem, gardens are dear to me, and this one has all the inspiration you hope to get from one.
Now let me kick you in the leg so you don't think I'm tring to be too flowery.
Nice painting Stape....maybe you should rummage in your studio more often. I use soft vine charcoal to draw in possible changes I'm thinking about making. But then I paint in acrylics. But I like your paper doll method.
Bill Guffey;
Thanks Bill.
Every man, woman and child standing behind an easel envies you.
...................Stape
mariandioguardi.com
Picture making.
.....................Stape
Simone;
Sort of old school tech.
..............Stape
Barbara A. Busenbark;
I was painting outside before these organizations set those rules. I believe therefore, that I am grandfathered and intend to do just as I please, thank you very much.
................Stape
Deb;
You need a stencil, I think it's a #53.
...................Stape
billspaintingmn;
Thanks bill. Say do you do showcard lettering, you know one shot?
................Stape
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