Plein Air Class

I do teach.  On May 27 I am doing a Plein Air session in Orangeville.  This has been going on at various locations for a number of years.  My approach is to teach "painting" and show people why and how to benefit from working from life in the out-of-doors.  The emphasis is on painting with individual help and attention.

To date I find I am teaching many of the same things on each session.  Even to people who have attended sessions in the past.  Most of these are the fundamentals but some are from the poison passed on by others.  Here is a short list.

• Shapes are off.  This is a drawing and seeing problem.
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• Values are way off.  This is a seeing problem.  people paint what they think, not what they see.
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• The values in the light are not distinct from those in the shade.  This is especially true doing a light and shade painting in the sunlight (as opposed to an overcast day).
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• The painting is all middle tone.  Values theme.
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• Perspective is off.  this is a drawing and measuring problem.  The perspective is everywhere in the landscape.
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• In a hurry.  All the problems start here.  There are no short cuts.
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• Composition or design is symmetrical like tiles in a kitchen.  Nature doesn't work this way.  Observe and see.
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• Composition puts the subject too close to the viewer or the subject is far away and the foreground include the painter's shoe tops.
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• Lines send the viewer off the canvas.
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• The eye drops out of the canvas.
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• The only way to paint is.....  (glazing if you are from Georgetown).  They told me and she is really good.
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• You can't ever use.........  Viridian or Black...... are common.
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• Every colour is bright and saturated.  Everyone is yelling so no one is heard.

Bob's Barn, History Recorded - she's down

I wonder what this session will be like.  we will soon see.