Reflecting on the Anatomy of Trees

Have you ever really looked at a tree? This time of the year is the best time to observe the shape and nature of trees when there are no leaves on them. Look out your window right now and set your eyes on the nearest tree. Are you looking? Good. Now, consider that all trees have an anatomical structure just like people. The main branches emerge from the trunk and support smaller branches as they reach toward the sky. How does your tree stand? Is it straight, does it lean, does it twist, and if so, in what direction? Where are the curves?

The Trunk

Ask yourself what the color temperature of the trunk is, i.e., is it warm or cool? The time of day and whether it is sunny or cloudy will affect the color temperature. If the sun is hitting it on one side, that side will be a warm temperature, while the shadow will be a cool temperature. On cloudy days, the vague shadows are slightly warmer than the lighted side.

Now, look at its texture. Is it smooth or rough? A beech tree has a smooth bark, while a maple is decidedly rough with vertical ridges. If you were painting a beech tree, you would want to paint the trunk in a horizontal motion, following the curve of the trunk to simulate a smooth texture. When painting the maple on the other hand, you would use large vertical strokes to emphasize the rough ridges of the bark that flow in vertical directions.

The Branches

Now look at the branches. How do they grow? Do they curve upward majestically like an elm or do they grow at sharp angles like a sycamore? Branches help to balance a tree. If the trunk leans to one side, often a branch will counter balance it on the other.

Also, notice that branches don’t just reach out from the trunk in profile. Branches reach out from all sides of a trunk, so remember to paint branches that both go toward you and behind the tree away from you. Paint the branches with a lot of movement in them, avoid painting them parallel to one another, and vary their size. Look at how branches are attached to the trunk and other branches. They don’t suddenly and sharply emerge from them. Instead, they gracefully grow with a slight curve upward and out.

The Base and Roots

Finally, notice how the trunk emerges from the ground. It doesn’t stick straight up like a utility pole. The base spreads out in all directions and sweeps upward in a curve, bearing the weight of the branches above. Be sure to consider the roots as they reach into the ground and how the grass grows around them.

Our Feathered Friends

One of the most popular subjects in oil painting is that of a warm-blooded vertebra covered with feathers and usually sporting a beak. Also known collectively as birds, these interesting feathered creatures range in all manner of variety and size from exotic South American and African showstoppers to swamp creatures with large feathery combs and long spindly legs, to proud strutting peacocks and honking geese and graceful swans, to the more commonly spotted sea birds, chickens and roosters, and the endless variety of songbirds that visit our feeders every winter. I’ve painted a number of them over the years and still enjoy seeing them come to life on my canvas.

Piero

I’ve also taught several workshops on painting different species of birds over the years. Some considerations when painting birds include:

1. Start loose, cover large shapes and then refine.
2. Alternate your colors, tones, and values to create an engaging contrast on the surface.
3. Make sure that your strokes move in the direction that your feathers lay. Layering is key here to get an effective feather look.
4. Choose a complementary background.

Cardinal in Snow

Proud Rooster

House Finch in Verbena Bush

Painting on the Farm River - Part II

Welcome back to Painting on the Farm River. I wanted to tell you why I go out in all types of weather in all kinds of places, and put up with bugs and car fumes and all manner of smells, noises, and, at times, strange conversations, to paint, and why I love it. Maybe you will feel inspired to do the same one day.

As far as the painting, I'm going to show you the painting process and my thoughts behind it, I've included some tips to be comfortable while standing outside in one spot for 2-3 hours at a time. Finally, I'm throwing the gauntlet down, and challenging you!

Why I Love Plein Air Painting

My knowledge of painting took a huge leap forward when I started to take lessons and workshops from artists who paint and draw from life. I learned a great deal more about drawing, composition, value, edges, and light. I bought a cheap French easel and began painting in my neighborhood and took it with me on short trips. My bookshelves slowly filled with books written by famous artists and I carefully studied their methods. I also logged on to artist forums on the Internet and studied other artists, their work, philosophies, and critiques.

In between studying other artists, I painted as often as I could. The night before I went out, I would gather my canvas, easel, brushes and paint together and set them by the door. The next day, I would get up early (usually on the weekend), and be set up and painting on site by nine o’clock am. My first few canvases were nothing impressive, but it didn’t matter. I was hooked.

Unlike working from a photo, when painting en plein air, the world around you caresses all of your senses and sends you to a meditative state of mind. There is a sense of urgency to quickly capture the astounding array of color, light, and sound that nature presents like a buffet at a king's banquet. Painting in the country, you are enveloped with delicate sounds, wild flora and musky aromas of the woods, grassy fields, babbling brooks, and the wildlife that live there. Once, I saw a skinny silver fox tiptoe across the road not fifty feet from where I was painting. In the city, there’s the buzz of bus and car engines, the clanging of the train, the bustle of people rushing to do their errands, and the aroma of freshly made hot coffee and donuts seeping onto the sidewalk. You can’t experience these sensations when painting from a photograph. Sitting indoors at an easel, you don’t feel the warm sun on your skin, smell the scent of honeysuckle floating in the breeze, or hear the birds singing in the trees. It's more than just putting paint on canvas, it's the whole experience.



Painting in a field of sunflowers on a warm summer day, the bees buzzing all around me!
Photo by Dennis Beaulieu

Doing a Quick Drawing

I first decided what area I wanted to include in my composition. When you paint outdoors, you have to eliminate some things, and having a view finder helps to focus on one area. I then did a rough charcoal drawing. I used my chopstick to measure distance and relationships of the trees and water, and I put in some values.

Transferring the Image to the Panel

Next, I drew the picture on the canvas with vine charcoal eliminating some trees and branches. No need to worry about detail here, just get a good drawing with good perspective. I'm drawing and checking my measurements, both horizontal and vertical. I look at my drawing on paper and the scene in front of me.

Block-In Stage

The block-in stage is for filling in large areas with fairly thin color. Here, I filled in the darks first, then worked my way through the middle values. The downed trees had some nice shadows, and some of the river was a golden/rusty red sand that contrasted nicely with the blue from the sky.

The hemlock was a soft green with great highlights from the sunlight. It contrasted nicely with the browns of the surroundings. I put in rocks, the dark greens of the hemlock, and the moss on the bank. I decided to remove the dead limb that was blocking the water between the downed trees. Doing this, the eye is now better directed into the picture and up to a point where the river disappears.

I'm refining my shapes here, checking my values. Not a lot of detail yet.

"The sky is the key to the landscape because of the quality and quantity of the light falling from It determines color unity and value contrast of the remaining elements."

- John F. Carlson

Clothing Suggestions for Plein Air Painting

• Wear loose fitting clothes for ease of movement and added insulation during cool times.
• Dress in layers so you can adjust based on temperature.
• Wear drab or dark colors. Bright or light colors will reflect onto your painting surface and effect how your painting appears in color and value. Some bright colors will attract critters. (blue attracts some)
• Use a wide brimmed hat to shade your eyes. Ventilated in summer and insulated in winter.
• Never wear sunglasses. They dilate your pupils thus changing your perception of values, and they skew colors.
• Take a wind breaker or light poncho in case of inclement weather. An insulated jacket in winter.
• Wear comfortable high-top shoes or boots for getting into those out of the way places.
• Good quality socks; (wool will repel water, good cotton will cool.)
• Cotton or wool gloves with the fingers cut out in the winter. Perhaps some of those chemical hand warmers for your pockets.
• A scarf or jacket with a hood to protect your neck in the winter.

 

I have a Tin Cloth Packer Hat that protects my face and head during cool or hot sunny weather. It's also water resistant. Hat and Hooded Utility Jacket are from Filson.

"We must not imitate the externals of nature with so much fidelity that the picture fails to evoke that wonderful teasing recurrence of emotions that marks the contemplation of a work of art."

-John F. Carlson

Next

In Part III, I'll take you through the last steps to completion, including my thoughts about painting water.

Consider Yourself Challenged!

I have heard from a few of you since I started posting instructional emails. The comments have been encouraging and kind. A couple of you have said that they are drawing or painting, but I know there are more of you being creative during this time of seclusion (and if not, what are you waiting for?).

I've squeezed into my armor (not the most comfortable bodysuit I've ever worn) and thrown the gauntlet down. CONSIDER YOURSELF CHALLENGED! If you've been drawing, painting, doodling, etching, coloring with crayons, sewing, knitting, embroidering, sculpting, making origami or any other type of creative art, send me a photo. You have approximately two weeks to think about it and create something. Send your photos to pmeglio99@gmail.com and I will post them in my email once this series is done.

Painting on the Farm River - Part I

I live near the Farm River in Northford and love to paint there, especially in the spring. The Farm River begins from a small brook flowing off Pistapaug Pond, which is partially within the towns of Wallingford, Durham and North Branford. From there it flows southward sixteen miles and empties into Long Island Sound. Near the shoreline, the fresh water mixes with sea water and it becomes an estuary. The area that I chose to paint is surrounded by open fields owned by the town. Trees and wild undergrowth line the river on both sides. The river draws wildlife including deer, rabbits, turtles, and coyotes.

I had spotted this place on one of my hikes in the area and knew it would be a great place to paint, especially before the vegetation filled in and blocked the view. There was a good down river view of water, new growth, fallen trees, and light rapids with nice contrasts of light and dark values. Looking in this direction, I decided where my focus was going to be, then I positioned myself on the bank in a shady area, with the sun shining overhead at around the eleven o’clock position.

My Setup

When I paint plein air, I use a Guerrilla Box with a very heavy camera tripod. While it’s a bit heavy for travel, it’s sturdy in windy conditions so I don't need to worry that a gust of wind will send my box flying.

 The canvas board is small, 9H x 12W, and fits into the lid of the box. Behind that, I stored my drawing paper. The box comes with a slide out wooden palette, which makes it easy to clean. I can store some items under the palette in the little compartments. I put my brushes, gloves, pencil, small can for the gel, my chopstick, a thin bag that I use for dirty brushes, and charcoal in those sections. In my backpack, which is a light nylon, besides my box, I packed my phone, water, mineral spirits, paper towels, trash bag, and bug spray.

My Palette

Because I hiked for a distance of around ¼ mile, I packed as light as I could. I prepared my palette ahead of time with the colors and only took a tube of white with me. My palette consisted of Titanium white, Cadmium yellow, orange and red, Alizarin crimson, Transparent Oxide Red and Brown, Permanent Green, Viridian, Cerulean, Cobalt blue, and Ultramarine Blue. I also added a spot of Liquin gel in a small can. I brought one medium bristle and two small synthetic brushes.
I put some mineral spirits in a very small jar, took a few paper towels, a piece of paper and some vine charcoal. I prepped the canvas a light green ahead of time, to help save time.

"In many ways, a painting is a synthesis of opposites: light and shadow, warm and cool, sharp and soft, coarse and fine. These polarities, when integrated into the picture, create vibrancy and dynamism."

-Gregg Kreutz

Packing List for Plein Air Painting

• A full size French easel, Guerrilla Box, or Pochade Box
• Nylon backpack
• Phone
• Leak proof solvent container
• View Finder
• Nylon gloves
• Small pad of paper
• Pencil
• Vine charcoal
• Small panel or canvas that fits into the lid of box
• Insect repellent
• Drinking water
• Extra paint
• Trash bag
• Poncho
• A wide brim hat
• A sandwich, trail mix, or some kind of snack
• Earbuds for phone or iPod for music
• Umbrella that can be attached to the easel (for working in the sun)
• A rope to tie to a large rock to suspend from box for windy days or tent stakes.

I carry the box in a back pack when I find I will be walking quite a distance to my subject.

When painting from photos, above a certain lightness, everything in a photo is a washed out white and below a given darkness, colors become one unidentifiable color. The human eye is much more sensitive to color and values and is able to detect vastly more of each.

Next

In Part II, I'll take you through my process, from composition to sketch, then my steps for painting this beautiful bucolic scene. Stay tuned!

Workshop Everything but White Snow

I ran a workshop for seven students at Artsplace in Cheshire last Saturday. The name of the workshop was Everything But White Snow. I had students of all ages and all levels attending. Some of them had never painted with oils. We copied one of my paintings, Snow Blanketed Field.

The  painting was of a farm field that I painted from my living room window one winter. It was early morning so the shadows were long and very distinctive. The colors in the snow were several shades of blue, pink, yellow, orange, and purple. 

Normally, I coat the canvas with a wash of color, in this case a yellow or orangey yellow. I found that the Turpenoid did not dry as quickly as mineral spirits. This caused the paint to bleed into the top paint and produce a greenish tint. I didn't realize this at first and it was too late to do anything about it. Mineral spirits do not do this. 

Just the same, the paintings turned out great. First, I had the class do a pencil drawing to show where the darks and lights are, and to get them used to drawing the shapes. Then, I walked the class through a dark to light process. I find when I teach that students do not want to do a drawing at all. Many have a hard time getting the drawing correct. Usually, this means that the painting result is disappointing. I try to emphasize that the drawing is the most important part of the process. Understanding how the eye flows through a picture, deciding and positioning the focal point, and figuring out the values is so important. Drawing it all out helps to get the vision in your head before you pick up the brush.

I love to watch as the students move from one area to another in the process. It's easy to tell those who are used to mixing colors. Gaining knowledge of color mixing takes time and a lot of practice. Studying the color wheel and doing color charts helps, though it's not as exciting as diving into the paint and attempting to match colors on the canvas. I have done the whole gamut of mixing colors for color charts using Richard Schmid's techniques described in his first Alla Prima book.  I confess that I don't pull out the charts as often as I should, but every now and then I do look at them. I highly recommend doing the color charts.

 

The students nearly finished their paintings, and seemed rather pleased with the results. I think some of them will continue to work with oil paint. I had fun teaching the class. They were all very excited to see what they could do. I was pleased to see how well they did. 

Harkness Memorial Park Painting

I put up my art show at the Case Memorial Library last week. I've got twenty-one paintings on display. There's a mix of still life and landscapes, many of them new. Here's one that I did recently at Harkness Memorial Park:

I painted this last fall on a beautiful cool autumn day. There was some fall color and the last of the flowers blooming for the year. I love painting here. It's peaceful and beautiful. The gardens are well-kept. There are so many places to paint there, and it's a great place for a picnic. It's near the water and there's great views of the Sound. They rent the gardens and mansion for special occasions like weddings and parties.

Originally a 237-acre working dairy farm with a herd of prize Guernsey cows, the Eolia estate had 65 employees, 35 of whom were year-round support staff. In addition to its stunning floral gardens designed by Beatrix Farrand and later Marion Coffin, the estate featured vegetable gardens and fruit orchards. Later, it was purchased by Mary and Edward Harkness, Marion's sister and brother-in-law.

Commission of a 1780 House

This is a recent commission that I did of a house built in 1780 in the center of Northford, CT. It is a typical New England style house, though the structure is post and beam with horsehair plaster walls and wide plank floors. It has a large fireplace in the center that was once used for cooking and boiling water. Over the years, an addition was put on the rear of the house for a modern kitchen, though it's invisible from the front. I managed to paint this over a four day period just before the autumn leaves fell and winter set in. It was a joy to paint, which I did in oil. It's 16"x20".

Auction Painting of Tomatoes

I donated this 6x8 painting for the Northford Women's Club Dutch Auction. We do the auction every year, and I've been donating a small painting the last few years. The auction did very well. We had some nice hand made items as well as nice beautiful baskets. The proceeds go to the club's operating expenses. The winner was Carmel, our 85-year-old gem of a volunteer who always has nothing but good things to say about everyone. She is always so generous with her time as a volunteer and is incredibly active for a woman her age. She is thrilled with the painting and plans to give it to her son and daughter-in-law for Christmas.

Workshop in Maine with Stapleton Kearns

I went to Acadia, Maine last weekend for a three-day workshop with master painter Stapleton Kearns. The first day, we painted on top of some large rocks on the shoreline in Thunder Hole. It was warm and sunny mostly and quite pretty that day. Stape began with a demo with an underpainting in burnt sienna. He worked up a lot of the drawing into precise details. It was interesting to watch him use his large brush to work in the rocks and hills. He recommended that we work on the largest areas first, but keep working on different areas rather than finishing one area before going on to the next.

The next two days we spend painting at Ship's Harbor on the south side of the island near Bass Harbor. We had a short hike, though it seemed long when you had to carry a bunch of painting equipment, to a great spot near the water with beautiful pine trees hugging the shore. Both days were gray with mist and clouds, so it made for a softer, cooler painting. The colors were more intense but muted by the atmosphere, rather than a lot of light bouncing off of objects and desaturating the color.

Stape started out with a demo on the first day in Ship's Harbor with a purple underpainting, because of the cool light filtering through the picture. He then added color, working all over the canvas, bringing up one area and then another. Many of us had too short a range of values, with too little darks and too few lights. We tended to stay in the middle ranges. Perhaps the grayness of the day influenced our decisions. He did say that we needed to hone our drawing skills and work with larger brushes.  He told me to take a value scale and compare it to photos of masters' paintings so that I can see their range of values. Getting the values right is not as easy as it sounds. I hope to take this painting and work on it more at home this week.

The group was a fun mix of artists and art lovers, all enjoyable to be with. It was small, there were only ten of us, which is the best size, I think. I even met an artist from Durham, the next town over from mine. That was a coincidence.
The rain kept threatening by the end of the day on Monday, so I packed up and drove home. I would have loved to stay another day, but not with a forcast of rain.  It was a long drive, 7.5 hours, but it went okay. I will go back again on my own maybe next spring. I want to see more of the park and do some hiking. What a great place to paint and hike!

Tilly Foster Farm

I took a workshop with Marc Hanson recently at Tilly Foster Farm in Brewster, NY. It was a great workshop. There were 13 of us, all very serious about our artwork. With Marc's direction, we all did a small black and white study, then did three different sizes of a view that we liked. Each time, I was able to work out the details and values of the painting. Marc is a good teacher. He was able to critique everyone as they worked and his advice really helped. His demos were inspiring. He really puts a lot of time and attention to his paintings, even the smallest of details. The scene that he painted seemed fairly plain, but he made it look so special and interesting.

Tilly Foster Farm is a public park that has animals like chickens, sheep, a large horse stable, turkeys, cows, and two very interesting pigs. There were so many scenes to paint, it was hard to choose one. In the end, I chose one in which I could stand in the shade, as it was pretty hot after a while of being in the sun, and I chose a really neat looking barn. It was early morning, so the shadows were long and interesting. We had mostly great weather that week, except Friday, but we worked inside the last two days, so it didn't matter.

Thursday evening, Marc did a nocturne demo at a nearby lake that was so cool. I have not yet tried it, but I hope to do one soon.

I was happy with my painting of this large barn. I feel like I learned quite a bit during that week, if only I can remember it all. It was so nice to do nothing but art all week, too. I know that I will do the black and white studies, and have already done one on a recent painting trip to a nearby farm. It is very helpful.

Painting: Morning, "Tilly Foster Farm," 16x20, $650.