Sunflower Retreat

 Painting a field of Sunflowers without painting every flower.

Since I began painting outdoors I find painting from photos very limiting.  However, one of the hardest things for beginning painters en plein air seems to be not painting every detail.  Many people are accustomed to accepting the frozen camera view of reality, but in reality your eye sees the world very differently.  You see the field of flowers as moving shapes and colors while only seeing the details of the closest flowers. Sunflowers follow the sun until they are heavy with seed and can no longer turn their heads with the sun.   I painted with the sun over my left shoulder as I viewed the field. Still I found that the painting was more about suggestion of distance and color filled space than about contrast of value. Changes in color notes were subtle and that is what I concentrated on. 

  

Sunflower Field, Fluid Acrylic, 11 X 14 inches

Painting on a cloudy Thursday at Linden

When planning for a workshop I like to arrive early and get in touch with the place.  Like everyone else I am overwhelmed by "something to paint" everywhere I look.  One of those spring southern storms moved through on Wednesday night. It was great hearing the rain on the roof of my cabin.  The next morning I went out to do some 30 minute warm-up paintings.  These little 5 X 7's can pack a lot into a small space. Although it was cloudy, there were good color contrasts and soft lights. The value range is tighter, but still good little paintings.  Sometimes colors look brighter against a darker blue-violet-grey sky.  Even the shady areas contain soft reflected light. 

Cloudy Thursday, Grain Bin, Oil on Canvas Panel, 5 X 7 Inches

Cloudy Thursday, Fallow Field, Oil on Canvas Panel, 5 X 7 Inches

More of Linden Plantation

 Mary Jane 

 Noula

Peggy

We had perfect weather for my Plein Air Workshop.  Our Hosts really treated us "Delta Style" with delicious food and entertaining conversation.  Only a few reasons to return to the Delta for another workshop.