Painting en Plein Air

Painting en Plein Air is an enriching way to learn more about painting, especially color and light. People who are new to painting on location often struggle with the aspect of changing light and how to capture the scene quickly.  They also seem less confident with drawing skills.  My next workshop at Linden Plantation will focus on drawing value studies with paint.  We will create value studies outdoors en plein air (weather permitting) and indoors from photographs.   With a few color notes, these value studies can then be developed into paintings in the studio. This process will give participants an opportunity to make comparisons between working onsite and working from photographs.

Peggy Burns has attended 3 workshops in the Linden series
“I attended Donna McGee’s workshop at Linden Plantation in MS and the venue was so beautiful and inspiring.  I had never done plein air painting before, but will from now on.  Donna opened my eyes to a new way of seeing and experiencing nature. The light and colors viewed while painting onsite are so rich and vibrant, while a photo taken at the time looks so washed out.  Donna provides instruction to meet each person at their own individual artist level. It was a great weekend, I learned a lot and hope to do it again in the future” Peggy Burns on Painting en Plein Air at Linden Plantation-- Peggy Burns, Spring 2018

Peggy's Paintings 

 

Tree Shadows Linden

Sunflower Field Linden

John Henry Slough

Landscape Painting Linden Plantation

 

        Easter at Linden, Oil,  14 X 11 Inches                Sunflower Field, Acrylic, 11 X 14 Inches                         John Henry Slough, Oil, 11 X 14 Inches

These three paintings (above) are from the landscape workshop series at Linden Plantation, spring, summer, and fall. I enjoy going back to a location to paint at different times in different lighting conditions.  I believe these three painting capture something of the freshness of spring, the heat and humidity of summer, and cool, golden of fall in the South. 

Next Workshop:

Landscape Painting with Donna McGee

Linden Plantation, Glen Allan, MS

3/1/2019 – 3/3/2019

Email: dfmcgee09@gmail.com

www.donnafmcgeefineart.com

www.espoutdoors.com/linden-plantation

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.

Landscape Painting Workshop

Spring Landscape Painting at Linden Plantation

Join me for a Landscape Painting Workshop at Linden Plantation in the Mississippi Delta

Enjoy the best parts of life in an old-fashioned Plantation setting.  Gourmet meals on fine china, luxurious antique furnishings, veranda sunsets over the cypress banks of an oxbow lake, and plenty of yes ma’ams and yes sirs are merely a caveat to the pleasure of painting in the Mississippi Delta. The day will begin with continental breakfast followed by a painting session from 9 AM – 3:30 PM with brunch break from 11- 12:30.  Daily Sundowner will include wine and photographs of Linden’s spectacular sunsets which will include a special 30 minute Sundown Demo on day 1 and participant painting on day 2.  For more information visit Donna’s web page:  www.donnafmcgee.com  or www.espoutdoors/linden-plantation.com . E-mail Donna at dmcgee09@comcast.net for materials list (Be sure to include the medium you will be using).

$650.00 (lodging and meals included). 
To register send check to:
Linden Plantation 
P. O. Box 227
Glen Allen, MS 38744
662.822.2031