Heads Up

'Laguna Headland' 5" x 7" Oil on Canvas.

This is based on a painting I started on location but never finished. I wasn't very good at defecting distractions from all the people stopping at my easel as I was painting in Heisler Park in Laguna Beach.

Mission Accomplished.

I have finally finished my painting from a plein air class at the Mission at San Juan Capistrano. I thought I had finished it but after living with the painting for a few days I decided to change some areas which just didn't look right.

'Mission Fountain' 5" x 7" Oil on Canvas.

Lake View Completed

As promised, here is the painting I created from my plain air expedition in Irvine last week. I am very happy with how it turned out.

'Across the Lake' 5" x 7" Oil on Canvas.

Paint Out

I have recently embarked on a new adventure - painting outdoors. 

I have previously painted with watercolours in the open air while on holiday but it has been on an ad hoc basis and just for myself. Now I plan to paint outdoors as part of my repertoire as a painter.

Plein Air painting is mostly associated with the Impressionist painters such as Claude Monet and post-impressionist painters like Vincent Van Gogh who used it to capture the changes in light and record life and the landscape of the French countryside.

Last week, I joined a group of other plein air painters at Quail Hill in Irvine for a morning of painting.

After finally getting set up, (hopefully I will become quicker as I get more use to my equipment) I began to capture the scene ahead of me while battling  wind and the bugs who seemed determined to join the fun by running around my palette.

Staying hydrated was also important as it was a very warm morning. A lesson learned for next time was to wear longer sleeves and cover my neck since I walked away with a little sunburn.

Even so, it was a fun experience and I am happy with the result. Quail Hill 5" x 7" Oil on Canvas paper.