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. "View from VanGogh's Draw Bridge" 16 x 20 oil on panel. The Langlois Bridge in Arles. If we hadn't gotten lost, we never would have found it. First painting from Provence. What an awesome time!!
“Zipping Around Paris” 16 x 20 Oil on Canvas. My first painting from France.
Arrive in Style
Happy New Year!!!!
Well, 2019 has arrived, and it’s time to start making plans for the New Year.
Have you been thinking about painting classes? I still have room in the Wednesday morning guided classes beginning Jan 9th, while the Tuesday evening classes, beginning Jan 8th, are wait list only. Each class series will begin again in early March. So, if you missed this series, make sure to sign up early for March. Private lessons are also available. Find more details here
Keep a look out for plein air events in the spring as well. I will be teaching a free class in Eatonton GA in early April, but I do plan to schedule a few more outings as well. More details to come and keep checking my website.
I wish you all a healthy and happy New Year!!
Enjoy painting in the great outdoors
Plein Air Suggested Supply List New to plein air? Here are a few tips to help get you started. Ready to get started? sign up for the 3 day plein air worksop in at The Parker Ranch in Clayton, GA May 5 - 7 http://dawnart.com/classes/2016/5/20/plein-air-retreat-at-parker-ranch
Supplies
Easel - 1/2 French easel or anything easy to carry and stable outdoor. I use a tripod with a paint box. There are many options with a range of prices. See links below.
Palette - Wooden palette that you can clip to your easel or disposable. I use a 12 x 16 that fits in my wet canvas carrier
Wet canvas or panel carrier
A backpack is a great help if you can get most of your supplies in it
Paints - I suggest a simple palette to start with. A cool red and blue and a warm red and blue
Example of colors
White - a big tube
Hansa Yellow or Cadmium Yellow Light - something similar(cool) Yellow Ochre , Cadmium Yellow Medium (warm)
Alizarin Crimson or Permanent Rose(cool) Cadmium Red or Hue
Ultramarine Blue (warm) Pthalo Blue Green Shade (cool)
I also like Sap Green as a great mixing color
Any other colors that make you happy
Canvas or panels. I usually use 9x12, 11x14, 12x12, 12x16 6x8
If you have a backpack or large shoulder bag that most of your supplies will fit in – A HUGE help. You can hang your paint bag to your tripod to add weight and stability
Paper towels, baby wipes, & trash bag
A variety of brushes and palette knives of your choice
Brush cleaner and container with a tight lid to keep from spilling
Any medium you use to thin your paint.
If working in oils you will mix a lot of your colors. If working in acrylic, you might bring more pre-mixed colors to help with dry time. Also a slow dry retarder and spray bottle for misting the color and a container for water to clean brushes
Sketch book and pencil
Other helpful items
View Finder. Lot's of options out there but I like this one https://www.amazon.com/Picture-Perfect-Plus-View-Finder/dp/B001BKJ734
Hat - cover your face and ears
Sunscreen and bug spray
Umbrella - to use as a sunscreen or rain protection
Bag or pack to put all supplies in.
Gloves for your hands . I don’t like plastic because they are too sweaty!
Bottled water and a snack.
Chair and or table only if you want to carry it!
Ideas for Easels
Price Range for French Easels: New: $150.00 - $250.00 maximum - can find on sale at Amazon or other places like Craigs List. Facebook also has artist equipment sales pages. You can find great deals.
As I am getting ready for the 3 day painting retreat at The Parker Ranch in Clayton, I thought I would share this earlier post on how to build a palette box. If you are handy, it's nice to make your own! - Dawn
In a recent Plein air workshop, one of the students asked me to share how I made my palette box and wet panel carrier. Of course I've had that on my to do list for months, but that was the motivation I needed to get my to sit down and work on it.
A portable palette box and wet panel carrier for plein air
I typical paint 12 x 16 when working plein air, so I made the bottom of the box large enough to hold that size once I put the sides on. 13x 17 plus the handles. Once I had the back cut out, I cut out the space that will go around my tripod. I used the jigsaw and drill with a spade bit to make this cut.
Now I have base of the palette box, I made the sides. I used 1/2 inch oak for this and cut them to size using the miter saw. Next I cut a block to bring the handle up to the same height as the sides. Now I put an adjustable bracket on the handle that will hold it on to the tripod.
This is a close up of the handle. I mitered the top piece so that it can easily slide on to the tripod and the tension will hold the box in place. Also, it can be adjusted if I ever change tripods.
Time for the folding shelves. I made two sides for the shelves first to make sure I had the measurements right, then cut the panels to make the tops. Glueing and nailing them to the frames
Okay ready for the hinges. I ran four small hinges down each side.
Here's the completed box. I put blocks on the back as well with enough open space for me to guide the panels in. I have clips on the sides that will hold the panels in place. It will hold 2 panels facing each other with plenty of space between them to keep them from touching.
I also stapled elastic to the sides, that holds my palette knives, brushes and small tubes of paint. Then put mirror hangers on the sides and attach a shoulder strap and voila!!
Okay, there you have it. I hope it's helpful
Thanks Megan for motivating me to actually do this. Let me know if you have any question!
Summer in the Mountain 10 x 10 oil on panel - plein air
A good friend had us out to paint in the North Ga Mountains last week and everything was just so green. After piddling around a little bit, I decided just to have a little fun with it and just go bold. Below is the actual scene I was working from. I think you can find the stairs but see if you can find the Adirondack chair in my painting....just kidding : ) - Dawn
Why do we do what we do? This is a question that keeps coming up in the classes I have been at C4 (business classes for artists). I am amazed by how hard this question is to answer.
Easy answers:
I can. I love it. I'm curious. Etc....
Why is this such a hard thing to answer? I have been making art most of my life. I have a degree in painting. I have been teaching painting classes for 14 years. But why do I do this? Well... I love making 3 dimensional space on a 2 dimensional plane, moving color back in forth within that 2D space. I love problem solving, and I just like to walk around and look and think about how so many things are possible on one little planet.
I have been assigned to make my mission statement as part of my class work, and after a lot of struggle, I think I have it.
Mission: Create expressive paintings that elevate the ordinary and encourage the viewer to appreciate the beauty of the day to day.
When it comes down to it, I always feel so lucky. I love my work and I can always learn and improve. I look forward to seeing what tomorrow brings.
Paint on my friends,
Dawn
Wed, March 30 @ 3 :30 pm meet at the 12th St entrance. Lot's of great options there to paint or walk in a little farther and get the skyline view. I am going to stay until sunset to get the evening sky on the high-rises.
Monday in the studio!! Untitled for now, 24 x 36 Oil on canvas - palette knife.
24 x 36 Oil on Canvas
Last weeks efforts.
This one started as a plein air study in Olmsted Park
Check out all classes available online: click
Hope to see you out there,
Dawn
Questions? Get in touch
I was tired of wasting paper towels in the studio or being to cheap to get a clean one, so I thought I'd try cutting a role down in the shop. By cutting the roll into three sections, I have the perfect size to clean my brushes and knives without waste! Hallelujah Why did it take me so long to come up with this??
Cheers, Dawn
Check out all classes available online: click
.Hope to see you out there,
Dawn
Questions? Get in touch
What a difference a day makes! Yesterday was a perfect day to hit Stone Mountain Park for an afternoon of painting, today it's rainy and cold. I hope we'll be so lucky next week. We had five painter come out.
I went back around the corner today to see if I could finish this one. Right at 4:00 the light hits the buildings just right. Now if only these people would hold still!!
9 x 12 "Headed to the Park" oil on panel, plein air
Here's my start. Too bad I couldn't get that tandem bike in there. Such an unwilling model . : )
Questions? Get in touch
I didn't finish today as I had hope, but made a lot of progress. This one started as a plein air study in the Olmsted Linear Park. Tomorrow, tomorrow, I'll finish : ) Dawn
Untitled 24 x 36 oil on canvas Dawn Kinney Martin
The inspiration
Hope to see you out there,
Dawn
Wow, I won a sponsorship award !!
I was almost too embarrassed to
turn mine in. Turn out it's really stressful
painting in a competition!
The final painting, "Hard Days Work " 12 x 16 oil on panel Sold
The inspiration!!! I've learned a lot out there painting this year,
I look forward to getting out that more in 2016 and see what
happens.
Cheers, Dawn
Painting through all these rainy days in GA, really prepared me for the plein air week in Elizabeth City. We can't pick the weather! Oddly enough I've really started to enjoy tackling these grays.
First day, I decided to tackle the harbor from across the boat yard. "Harbor Hangout" 12x12 oil on panel.
Took a lot of editing, but I'm happy with the results. Someone else appreciated my efforts as well, this one sold the first night of the opening!
When I found this spot, I fell in love with the scene. "Hard Days Work" 12 x 16 oil on panel
I started this one after a day of painting in the rain, and got a pretty good start on it before the sun went down. Came back to finish it in the morning. This one I turned in for the plein air competition and I'm happy to announce, I won a sponsor award for my efforts. A big thank you to Elizabeth City and the plein air event. I look forward to the next one.
~ Dawn
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"Misty Morning on Lake Clair Meer"
9 x 12 oil on panel, Plein air
This weekend, despite the rain, I taught a really fun plein air workshop. This was an introduction class geared to helping beginners get out there for the first time. We started in the studio, covering how to get started and then hit Piedmont Park to practice. We found a covered spot over looking Lake Clair Meer and got started. We got about 2 hours of painting in before heading back to beat the next round of rain storms. This turned out to be perfect practice for me. I have really been struggling with how to paint color without the help of the sun. Above is today effort. Seeing progress from last weekend, but still room for improvement.
A couple of the painters below, they really had a nice time. Even with the rain, we where covered and the temperature was great.
Our inspiration for the day.
You can see what I mean by a gray day
Until next time, Dawn
Upcoming Classes http://dawnart.blogspot.com/p/2015-winter-spring-classes-workshops.html
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Painting the week away with friends in the upper Adirondacks! What a way to spend the week! For a week in June a group of about 100 artists arrive at Paul Smith College in upstate New York for a week of plein air painting and fellowship.
These are a few painting I worked on during the week along with one someone painted of me while out in the field. This is my second year going to the Adirondack Plein Air Invitational. I love having a week with no distractions, just paint all day. A great way to make improvements in your work and catch up with friends.
