Brad Teare

2011-06-14T09:46:00.000-07:00

79 MAKING THICK PAINT

MANY people have asked me how I make my Thick Paint videos so I decided to do a short entry on the process. There isn’t too much mystery although some have inquired how I film as I paint. I hope you enjoy this and I’ll see you again March 2012.

Here are links to the items mentioned in the video. Note that I am using a Mac with OS 10.5.8:

Sony Cyber-shot (I notice they have a 14 mega pixel version available now.)
StudioBoom (be sure to get a stand AND an adapter).
Ott lites
Axiotron Modbook
Dragon Dictate (this link is to the Mac version.)
Sony MP3 recorder

All images and words © Brad Teare 2011

2011-05-23T10:43:00.001-07:00

78 INNOVATION HAPPENS....

I AM making an exception to my No Blogging Until March 2012 rule because a friend sent me this great web site. I found Austin Kleon’s ideas both inspirational and practical.

The only thing I didn’t absolutely love about the essay (and this is very minor) was the idea that there are no new ideas. I only emphasize this small difference of opinion because I think it is important to believe in radical innovation, those quantum leaps that change everything.

I know it is a really small thing but my method of scraping the palette with the left hand and swiping paint off onto the canvas with the right is a new idea (albeit it a small idea). As far as I know that specific idea has no genealogy. It is dissimilar from any painting method I know (although I freely admit that someone else may have stumbled on this interesting but simple way to paint). We all make our contribution and small innovations can add up to large changes.

Not everything has been discovered relating to landscape painting. The genre is alive and well and poised for change by a series of innovations. Such discoveries will not be made by those who view painting as a series of recipes but by those who believe innovation is possible.

In short, I think it is best to borrow freely but be open and hope for true, unfettered innovation. Maybe these small innovations are like mutations (an idea I borrowed from this book). Innovations seem to come out of nowhere, but when they prove useful and are fused with other ideas they begin their metamorphosis as others borrow them and make them their own. One thing is certain; the rate of innovation increases as we share our discoveries with each other.

I admit that bolts of lightening from the sky are few and far between. But when they strike no other experience compares.

2011-03-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

77 TAKING A SABBATICAL AND LOOKING FOR A NEW CHAPEAU

AS I MENTIONED in my last blog I will be taking a break until March 2012. This will give me time to recharge the batteries as I work on a more commercial project. I also need a new hat and am willing to trade a painting for information on where to order one (see video). So next time I film I hope to be wearing a new chapeau (my old one clearly needs to be replaced!). I hope you have a great year painting and hope to hear from you again in March 2012. Many thanks!

Brad Teare © 2011

2011-03-22T08:11:00.001-07:00

76 THE ART ADVENTURE

AFTER High School my friend Joe Hebert and I left our Kansas home and traveled to the foothills of Moscow Mountain (in Northern Idaho) where we built a log cabin. A nearby farmer let us salvage lumber from an abandoned barn which we used to build the floor, roof, as well as the door and furniture. It was an interesting project and allowed me to live frugally so I could pursue art full-time.

Toward the end of my one year stay in the cabin I enrolled at the University of Idaho and began my formal study of art. I took drawing classes and started learning the rudiments of oil painting.

An early influence was the work of Rockwell Kent whose work I discovered in the local library. I was fascinated by what I assumed was woodcut, although Kent worked primarily in pen and ink making the occasional wood engraving. But his strong composition and stark contrast deeply impressed me. Above all I was fascinated by Kent's adventurous life. Later I would purchase a printing press and begin my own adventure illustrating in New York City.

The artist's life seemed infused with vibrant potential. I look back with nostalgia on that era. There were many things I didn't know about an art career, that there are many factors outside an artist's control, that the economy can create seemingly insurmountable obstacles, that the tastes and fashions of the art world can present frustrating challenges.

Strangely, it was a recent trip over the Sierra Nevadas to San Francisco and down the San Joaquin Valley that sparked my introspection and rumination on my artistic roots. As I passed through a region of lush green foothills sprinkled with majestic outcroppings of rock I remembered an earlier phase where I painted large acrylic paintings on stretched watercolor paper mounted on plywood. My favorite motifs were rocks covered with moss and lichens.

I recalled other periods where I sculpted, painted in watercolor, created science-fiction book covers, illustrated children's books, wrote and drew alternative comic books, animated television shows, and of course, painted landscapes with strokes of thick oil paint.

I undertook all these projects with a sense of adventure. That sense of adventure is perhaps what I like most about the artistic life. Through it all my most persistent ambition has been to paint the landscape. Yet currently I find very little air beneath my wings. So for the next year I have decided to set aside oil painting and begin a new project. This project will be of a more commercial nature but ultimately designed to reinvigorate my painting career. If all goes well I will return to the Thick Paint blog revitalized and ready to create new videos and blog entries chronicling larger, more energetic paintings. Although I will not be making new blog entries or videos for a year I will monitor comments and continue to answer questions.

I look forward to sharing what I learn in the coming year. I hope you will rejoin me in March 2012.

2011-02-03T08:03:00.001-08:00

75 THE SLOW PAINTING MOVEMENT

THE PLEIN air movement has been good for painters and landscape painting. It sparked a renaissance in the art of observation and a return to artistic fundamentals. It helped refocus landscape painter's attention back to the source of its inspiration. I have benefited artistically by painting in the field and financially from invitations to various art festivals. I commend these festivals for substantially enlarging the number of landscape collectors in America. I plan to continue painting en plein air as well as attending plein air festivals.

However an unintended consequence of the resurgence of plein air painting has been an emphasis, perhaps an overemphasis, on painting as a virtuoso performance for the benefit of spectators. At such events the most prized paintings are often the paintings done the quickest. I don't criticize these events. They're a lot of fun. But the trick is to compartmentalize this mental state and relegated it only to the proper moment. And the proper moment for a virtuoso performance is not when you're in the studio struggling to express your inner vision.

Recently I've noticed that the mental state I have while performing at plein air events has invaded my studio painting. While painting in the studio I not only habitually intend that each painting be a virtuoso performance, but often that each brush stroke be one as well. The pressure became so great I needed an escape. So I have switched, perhaps for just a season, to a completely different medium. The medium I chanced on is encaustic. There is a roughhewn quality with encaustic reminiscent of the art of woodcut, accompanied by the mental state I associate with sculpting. Encaustic is a medium that can't be hurried. It is also a medium that doesn't need to hurry. The drying time is indefinite and I can reactivate the painting surface simply by reheating it.

I will explore this medium for as long as it takes to unshackle myself from the burden of virtuosity. I intend to immersed myself in the encaustic process until painting becomes a kind of meditation and I relearn the art of painting slowly.

2011-01-26T08:13:00.000-08:00

74 USING A WAX MEDIUM PART 2 OF 2

THIS video completes my experiment oiling up the canvas with a cold wax and oil medium. Specifically I used Gamblin's Cold wax and their appealingly thick G-Gel. There are few surprises here, I basically just complete the painting using ideas started in part one. But it was satisfying to note that the medium maintained its thickness despite wiping off, adding pure paint, and generally pushing paint all over the surface.

2011-01-25T08:23:00.000-08:00

73 USING A WAX MEDIUM

AFTER dabbling in encaustics I’ve been intrigued with wax lately and decided to try adding it to a couch on an oil painting. I applied the wax medium to a failed painting and was able to add quite of bit of texture, which I adjusted so the values created a more pleasing design. I was surprised at how buttery the wax medium was, and how it really grabbed my paint off the brush. I’m very intrigued with wax as a medium and will be trying adding cold wax medium to my paints as well.

2011-01-19T09:55:00.000-08:00

72 FIRST YEAR ANNIVERSARY

I MENTIONED to my brother, Steve, that my blog had been on-line for a year. He suggested posting an interview as a way of commemorating Thick Paint's anniversary. Since my brother and I have been bouncing ideas off each other for as long as I can remember I thought it an interesting and potentially productive idea. Here are his questions and my responses:

STEVE TEARE You have a number of Google Followers. Have you ever looked at what they do and where they live? Any stories worth telling?

BRAD TEARE I'm a very private person so I haven't looked too deep into the backgrounds of followers and subscribers. I have been intrigued on occasion by certain photographs of art and checked out the follower's websites. I've been contacted via email by a variety of artists thanking me for posting information about painting and creativity. Recently a writer in Australia wrote that the blog was helpful as she researched a book she is writing. Such emails are very rewarding.

ST There are a few permanent links on your blog. Debra Teare, Jim Gurney, and a few supply links. Tell us why these are on your blog? Who are these people and places?

BT Debra Teare is my wife and I find her paintings a constant source of inspiration. Her color sense is fantastic and I analyze her color schemes quite a bit. She doesn't paint thickly, in fact she paints quite thinly, but I mention her regularly on the site and felt readers might like a convenient link to her work.

James Gurney was the first artist to showcase Thick Paint on his blog Gurney Journey. Immediately after he linked to my site I had hundreds of hits per hour. That dropped off considerably over the next few weeks but it was enough exposure to give my site a really great launch. In addition to my appreciation for James Gurney's generosity Gurney Journey is a great blog that should be on every artist's favorite blog list.

The Rational Painting site and Tad Spurgeon's website really helped me get a handle on how academic techniques could relate to impressionist painting, which is something I don't think has been fully explored. A lot of my techniques relate directly to what they are doing and they are both fantastic resources.

ST If I google the search phrase Brad Teare, I find you're more than just Mister Thick-Paint. You've experimented in lots of other areas. Like book covers, children's books, comic art, graphic novels, woodcuts, museum exhibits, private art collections, and others. Most of your blog readers don't know these different aspects. Do you think it would upset them to know you're so diverse? They normally only see a serious slice of your interests.

BT We live in an age dominated by specialists. I do think it might be confusing to some that I have roots in so many diverse fields. But since I obviously didn't edit out this question maybe I'm finally ready to own up to my past. A lot of what I did in the past doesn't seem that relevant. For example, I never thought my work in animation had much relevance except as a great preparation for my illustration career. But now that you pose the question it might be useful, especially for younger artists, to reflect on how artists evolve and progress. It is particularly important for young artists to understand that meaningful art is mostly a product of hard work and not necessarily of genius. I've been very conscious of young artists as I've created this blog so maybe it's time to acknowledge my roots. I will definitely reflect on this theme (maybe it will appear in a future blog).

ST You rely on video quite a bit to communicate on your blog. Do your blog visitors enjoy these most? Or do you think there's a fair number who get into the read, too?

BT There's no doubt that my videos draw the most attention. I think a lot of people have discovered my blog via YouTube and I suspect a lot of YouTube subscribers don't bother with the essays. But I hope that the two mediums complement each other. I try to edit out any redundancy. A lot of people do creative work on the computer and they're able to listen to videos while they work so the videos have that advantage. There's no doubt that a part of the genius of YouTube is its incredible search engine. I can monitor how viewers discover my site and the accuracy of the search engine is amazing. I take my hat off to YouTube.

ST You've been blogging for over a year with Thick Paint. You've had success where others have failed. Why do you think your blog traffic is good?

BT I really have no idea how my site compares to other sites. And, of course, success is relative. But much to my surprise the site has attracted nearly 100,000 visitors. That is far more than I ever imagined. I attribute the high traffic mostly to the YouTube portal. Other than that I think people respond to my practical, straightforward approach, an approach that might be hard to find in some art schools.

ST What do you feel are some of the rewards of producing the Thick Paint blog? And how about the downside? Any negatives?

BT The biggest reward for me has been how filming and writing about painting has clarified my thinking. I now know what I want to do with my painting, or a least much more so than a year ago. It's difficult to describe how writing about process clarifies your thinking but it definitely has happened. What remains for me now is to harness that insight and create a body of work that reflects that clarity. As far as negatives go, I can't really think of any except that occasionally the filming process for some reason inhibits my concentration. It doesn't happen often and if it does I just stop filming. Most of the time the filming just gets intertwined in the creative process. Sometimes the editing process gets too lengthy. But lately I've been trying to film so I have less editing to do.

ST Have you had any surprises or serendipity with Thick Paint?

BT I am fairly confident I was invited to the Door County Art Festival due to my blog. And due to my participation in Door County I was invited to exhibit at the Marshall LaKae Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona. That was a convoluted and extremely satisfying series of serendipity for which I'm grateful. My detour into encaustics has been a huge surprise and only possible due to previous discoveries, many of which occurred on the videos.

ST Has reader response been helpful in the creation of new blog ideas?

BT Yes, readers have often prompted follow-up essays and videos. I appreciate both the gratitude readers express as well as their questions, comments, and suggestions. I've had readers recommend books that proved quite interesting as well as offering variations on technique. Recently I read an intriguing book entitled The Rational Optimist that basically related how all advances are due to a cross-pollination of ideas. I hoped that Thick Paint could be such a vehicle, although I'm certainly striving to magnify that role.

ST If Thick Paint had a manifesto, what would it say?

BT The manifesto might be The history of painting begins now. Back in the 90s there were scores of essays with titles like The End of Art, The End of Painting, The End of Beauty, or other such nonsense. I had a college professor who basically said to me everything in impressionist painting had been discovered 100 years ago. That just didn't ring true. In fact it sounded a lot like scientists in the past who claimed that every innovation had already been discovered. There is something shockingly small-minded about such a declaration. Yet I also knew that the great majority of painters were churning out images far too similar to what we'd seen in the past. But I know that innovation is still possible. I'm not claiming that my work is outrageously innovative. But Thick Paint is a small attempt to be a part of what I suspect will be the beginning of a very innovative era. There's no better way to share information than the Internet and I think it will revolutionize painting as ideas increasingly cross-pollinate.

ST You created a lot of blog content in December 2009 right after you started Thick Paint. Where did you find all the energy?

BT I did create a lot of content initially and am not sure how I did it except to say I seemed to be on automatic pilot. I'm really a very introverted person. So for me to essentially invite dozens of people into my studio was pretty nerve shattering. Had I known it would be thousands of people watching the videos I'm not sure it would have made any difference. Once I got the idea I just had to do it. I had to see where it would lead. As you've noticed the frequency of videos and essays has diminished quite a bit so the initial burst of energy has tapered off. But I still have a list of great topics I hope to write about and film so I hope in time they'll make it onto the blog.

2011-01-05T07:56:00.000-08:00

71 LISTENING TO OUR OWN VOICE-

RECENTLY I purchased a set of encaustic paints. I was always somewhat intimidated by the medium, which I viewed as arcane and unnecessarily difficult, but felt there might be something to learn from the process. I purchased the necessary tools to heat and apply the colors (which are blocks of beeswax and damar crystals mixed with raw pigment). After doing a small study on a 6" x 6" panel I prepared a 24" x 24" piece of oak plywood. I lightly sanded the surface and barely stained it with a thin coat of Red Iron Oxide acrylic which I thinned to a watery consistency. I set out my colors and began painting.

The first hour was fairly frustrating as I didn't know how to rapidly apply basic patches of flat color. But once I applied a layer of wax over the entire surface the painting began to proceed smoothly. I was fascinated to discover that after applying several coats of varying colors I could heat the surface with a heat gun and paint back into the hardened pigments. The reheated paint was surprisingly buttery, not watery nor waxy as I anticipated. The process was enjoyable although I missed certain techniques I routinely use in oil painting. However, a surprising state of mind fell over me as I continued painting in this new and challenging medium.

Since I had never studied the art of encaustic painting all I could do was follow my intuition. True, I had plenty of experience painting. A solid notion of the importance of values, hard and soft edges, and the relationship of color and composition all gave me a decent head start. But paint that liquified and dried at will was alien to my experience. As I painted a tree I didn't think this is how Edgar Payne would paint this tree because I had never seen a tree painted in encaustic by Edgar Payne. Nor did I think Maynard Dixon would paint sagebrush like this. Because of this silent inner world that suddenly engulfed me I became keenly aware of all the voices that whisper, sometimes shout, as I practice what I previously thought to be a highly individual form of painting.

This experience showed me how I shackle my creative endeavors by allowing such voices to create a harsh and dogmatic inner world. This was particularly enlightening since I previously viewed myself as essentially immune to the intrusion of such inhibiting voices.

I suppose it is natural that a myriad of illusory voices direct our painting. Especially since we often foster an imaginary world where our favorite artists play the roles of mentors in abstencia. No doubt these self-constructed tutors help us with our artistic development. But we must be able to turn off such internal voices when they inhibit us from developing a truly individual art.

2010-12-10T07:53:00.001-08:00

70 PAINTING ALLA PRIMA

IN this video I paint a 30" x 30" painting alla prima, meaning I paint directly onto the canvas without going back and adding additional strokes. It is a great way to preserve maximum spontaneity in your work. I also show what happens if you use too much linseed oil in a putty mixture.

2010-10-29T06:33:00.001-07:00

69 THE USES OF PUTTY-

IT HAS been over a year that I have experimented with putty, the little known medium for adding body to paint. I first stumbled upon putty in the entries of Rational Painting and was led to the site of Tad Spurgeon, the undisputed on-line putty expert. I highly recommend visiting his site as he has lots of recipes to experiment with. No matter what your technique most painters will find something of value. For those of us who paint with thick paint it is a treasure trove of information.

Recently I've been intrigued with the idea of using putty as white. Putty lends a sparkle and luster to lighter values whereas adding white paint (such as Titanium White) tends to neutralize color. Using putty as white is vastly superior to using Zinc White if you are using Zinc White as a low tinting pigment. Some studies suggest that Zinc White will cause paint to crack even if added in small amounts. Of course, putty also adds texture, a quality that is most becoming in areas saturated with light. Tad Spurgeon offers so many variations of putty I confess that I haven’t tried them all. I declined experimenting with some recipes because the effect was not what I needed but others promise to solve several problems. My favorite recipe (of my own making) is simply Gamblin’s G-Gel mixed with chalk from Natural Pigments. I also use Natural Pigment's Venetian medium as a couch (a layer of medium I brush onto a dry layer of paint in order to paint as if painting wet-into-wet. See entry 17).

It takes some practice to fully understand the usefulness of putty as a white additive and using putty as a couch. Initially I struggled quite a bit even though I could clearly see putty's value in expanding the painting process beyond one session of alla prima virtuosity. Although I have yet to find the perfect putty (it would be perfectly transparent yet thicker than paint from a tube) I continue to experiment with this fascinating and useful medium.

2010-10-12T08:08:00.001-07:00

68 MAKING IT FUN-

FORGETTING to make painting fun is another way to create a mental block. This often happens when artists press too hard toward a desired goal. I once was so intent on getting a series of paintings done I began to work frantically rather than calmly toward my goal. I mistook my misguided intensity for virtue. As I became more and more frenzied the magic that lends beauty to art evaporated. Rather than relaxing and taking a deep breath I increased my frantic pace. This had an escalating negative effect. The painting entered a death spiral as I lost my original vision.

A good painting is a manifestation of the mental state you were in when you painted it. A poor painting is detached from that mental state. This detachment means there is little relationship between the artist and the final result. The painting is ambiguous, unfocused, and generic. What you intended to communicate is lost.

So how does a painter recover the state of mind that leads to good painting? You must recover the calm that promotes a direct link between intent and final result. One way to do this is to recapture the fun that originally enticed you to pursue art in the first place.

Looking at how children enjoy art we see them reveling in the joy of spontaneous creation. Their work is naïve, lacking informed decision that is the hallmark of mature creativity. They have few voices inside their heads criticizing or directing their work. But their enjoyment is pure. Back in my art school days I remember the art students that improved very quickly. Like children they drew and painted unhindered by internal criticism. They created fearlessly and without reservation. Due to their furious pace these artists quickly acquired the technical skills needed to paint well. They became the envy of the class and the focus of the teachers' attention. However since these students lacked the internal critic most students struggled with few of these artists ultimately developed the refined sense of taste necessary to foster an individual, unique style.

Some artists with the often bedeviling internal critic slowly managed to accumulate the skills to express their artistic vision. A few surrendered to internal criticism and gave up artistic pursuits entirely.

But what would happen if an artist with a demanding internal critic (the force that develops artistic sensitivity and taste) learned to suspend the often withering voice of such a demanding master? Such suspension would allow an artist to progress quickly technically while holding the demanding critic in reserve. If one could learn to switch between the role of childlike exuberance and the role of demanding master both virtues could be fostered simultaneously.

Here is a news flash for every artist, student or otherwise: learning to paint, and refining your process, takes a lot of time and work. But if we can learn to make it fun, while retaining and fostering a critical eye, we combine the best of two worlds and our progress will be fast and rewarding. This may remain a lofty and somewhat paradoxical goal. But worth considering as we strive to develop our talents.

2010-10-08T08:24:00.000-07:00

67 BREAKING A MENTAL BLOCK-

OCCASIONALLY I get a mental block and find it difficult to paint. Sometimes this will be caused by attempting a painting I imagine will be especially challenging, or a deadline that seems to take the fun out of painting. But whatever the cause I don’t enjoy those fallow periods especially when they stretch out too long. So what is a painter to do? One of the most useful methods is to simply make a list of each step of the painting precess. If there are challenges to the motif I can isolate my concerns. Making a list also helps simplify the process and by doing so I realize I have nothing to fear. I hope this video will help you break those aggravating, but inevitable, mental blocks.

2010-09-10T08:02:00.000-07:00

66 THE BEST 5 BOOKS ABOUT THICK PAINT

I have a large library of art books that I enjoy looking through from time to time. But what if I could only have the best five books? Which ones would they be? It didn’t take long to pick out my favorites. For one thing they are near my easel for easy reference. Although there are other books I have greatly enjoyed these are the best.

CARLSON’S GUIDE TO LANDSCAPE PAINTING by John F. Carlson Of all the books in my library this the the most essential. Although not specifically about painting with thick paint it gives all the principles necessary to paint with confidence with thick applications. This is probably the most recommended book on landscape painting.

VAN GOGH BY D. M. Field There are lots of books about Van Gogh but most have poor reproductions. This is one of the best for the price. Van Gogh is one of the all time great painters in thick paint so you need at least one of his books in your library.

WHAT PAINTING IS by James Elkins Although this book will not suit everyone’s tastes it is one of the few books that discusses in detail the physical act of mixing and applying paint.

THE GROUP OF SEVEN by David P. Wilcox This book is replete with beautifully composed landscapes. Not all of the Seven painted thickly but there is a lot of virtuoso painting in this volume.

RUSSIAN IMPRESSIONISM by Vladimir Kruglov and Vladimir Lenyashin This beautiful book is replete with fantastic paintings few have seen. And there are lots of paintings with thick, lush strokes since many of the Russian painters of the era specialized in thick applications. I noticed that this book is currently quite expensive but check back occasionally. I have seen it used for a reasonable price. Until then you may want to substitute the book Pioneering Modern Painting: Cezanne and Pizzarro (see link below) which is a beautiful book in its own way. It contains lots of detailed close-ups and has a great deal to teach about thick paint.

Brad Teare © 2010

2010-08-19T07:24:00.000-07:00

65 GETTING GREENS RIGHT

IN recent entries I have mentioned using a new palette of colors to achieve more vibrant greens. In this video I expand on that idea and overpaint an old painting where the greens are quite gray.

I don't want anyone to think I am advocating an exact formula for every lighting condition. Obviously this basic recipe will be greatly modified depending on the light. But it is a great step forward for those of us who either tend to gray greens too much or use greens with too high saturation. Additionally if you are tired of relying on tube colors the information here should prove of some value.

Brad Teare © 2010

2010-08-11T08:41:00.000-07:00

64 PAINTING DOOR COUNTY

Door County was so beautiful I couldn't resist putting together another video. I once again demonstrate doing a sketch, and using Burnt Sienna to do my initial lay-in of color, two new habits. Also included are a few shots of opening night, which was a lot of fun and very well planned by the staff of the Peninsula School of Art. I was so busy I failed to take a final shot of the painting, so we only see the video which looks washed out. I am always amazed how field shots show very little texture. My footage at the Door County Plein Air Festival tended to be incomplete as I was obviously focused on other issues. But I hope you enjoy seeing a bit more of Door County as much as I enjoyed revisiting the experience.

Brad Teare © 2010

2010-07-30T07:39:00.000-07:00

63 WHAT I LEARNED IN DOOR COUNTY..

PERIODS of intense painting can be extremely productive in advancing painting ability which make plein air festivals, like the one I recently attended in Door County, very productive.This is especially true if the terrain is radically different from what you are accustomed. The lush and humid environs of the Wisconsin Peninsula forced me to break old habits and see things in a new light. Here are some of the things I learned:

GET YOUR GREENS RIGHT

There is no substitute for accuracy when painting greens. The sensitivity of the human eye to greens is more acute than with any other color. If your greens are haphazard or arbitrary viewers can easily detect your slothfulness. So how do you get the greens right? Use lots of red to mellow or soften the high saturation of green. To start a green I usually begin with Thalo Green to which I might add Alizarin Crimson or Cadmium Red. To modify this base I will add Dioxazine Purple to create a shadowy green. To mix a light green I add Cadmium Yellow Deep (a very orange yellow). I use purple and orange to modify my greens because these colors contain a lot of red. If I add Cadmium Yellow Light and Ultramarine Blue (two colors containing little red) I push the green back to a highly saturated green and lose the advantage originally created by graying a base green with complementary red. In Door County I had to radically modify my methods of mixing greens but I found this new procedure to be superior in achieving rich, subtle greens. Paradoxically the more green nuances you can mix the more greens you will see.

DO A SKETCH

One of the best things you can do to create a successful painting is to take the time to do a small thumbnail sketch before starting to paint. The reasons for doing a sketch are to discover a solid composition and lock down the basic design and pattern of the shadows. In a two hour painting session the shadows can change dramatically. By having a sketch as reference throughout the painting session you can ensure the basic design will remain strong. Given the variability of light during a two-hour session there will be moments where you will paint entirely from your sketch.

TRUST YOUR PREPARATION

After preparing the best you can, relax and take your time as you paint. A sense of urgency and haste is antithetical to the creative process. The subconscious mind works best when the body is relaxed and calm. You will always do your best painting when you can muster a sense of profound calm and confidence. Since you have prepared properly allow yourself the luxury of tranquility.

BE FREE TO PAINT MULTIPLE SESSIONS

If the light changes dramatically during a two-hour session don't be afraid to return when the lighting is more to your liking. Doing a two-session painting under similar lighting conditions will allow you more time to make decisions resulting in a superior painting. As long as the paint is still wet there is no downside to extending your painting session. Of course you may run the risk of the paint drying before weather conditions resume. But in most cases extending the painting time to a second session can be extremely beneficial.

PAINT WITH COMMITMENT

Once you have established your composition, your shadow pattern, your pattern of dark and light, stick with it. Don't allow yourself to become derailed by ever-changing shadows and colors. Stay true to the original reason you selected your motif. This discipline will allow you to grow faster even though it may initially appear counterintuitive to the creative process.

NEVER GIVE UP

There are times in every painter's career where it seems you have exhausted your ability to improve. This is a mirage that if believed will detract you from your ability to press forward in a rational, straightforward fashion. Do not take counsel from the weaker aspects of your character but place confidence in your best self and never forget that your potential is inextricably linked to your perseverance.

2010-07-28T06:43:00.000-07:00

62 SKETCHING TO MAINTAIN GOOD DESIGN
MY wife and I recently returned from a plein air festival in Door County, Wisconsin. We had a wonderful time. The event was well planned by the Peninsula School of Art and the beauty of Door County was only matched by the hospitality of our hosts, Alison and Phil.

This video demonstrates a few insights into painting in the field I learned during the festival. Door County had an extremely wet spring this year and capturing the greens was an immense challenge. While this video focuses on using a sketch to maintain good design, a future entry will include several solutions to mixing beautiful greens.

2010-07-09T06:08:00.001-07:00

61 MENTAL PREPARATION..

LIKE an athlete preparing for a major marathon I have been getting ready for the plein air festival on the peninsula of Door County, Wisconsin. And like many athletes I discovered that the most important preparation is mental. After getting myself worked into a frenzy, worrying about all the incredible artists I would be painting with, some of whom undoubtably paint entirely en plein air, I decided I needed to go back to basics, simplify my process, and stop worrying about competition. Above all I realized that given the highly personal nature of art the only competition is with myself.

Last Wednesday I picked up my painting Road to Eden (see entry 29 Advanced Underpainting 1 of 5) from the Springville Art Museum. As I looked to see if my painting had been included in the catalog I discovered that not only was it included but it had won a merit award as well. It was a well timed confidence booster.

As I went painting last night and came home with a perfectly acceptable painting I noted the changes that occurred in my thinking. First I realized that excessive dependence on formula can cause creative paralysis. Sure, it is good to know certain principles, but there comes a time when these have to be lightly held and not hovering in the forefront of the mind. Second, I have to simplify my process, not make things more complicated in the field. Hone complex painting procedures in the studio, then simplify them, and practice them intuitively in the field. Fourth, there is no substitute for getting the color right. By right I mean achieving a complex and nearly indescribable relationship between value and hue that reflects the color you see but, most importantly, replicates the color relationships seen in the motif. In other words, it is the relationship of color rather than absolute accuracy (which is impossible anyway given the limited nature of paint versus the nearly unlimited nature of light).

Mentally preparing myself was an interesting process, even though I thought I was preparing myself technically. Of course, it had a great deal to do with the fortuitous merit award for which I am grateful, but maybe next time I will understand that the greatest challenges in painting happen within the walls of our own mind.

I will be giving a demonstration of my painting techniques at the Door County Plein Air Festival (July 19-24, 2010). The exact time is yet to be determined but if you are in the area be sure to drop by. For more info call 920-868-3455 or email info@doorcountypleinair.com.

2010-05-25T08:35:00.000-07:00

60 BUILDING CONFIDENCE IN THE FIELD

Painting in the field can be a daunting experience. I purposely made this experience easier by keeping my paint application thin and adding grayer pigments to my palette to allow me to control chroma. I use turpentine instead of mineral spirits to allow my thin darks to thicken on the canvas allowing me to over paint with light colors. I also push my values toward middle values, away from darker tones, remembering to paint from dark to light.

2010-05-19T15:12:00.000-07:00

59 THE PROBLEM WITH BLACK

MANY painters avoid the use of black and prohibit it from the palettes of their students. Theoretically there is nothing wrong with black. After all, the color paint looks like is the color it is, regardless of the name on the label. So if I add black to yellow to get green there is absolutely nothing wrong with that provided the final color is the color combination I want.

In my recent painting Canal at Dusk, 30" x 30", I avoided using blacks in the deep shadows. Instead I opted to mix two extremely dark yet highly saturated colors, Alizarin Crimson Permanent and Thalo Green, to create my darks. Using two deep colors to create a black allowed me to bias the color mixture to get rich, vibrating hues of either warm or cool variations.

If you are painting in the field and you need a deep, dark color to quickly add to other pigments you might consider using Chromatic Black which is a combination of Thalo Green and Quinacridone Red. This mixture can be quickly made cool by adding viridian green or warm by adding alizarin crimson permanent (or any color you desire). Another favorite of mine for making black is Dioxazine Purple and Transparent Earth Yellow. This mixture, when applied half mixed, creates an exotic and rich color.

Black, like all other colors, will appear more vibrant if presented as broken color, or at least have elements of the basic components of other colors. For example a green will be more vibrant if it has flecks of blue and yellow sparkling through it. Just because an area in your painting is dark doesn't mean it shouldn't vibrate with broken color. And using half mixed, complementary colors will make this vibration easy and satisfying to accomplish.

2010-05-11T12:08:00.000-07:00

58 PAINTING WET-INTO-DRY

THIS video shows how I apply really thick paint over a previously dry layer. I also add some glazing and scumbling as well as some thin dry brush strokes to soften edges.

2010-05-07T08:28:00.000-07:00

57 TEARE EXHIBIT

THIS is a two minute video of highlights from a show Debra and I recently had at the Frank Prince Gallery in Logan, Utah. Frank does our framing for us and had an unprecedented amount of work in his gallery so offered to have a show. It is the most work Deb has ever exhibited (18 paintings) and the most work we have ever shown together. Deb also exhibited her painting Must move Forward that will be exhibited at the Brandywine River Museum this September. The filming was by our daughter Ashley Teare. Thanks Ashley!

2010-05-07T07:55:00.001-07:00

56 REMEDIAL PAINTING 101

ALTHOUGH I am primarily self-taught I have been privileged to take workshops from several excellent painters. But it has always mystified me how assimilating information, even from a gifted artist, never leads to painting at the level of the teacher. After some reflection I decided that the reason it is difficult to assimilate artistic lessons from artistic mentors, no matter how gifted or well-intentioned, is because everyone has a different combination of strengths and weaknesses. These specific strengths and weaknesses need to be addressed specifically. Additionally the neophytes' challenge is to learn a specific set of skills unique to his or her ultimate way of painting. This challenge is made more difficult because neither teacher nor student know the ultimate parameters of the artist's ultimate unique style.

For years I painted in the field using a wood palette. This wood palette has been stained by repeated applications of paint. I felt this dark palette was not only adequate but desirable because a famous artist I read about used a similar palette. I also used canvasses tinted with red iron oxide because it is a successful method I use in the studio. It took me a long time to consider that this might not be the optimal method for me to use in the field.

I observed that when I painted en plein air my paintings were often plagued with weak color, especially in the darks. Gradually it dawned on me that using a dark palette caused me to pitch my colors to the dark side because darks on a dark palette looked lighter. To remedy the situation I decided I need to paint on a white palette. Darks on a white palette look very dark and so the white palette should help me keep dark and middle value colors fully saturated. Of course this remedy may cause me to mix my lights too light. To remedy that negative possibility I will paint on a blank white canvas.

By painting on a white canvas my darks will look very dark and will remedy my tendency to desaturate color by painting darks too dark and my lights too light. It will also be advisable to paint the sky last, placing my darkest colors first and gradually lightening as I go. This is somewhat counterintuitive because in the studio I paint distant things first and work my way toward the foreground (this helps me with edges and overlapping shapes). I believe this new method will help me with the more basic problem of getting correct relationships between darks and lights which, at the moment, seems to be my problem in the field.

If we could find teachers with the exact strengths and weaknesses we have, or teachers who can imagine such weaknesses and know how to remedy them, we could find the perfect teachers. Until then we have to tally up our strengths and weaknesses and devise ways to cancel or offset those weaknesses. We also might change our methods to remedy specific problems at specific times. In other words we have to be as creative in overcoming our personal obstacles, in teaching ourselves, as we are in the creative act itself.

2010-05-05T07:51:00.001-07:00

55 INTERVIEW WITH EDWARD MARTINEZ

I first met Edward Martinez in the summer of 2006 at an artists residency at Forbes Trinchera Ranch hosted by Christopher Forbes and American Artist magazine. Along with eight other artists we spent ten days painting en plein air at various locations on the ranch. One of the things I remember most about Martinez was his incredible field work. One of his paintings was later chosen for the cover of the American Artist magazine that covered the event (the same painting was later chosen to represent the American Artist Special Edition on plein air painting in 2010). My wife and I later caught up with Ed and his wife, watercolorist Deborah Chabrian, in New York City where we had a group show at the Forbes Galleries in March 2007.

BRAD TEARE One of the really amazing aspects of your plein air work is your ability to keep the darks really saturated and colorful. Even at a distance your work is always very rich. Is that something you think about in the field as you paint? Or is it a result of another focus, such as a concern with values?

EDWARD MARTINEZ I think that darks and lights are hard to achieve in the field since you don't have the benefit of dry paint that would allow you to over paint . You have to get the values correct right away, or your painting will start to fall apart quickly. I start with my darks first, with paint slightly thinned with turps to establish my composition. Then I paint the darks in again, this time not thinned with turps, just straight from my palette. I apply it thinly, so that I can make subtle value changes easily. If you apply the paint too thickly you will struggle with making value and color changes, the changes get lost in the too thick paint. For judging the lights, I like to leave the white of the canvas showing somewhere, this helps me gauge the lightest values. In most cases this means the sky which is usually lighter than you think. I then paint in my lights at the very end.

BRAD TEARE In blog entry number 5 I demonstrate how I use a nine value grayscale to identify values in the field. Have you used anything similar? What are the strengths and weaknesses of using such a method?

EDWARD MARTINEZ I can't count while I am painting so I ignore how many values I have going on. I don't believe I paint with that sort of subtle nuances in plein air, but I think I will try your method.

BRAD TEARE Do you have any special tools or supplies you feel gives you an added advantage?

EDWARD MARTINEZ I used to use a canvas with deep nooks and crannies and it took forever to get paint to cover the surface. Now I use a smooth canvas the L600 oil primed mounted on gator board. The paint just flows on easily and allows you to articulate even the finest detail. I get this from AE Art Canvas in the Bronx, NY. I also like the "Silver" brushes, Grand Prix Flats in assorted sizes.

BRAD TEARE When I'm painting en plein air my darks and lights have a tendency to lose their saturation and the painting takes on an overall gray appearance. Any ideas why that would happen?

EDWARD MARTINEZ I talked a little bit about dealing with darks and lights in an earlier question, but it's worth mentioning to build up your paint gradually and carefully. A solid understanding of warm and cool colors helps too. Don't over use white too soon!

BRAD TEARE When you are out in the field are there motifs you avoid? Is there a special time of day you prefer to paint?

EDWARD MARTINEZ I used to paint cows... until I got chased by a bull. I just barely made it out of the field with my life and paint box. Definitely a motif I avoid. My least favorite time of day is mid afternoon. The sun isn't usually creating very interesting shadows at that time of day.

BRAD TEARE How long does it take you to paint a painting en plein air? Obviously the light changes as you paint in the field. How do you compensate for that change?

EDWARD MARTINEZ I work small, usually 9x12 and I spend about 2 hours. The light doesn't change too much in a 2 hour window. If the light changes and will enhance my painting I will go with it.

BRAD TEARE Do you do a preliminary sketch before you begin painting on canvas?

EDWARD MARTINEZ I don't... but I have. I have mixed feelings about this. I feel like I can make compositional changes in my thin paint lay in, therefore a sketch is not that necessary.

BRAD TEARE Are there any plein air cliches that bother you? How do you avoid these cliches when you're out painting in the field?

EDWARD MARTINEZ I don't think I know any. Is it that you have to wear a french hat and stay under an umbrella?

BRAD TEARE How do your plein air methods differ from when you're painting in the studio?

EDWARD MARTINEZ When I am painting in the studio I am usually painting portraits from photos, so I really enjoy going out and painting nature and finding the colors it offers. This has helped my painting overall including portraits.

BRAD TEARE What would be the most important piece of advice you could give a beginning plein air painter?

EDWARD MARTINEZ Learn to see multiple things at the same time. If you are painting a tree, don't just look at the tree, look at the environment around the tree so that your eye can register the true color and value in comparison to the surroundings.

BRAD TEARE I really admire the way you painted the aspen in Deb Painting Spring Creek, 22” x 14”. They read as white yet there are warm and cool greens in the shadows and yellows in the highlights that make these trees appear fully saturated with light. It looks like you used anything but white. Do you view plein air painting as an exercise in accurately depicting the color you see? Or is it the ability to infuse the painting with optical illusions that give the appearance of reality?

EDWARD MARTINEZ I have a tendency to paint too dark. I am getting better at it now so that I can see light color values better. Having the white of the canvas has helped me visualize the lights better. In the Aspen painting I just enjoyed seeing the variations of reflected color. The trees in Connecticut are for the most part dark and don't reflect light like the Aspens did in Colorodo.

BRAD TEARE Did plein air painting come easily to you? Or was it something you consciously had to try to improve? Do you remember if there was a moment when you finally thought to yourself I finally figured this out!? If that was the case, what was the final piece of the puzzle that allowed you to come to grips with plein air painting?

EDWARD MARTINEZ Plein air painting does not come easily to me even now. It did get better at it after painting at Trinchera, because we painted so much everyday, for many consecutive days. Once I could accurately see color values at the same time the world opened up. The canvas and brushes help too.

BRAD TEARE Do you think about the texture of the paint as you apply pigment? Is texture ever a problem and do you ever consciously minimize thick applications?

EDWARD MARTINEZ I only think about the application of paint in that, is it the right amount to let me define what I am trying to articulate? It needs to be the right consistency to draw and create the textures you need. Again I would say not to get too thick too soon.

BRAD TEARE I'm looking forward to getting into the field to try these ideas. Many thanks Ed!

EDWARD MARTINEZ studied at the Parson School of Design as well as with legendary painter Burton Silverman. He has worked as an illustrator for a wide variety of national and international clients. His fine art work is represented by The Gregory James Gallery, New Milford, CT, The Meyer Gallery, Santa Fe, and The Portrait Source, Hendersonville, NC. Martinez was one of ten artists invited to the 2006 Forbes Trinchera Ranch residency hosted by Christopher Forbes and American Artist Magazine. His paintings have appeared in numerous national exhibitions and publications including most recently the cover of American Artist’s 2010 Special Edition on Plein Air painting.

Martinez was born in Argentina and currently resides in Kent, CT where he shares a studio with his wife, watercolorist Deborah Chabrian.