Thomas Jefferson Kitts | Blog

Claude Monet, Ross King, and his Recent Book "Mad Enchantment"...

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Jefferson Kitts) — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 21:17:00 +0000

Before reading about Claude Monet's water lily paintings, I am teaching a terrific plein air workshop in Sicily this fall. Italy is now open so we can eat some great pasta, drink some good wine, and paint some beautiful sun-drenched pictures!

For more information, download my pdf brochure below...

October, 17th - 24th, 2021

Click to read my detailed 22 page brochure about this painting adventure!

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Ross King and his Wonderful Talk on Claude Monet for Oil Painters Of America...

Here is a special treat from the folks at Oil Painters of America.

They invited celebrated author and art historian, Ross King, to talk about Claude Monet and his large waterlily paintings which now hang in the Musée de l'Orangerie, in Paris. The paintings are the subject of his recent book, Mad Enchantment: Claude Monet and the Painting of the Water Lilies, a book which presents a fascinating tour of Monet's late life, and his final obsession.

This lecture is well worth the 90 minutes it takes to watch, and remains accessible on the Oil Painters Of America's website. It is free to watch here at www.OilPaintersofAmerica.com.

Or use this direct link: https://tinyurl.com/MadEnchantment

And if you are a representational painter, consider joining Oil Painters of America. It is a great association filled with all levels of artists from all over the world.

And finally, Ross King is also the author of many other books on Art & Culture, among which is one of my personal favorites, The Judgement of Paris: The Revolutionary Decade That Gave The World Impressionism – all of which may be found here: www.rosskingbooks.com

Mad Enchantment: Claude Monet and the Painting of the Water Lilies

Pub: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Length:416 Pages

TJK

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Here is a short trailer I created to entice you... enjoy!

Studio Lighting for Painters...

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Jefferson Kitts) — Mon, 14 Jun 2021 21:20:00 +0000

Well clearly, it has been a long time since I posted, so here's something new!... But before I begin, I want to share I am teaching an awesome plein air workshop in Sicily this October, 17th - 24th, 2021. Italy is now open so we can eat some great pasta, drink some amazing wine, and paint some beautiful sun-drenched pictures!

Click to read my detailed 22 page brochure about this painting adventure!

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Studio Lighting for Painters

I am largely known as an observational painter, an artist who prefers to work en plein air whenever possible, although I do paint a fair amount in my studio. Sometimes from a still life or model, and sometimes from a monitor. (gasp!)

Yes, a monitor... 😳

I started off as a commercial illustrator, which has probably damned me to Fine Art Purgatory at the least, if not Hell itself. But as a result, I have no strong feelings about remaining artistically pure in any sense of the word. However, having confessed to my earlier sins, I do recognize the need to train one's self by working directly from life as much as possible. Painting from life hones your observational skills. Abilities which cannot be developed from looking at a photograph print or LED screen.

But I am posting this to share information about lighting your studio space, not argue about whether or not working from a photo is a sin. I'll leave that debate to others instead.

Most of us have turned part of our home into a studio...

It might be a corner of the kitchen table, or an entire floor of your house. In the beginning I lived in a tiny one-bedroom, second floor apartment and I use the small living room as my workspace. I didn't have a sofa, sitting chair, coffee table because they interfered with the easel. And as a young single artist living that way wasn't a problem. I could read in the kitchen or watch television in bed. But the idea of having to make do such a tiny space now, alone or with another person – let alone another artist, which I did – seems crazy now.

I am better off in my current studio. I may wish I had more room, with north facing windows – and I once did have such a space. But I had to vacate it when the building it was in was turned into an indoor growing-operation after weed became legal. (Pluses and minuses, right? 😁) I eventually ended up buying a mid-century modern daylight ranch on a slope with a large family room downstairs and that daylight basement works pretty well for me now. I still might wish for more space and north windows, but I am largely content with what I have.

However, the light in my studio sucks. There is a twelve-foot row of 60 inch windows along one wall so there is plenty of light. The problem is the windows face southwest, which means the natural light changes dramatically over the course of the day.

So what to do? Beyond turning my studio into a dark cave by shuttering the windows?

Supplement the Light...

Lighting has come a long way since my first apartment. What once was unacceptable is now easily fixed with our new lighting tech.

I used to hate LED lights and refused to use them in any way. Not on the house, not on the Christmas tree, not for reading, whatever. To me, LEDs felt cold, hard, and brash. The kind of light that sucked all the warmth and romance out of my work. But LEDs have changed. We can now buy (relatively) inexpensive color-corrected, full-spectrum lights in a wide range of formats and temperatures. You can find temperatures from 2700k (which is similar to a 100 watt tungsten bulb), to 3000k, 4000k, 5000k, and 6500k LED bulbs. All with form factors which can be inserted into standard sockets and fixtures.

But LED specifications are still new and confusing to many painters, which can make it difficult to choose the right ones to augment the deficient light in your studio.

So let me describe my studio space...

Approximately 17 by 35 feet.

A single bank of 120 x 60 inch windows facing southwest. (Aaaak!)

Two hard-wired ceiling fixtures towards the opposite ends of the studio, on a single wall switch.

A ceiling height of 8 feet, 4 inches. (An important point to consider when designing your lighting set up. This is low for good studio lighting.)

Oh, and lately, I've been sharing the space with my wife, who is painting again after many years.

A long shot of my entire studio. In the foreground are tables and areas dedicated to painting the still life and indoors instruction. To the left is the large bank of windows with various screens used to control the outdoor light. My painting area is at the back, where I work from a monitor. And in the mid-ground, a fireplace that make everything so cozy I never want to leave. Oh, and my lovely wife and our two dogs as well. It is nice to have visitors every now and then...

My primary painting area: The panel on the easel is 30 x 40 inches and the monitor behind it is a fairly new 55-inch 4k Samsung with a reference image thrown onto the screen directly from my laptop.

My Current Lighting Hardware:

Two daylight balanced 3000k LED bulbs in two ceiling fixtures. Both are on a dimmer switch so the lumens may be adjusted as needed. A total of 4 bulbs. Note the two different colors used to reduce the temperature bias. (I often view a painting only under these lights because they represent the temperatures and lumens found in most homes.)

One 48 LED tube inserted into a cheap light fixture. The light hangs 8 inches above the top mast of my easel and slightly out front. With older lighting technology this would be an insolvable problem. But the LED light tube is so diffused it feels as if the light is coming down from a light well ten to twelve feet above my head. It provides a beautiful even wash.

I also have two adjustable LED easel lights purchased from ArtEscape.us. (Image courtesy of Douglas Woodman, inventor and purveyor of a fine easel lighting system. I use these lights for painting nocturnes but also to illuminate an indoor still life or model. I have 10, 20, and 24 inch light bars that connect to long-running battery packs, or switched cords that can be plugged into a socket for continual power. The temperature and lumens of these lights are widely adjustable so I can match to the light found in any nook or cranny in the studio, which increases the useful space by a large margin, or I can dial in a complementary color temperatures as a teaching tool.

48 inch ArtEscape Light Bar clamp to a large easel.

Photo and painting courtesy of Doug Woodman.

👉 QUICK TIP: If you are just looking for a quick and easy solution for your easel then I recommend ArtEscape's LED light tubes. They can illuminate a canvas from a 6 x 8 to a 36 x 48 inches. Even larger, actually. (In fact, since every light is hand made Doug would be happy to custom build you any size light. His lights may seem pricey but they provide you with a simple and immediate solution. I guarantee his light(s) will improve your experience at your easel.) Doug is literally a rocket scientist, now retired, and he paints like you. You simply clamp his light on, plug it in, and start painting.

But how can you find a good lighting solution?

Let's start by defining a few important terms. Once you understand them you can decide what will work in your studio.

Day-light Balanced Bulb: A term used by manufacturers to claim the color of their light matches the color of the sun at noon on a clear day. Technically, this spec usually runs between 5000k and 6500k – 'k' being a symbol to indicate the Kelvin scale. The Kelvin scale is used by physicists to quantify the visual temperature of a light source. I originally installed 6500k daylight balanced LED lights in my studio but decided the 6500k threshold was too cool for painting indoors and collectors will almost always display the artwork they own under warmer lights.) So the term "Daylight Balanced" is not all that helpful since the temperature of the light can be what is claimed, yet the light can still be deficient in multiple parts of the spectrum.

👉 CRI Index: A more exact term to use to evaluate the suitability of a light for your studio. CRI stands for 'Color Rendering Index" and any number of 94 or above can be considered suitable to work under. A CRI of +94 means the various colors of the spectrum are equally balanced so there will be no bias in the light to disrupt your sense of color. (Google the term metamerism if you want to learn how the appearance of a color changes under different lights.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_rendering_index

LED lights commonly come in a range between 2700k to 7200k, although I wouldn't recommend anything below 4000k or above 5000k for your studio. In my experience, both 4000k and 5000k are a decent compromise between the temperatures you experience outdoors and the lighting you find in most homes.

👉 Lumens: Lumens quantify how much light a light source emits. We once used watts to describe the brightness of a bulb but this has changed due to the new kinds of light now available. To put it simply, the higher the lumens, the stronger or brighter the light.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumen_(unit)

It is easy to over light your studio just as it is easy to accidentally set up your easel outdoors with the canvas pointed too directly at the sun – a situation that is guaranteed to turn your beautiful plein air painting into a black hole when you bring it indoors. So my advice is to match the lumens that fall on your studio easel with the lumens you find in most homes lest you end up painting a black hole in your studio as well. I started off lighting my painting space with two 48 inch light bars but removed one of them because the lumens were too much. I was creating black holes on the easel as well.

Ooooh, look at all those beautiful colors going down the drain and into a black hole!... 😉

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumen_(unit)

But what about painting from a monitor?...

There are a few tricks to setting up a monitor in your studio. In addition to supplementing my natural studio light with LED technology, I have a new 4k 55-inch HDTV mounted to the wall on a 30 inch folding arm. (The 4k refers to the pixel resolution of the monitor and has nothing to do with the temperature of light.) The HDTV can be pulled over to my easel and angled for easy comparison. The swinging wall mount also allows me to rotate the screen 90 degrees for when I paint a vertical canvas. The monitor turns without a need to unscrew, unlock, or reset anything. I just reach out and rotate it. It's a nice feature to have and worth the extra $$$. This HDTV has wifi built-in so my references are transmitted directly from my laptop as shown below.

Something to note: Since the HDTV is not a computer monitor my ability to calibrate its screen is limited. So I set the HDTV to its factory default of 'Natural' and tune the reference image for pleasing color from my laptop. The image may look awful on my laptop but I don't care. It is how the image looks on the big screen that counts.

And speaking of painting from a monitor, it is important to balance or equalize the lumens of the light on your canvas with the lumens coming out of your painting monitor. You also do not want the area around the monitor to be too dark or you may have difficulty gauging the values and colors in your reference. So make an effort to balance both areas of light.

And finally, I have hung curtains in such a way that they can be opened or closed to eliminate reflections from windows or lights elsewhere in the studio. It is a good to plan out your workspace before buying the hardware. And know that even if you do plan well you will probably still need to tweak things after everything is installed. If only to make the painting environment perfect!

Supplier Links...

The 48 light bar above my easel:
https://www.waveformlighting.com/high-cri-led
I am using one D50 5000k T8 LED Tube Light.
The ArtEscapes Easel lights
Studio Light Bars

If you have questions about anything in this post please don't hesitate to ask. I'll be happy to respond!

TJK

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And remember, I am teaching a fantastic workshop in Sicily, October, 17 - 24, 2021. Among other helpful things, we will focus on the temperature of light and how to add it into the light and shadows of your paintings to create life and atmosphere. This will be one of my best workshops ever!

Registration now open!...

Color for the Plein Air Painter...

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Jefferson Kitts) — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 19:28:00 +0000

As promised, here are the two contemporary palettes I refer to in my recent 42 minute video, "Color for the Plein Air Painter". (Video will be presented at this year's PleinAir LIVE.)

Version A is close to what most of the French Impressionists used at the end of the 19th century – with the exception a few substitutions made for reasons of health & safety, expense, and availability. Paint with Version A if you want to experience the closest match to what Monet, Pissarro, and their peers used.

Version B can be considered a decent contemporary counterpart to the Impressionistic palette – with the main difference being its colorants express a much higher chroma (intensity); and as such, they are colors capable of encompassing a wider range of hues. However, since these contemporary colors are so intense, mixing and controlling your tertiaries and neutrals can become more difficult. If you choose to paint with Version B I recommend you pre-mix a few grays to feed into your purer hues to lower chroma. Also, this contemporary palette is almost entirely transparent so if you need to adjust the opacity of your paint you must use the white and the black listed.

Feel free to download and share this graphic with all of your friends with my blessing – so long as you credit me and include my website URL and the copyright information.

And here is a brief teaser for my 42 minute video on how to mix color. It is just the opening mood setter. I plan to expand upon this video soon and offer it as a stand-alone lesson on how to see, mix, and intentionally manipulate color for artistic effects. Look for it sometime in the next few months.

Enlarge this video for the best viewing. If you don't see the preview click https://youtu.be/0d0PByxCbaM to watch it on YouTube.

If you want to be among the first to see the entire video you can register for this year's PleinAir LIVE. It will broadcast on Friday and I will be there in the chat room to answer any questions you might have. Here is a link if you wish to register.

https://www.pleinairlive.com/2021?affiliate_id=2987784

Using the link above will do me a favor as I will receive a small percentage of your registration fee. Which I will put towards an expanded version of the color video...

That's it, until next time!

TJK

Color for the Plein Air Painter: How to See and Mix Color

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Jefferson Kitts) — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 21:09:00 +0000

Color for the Plein Air Painter

Hello All:

Here is a short teaser for a 42 minute video I just produced. It will play in Hi-Def in its entirety during PleinAir LIVE 2021. In this video, I will demonstrate how to see and mix the colors you need in oil. If you want to see the full video you may do so by registering with PleinAirLIVE 2021 below:

https://www.pleinairlive.com/2021?affiliate_id=2987784

If you use the link above to register, you will help me out, as I am affiliated with the folks running the show, and part of your registration fee is shared with me; which means I can make more instructional videos and offer them to you. So I thank you ahead of time if you choose the link above. 👍 ♥️

Many great outdoor painters are participating. Just review the line up. Many are friends and peers, and there are many I'd be happy take a class from. So no matter what your level may be, this year's PleinAir LIVE will be a fantastic way to launch your 2021 plein air season.

Take care, be safe, and have fun!

Thomas

The Teaser: (click if video doesn't show in your browser)

Now Offering High Quality Online Painting Workshops!...

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Jefferson Kitts) — Fri, 07 Aug 2020 18:23:00 +0000

Hello All:

Wow, this blog has gone well past the million visitor mark and somehow I missed when it happened. Thank you for all your support!

Some more news: I want to share I am now teaching online from my own studio.

I've spent the last two months setting up and refining a multi-camera system so I can switch your view between my painting, my palette, and myself – all under color accurate studio light at high definition. As a result, this new way of teaching is going well.

The upside to teaching online is people like you from all over the world can now easily work with me individually or in a small group. I've set things up so you can register yourself for any class you want, and you can talk ask questions as we work together. As if we are in the same room.

No chat boxes or typing, just talking like normal people. Real-time back and forth conversations.

My goal is to keep these classes small and intimate. I am not interested in broadcasting to a large passive group. I'd rather work with fewer students at a time knowing I can zero in on your interests and aspirations based on what you are telling me.

I've set up a new website to host information about my online classes. Here is the website URL.

www.OnlineArtWorkshops.com

Please bookmark the URL and visit often as I will be updating it every month. I also plan to repeat the most popular workshops that fill up in case they max out before you can register.

One of the nice things about teaching online is that I can ask you to suggest instructional content. If there is something specific you would like me to focus on please email me and I will try to work it into the curriculum. I want this experience to be as accessible as possible, for you and the friends you will make as we all work together.

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Also, if you haven't done so already, please subscribe to my Early Bird Workshop Notification List. You can do so here by click on this blue palette. Once you do you will hear about all the workshops I offer, online and in real life. Subscribers hear about my workshops first and often receive incentives for early sign-ups.

New work:

First Thaw, Paulina Creek Falls, Central Oregon USA

18 x 12 inches, oil on linen, largely alla prima

Recent demo for my Falling Water workshop (see below)

• Available for Purchase •

Here are August's workshops briefly summarized. Visit www.OnlineArtWorkshops.com for more info or to register. Class size will be limited to eight students...

1. August 12th – Mixing Greens for the Landscape Painter – I don't know about you, but almost every gallery owner I have worked with has told me the self-fulfilling prophecy that greens don't sell – even as I turned around to watch a green painting go out the door. (Don't agree? Re-read the self-fulfilling part.) In this workshop, I want to show you how you can learn to see, mix, and paint green in a way that won't look noxious and acidic, or worse, dull and lifeless...

2. August 19th – Painting Rocks – Rocks can be big, small, sharp, and rounded. They are often sheared off or broken, and weathered by powerful natural forces. They can be strewn about or clumped together in an arrangement that tells you about the quality of light and environment you are painting. Such characteristics can be used to turn a ho-hum composition into a truly magnificent design. So join me as we talk about such things and I paint various kinds of rocks...

3. August 20th – "Falling Water" Back by popular demand, the demo is shown above – Just like rocks, water is fundamental to the dedicated landscape painter. Yet, it can become maddening, if not crazy-making, to capture the turbulence and flow of water as it twists and turns over a drop. But capturing such dynamic characteristics become easier once you understand a few tricks. And I promise to show you some of those tricks, or all of them, if you want to learn them and time allows...

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I am truly excited about this new way to teach. I'll still lead destination workshops once we start traveling again, but being able to study right now in the comfort and safety of your own studio with this new technology is awesome. Come join me!

And as always: Stay safe, stay healthy, and keep painting!

Thomas

"There, I fixed it..."

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Jefferson Kitts) — Tue, 10 Dec 2019 21:14:00 +0000

Yes, unless you've been living under a rock, or fail to have WiFi in your studio, or hate TV and social media, or your fellow man – the art world has been going bananas over a couple of bananas – at Art Basel Miami...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/museums/the-art-basel-banana-was-art-and-the-peals-of-outrage-were-one-layer-of-it/2019/12/09/bb785b10-1a91-11ea-87f7-f2e91143c60d_story.html

And...

https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2019/12/09/banana-priced-120000-exhibit-art-basel-eaten/2628306001/

But there, I fixed it...

(with apologies to Peter Paul Rubens...)

PLEIN AIR SICILY 2020 Workshop: Painting the Intensity of Light and Color...

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Jefferson Kitts) — Sun, 03 Nov 2019 20:35:00 +0000

PLEIN AIR SICILY Workshop
May 16- 23, 2020

This will be one of my premier workshops for 2020!... Watch this video to see what your week can be like – painting, eating, drinking and touring like an Italian, and yes, soaking in some sun after a long winter. So come join me and have some fun, and learn a lot while you do!...

Enlarge to full screen or click here to play on YouTube...

Why Sicily? It seems so far away. Why go all the way to paint there?...

Well, because of the light. The sparkling clear, vibrating light.

Sicily, and specifically the area we will paint in, is at the very bottom of Italy. Far to the south and out to the west, Marsala is the nearest town. Low in latitude, at the tip of the boot, the toe juts far enough out into the Mediterranean to make the area feel like an island. This means there will be brilliant light from above, and crystalline water for the light to bounce off of. The water itself is clear and shallow, and when you look into it you can see the same limestone rock beneath the surface as you do along the cliffs above.

This is a perfect place to learn how to paint the color of light en plein air... The cliffs exhibit bright yet subtle variations of white and off-white colors, and all those high-key values keep the light bouncing around and around. All this light fills the shadows you see with color and it is a magical thing to paint. There is no such thing as a 'black shadow' in Sicily.

The subjects we paint encompass classical history – including some of the best preserved Greek ruins you will ever find outside of Greece. We will paint intimate village alleyways, centuries-old salt pans with traditional windmills pumping water in and out of those pans. We will paint colorful working fishing boats drawn up upon the shore, open air markets, and perhaps even local people in traditional dress if it can be arranged. We will take a day trip up to the ancient mountain village of Erice (el. 2460 feet) and paint glorious views over the entire peninsula.

And the food, the food!...

The food of Sicily is famous world-wide for its flavors, sensations, and textures. It is an incredible conjoining of things from sea and land. The combinations can't be described, they must be experienced. Much of what you think of as Italian cuisine is actually Sicilian. So why not go directly to the source? (No slight intended to the Italians to the north, but the best meal of my life was Sicilian...) And the wine. Not well known, but among some of the greatest varietals are grown here.

And your lodgings? Well, Salinara speaks for itself. An old villa, long a destination for many artist groups, has been beautifully maintained with love, care, and attention to detail. It too offers many opportunities to paint on site. There are intimate vignettes within the walls, and distant views from above, all from on the grounds, just a few feet from your room. Or you can just lounge between our daily painting excursions and relax in your private space, or by the pool, or in the kitchen.

Your accommodations are all-inclusive: breakfast, lunches, and dinners prepared for you by the owner, an incredible chef. There is no need to rent a car. We will pick you up at the Palermo airport and transport you to wherever we go. Then we will take you back to the airport for the next part of your journey.

This will be the best of Sicily delivered to you in a week...

I promise to make it one of the most amazing painting excursions you've ever experienced. By the time you go home your paintings will be filled with light and color, your mind with history and lore, and your belly with good things to eat. Memories for a lifetime.

Registration is open now. Contact me directly for more information. Or download this free pdf brochure.

Click to download to your digital device...

But don't wait because this workshop is filling up. Send me an email at workshops@thomaskitts.com and I will respond!...

Until then, la dolce vita!...

Thomas

Sorolla's Color Palette – Outdoors, from about 1905 on...

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Jefferson Kitts) — Tue, 23 Jul 2019 16:16:00 +0000

Sorolla's Outdoor Palette

Below is a pdf that lists the outdoor color palette preferred by Sorolla from about 1905 on. It also offers a few contemporary alternate palettes you can use to achieve similar mixes.

I am posting it for you, my loyal blog readers, and for those in Ireland who will be attending my upcoming 90 minute lecture on Sorolla and his outdoor methods, during Wexford's 2019 Art in the Open.

Joaquín Sorolla: Painting Techniques Of A Spanish Master

August 4th, Wexford, Ireland

Click here to download the pdf color palette

Enjoy, and keep painting!...

TJK

Remaining 2019 Workshop with Thomas...

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Jefferson Kitts) — Tue, 16 Apr 2019 17:42:00 +0000

Hey All:

Just a quick reminder about the remaining workshops I have scheduled for 2019...

Visit my workshop page for more info:

www.thokitts.wixsite.com/pleinaireverywhere

(Detailed PDFs for each workshop are downloadable at the link)

Also, if you are specifically interested in my upcoming Monhegan Island workshop – what will be my show piece for 2019 – please be aware that after June 24th the rates for your lodgings go up, the selection may go down, and reservations will become more difficult to find.

Most of the others are over 1/2 full and one is almost max'ed out...

TJK

Berthe Morisot and her Brushwork...

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Jefferson Kitts) — Mon, 25 Feb 2019 22:45:00 +0000

I received an email today requesting me for a quick take about how Berthe Morisot painted. I thought my reply might be interesting to you readers, so here it is...

On Feb 25, 2019, at 11:36AM, Malcolm wrote:

Mr. Kitts,

I received your email this morning about the micro and macrocosm of your painting brushwork and enjoyed the video. Very nice surfaces!
This evening I will purchase, and watch, your ‘Sergeant' video and hopefully that video will answer a question that I have about gestural brushwork.

But in case it does not I am also sending you this email to ask: in the attached image of the Berthe Morisot painting the brush work is very loose and superimposed over other brushwork, what medium (if any) would she have mixed with her oils to achieve those flowing strokes? They are fluid and almost translucent in areas.

And my reply...

Hello Malcom. Thank you for your email.

First, the recent Video Demonstration you mentioned focuses exclusively on Sorolla, not Sargent. Just want you to know that before you purchase it. But that Sorolla demo is more in line with the way I painted the Micro/Macro Five Palms painting than any Sargent methods. In fact. I was sticking pretty close to Sorolla’s mature technique as I painted it. And yes, there will be a comprehensive Sargent DVD demo as some point. I just haven’t scheduled it yet.

I don’t consider myself an authority on Morisot per se but I can make a few educated guesses based upon what I know about the materials and methods in use at the time. Although, it is important to understand that very few artists worked the same way, with the same technique and materials, over the entire course of their lifetime. So the conclusions I draw here should be considered merely quick generalizations, and not encompassing in how Berthe always worked…

Berthe Morisot, The Artist's Daughter Julie with her Nanny

click to enlarge

First, I have attached a large jpg of a different Berthe Morisot painting (above). It was probably executed close to the time of the painting you shared. You should be able to zoom into this file and see distinct layers of paint, which may help answer your questions. (I have even larger files, but this image should suffice.)

And please remember, the following observations I have offer below refer to the image above, not the one you attached to your original email to me...

1. In both of these examples, Berthe was painting on a tightly woven linen support. The linen would likely to have been ‘gessoed’ with a lead oil ground, a common practice at that time and it is a nice surface to paint on even today. Try it yourself. Your ground will dictates what happens with your brushstrokes.

2. The prepared ground was stained with a pigmented earth color, likely a burnt umber from the look of it. The wash would have been applied thinly using a solvent, likely turpentine, and left to dry before starting the painting. I say dry because there is no softening or diffusion in the lower layers of paint that sits directly on the ground.

3. The paint pigment itself can contribute to the character of her brush work. Berthe is painting with a palette used by most of the original French Impressionists of this period. Cad Yellows to Reds, and I am guessing Prussian and Colbalt Blue, a Viridian or Emerald Green, and a few assorted earth colors such as Umbers, Ochres, and Siennas. And she was definitely using a Lead White. No black. There may be additional pigments involved as well, but if so they aren’t obvious to the eye and it would require some lab tests to determine what else is there. But largely, it is the lead white that is facilitating the thick ropey impasto character to Berthe's marks, and the drags, pulls, and the way the paint breaks at the edges and ends of her strokes.

4. Look at how the paint is applied. Either as a few thin washes (underneath), with little attempts to model form (except in the hair), or it has been applied is thick and full-bodied, with each stroke retaining its individual character and gesture. Not a lot in between. I see no visible slumping of the impasto as it set so there probably isn't any fatty oil or medium incorporated beyond whatever may already be in the paint itself. Again, this would be a common way of painting for the French Impressionists because most of the leaders of that movement eschewed a glossy surface or overly mixed their colors. They felt such practices detracted from the optical partitive effect they were pursuing. They liked to allow flecks of pure color sparkle amongst the other mixes, sometimes analogous, sometimes complementary, unlike the academic painters of the same time who tended to mic 'dead' color and or glaze over underlying hues. The French Impressionists, such as Berthe, also likely to push one wet pure color into another on the canvas, rather than mixing everything with a knife on a palette. (Variations of this abound.) And, in the child's lacy collar you can see a ‘double-loading’ where Berthe picks up two colors on her brush before dragging it across the surface. An entirely different kind of blend. This was also common to impressionists of the period.

5. Berthe is using a stiff haired brush, likely hog hair, and even more likely, a combination of few different-sized filberts or short stubby flats with grounded corners. She applies restrained touches of color with small round every now and then for the fine details, such as the eyes and eyebrows, but she isn’t using the small round to render out or ‘detail' things like hair or drapery. All of that are big gutsy pulls with a loaded brush.

6. And finally, look at the directional gesture of her strokes. She often pulls them in alignment, sometimes changing the direction to follow along the surface planes of her subjects – look at the shoulders of both figures – and sometimes simply pulled along the side of a flat shape, like the side of the mother’s face. Other times her strokes are short and multi-directional. Both contribute to the activity you feel on the surface. The French Impressionists often used such brushwork to convey the crisp sparkling of light.

Conclusion: So on a quick review, based on this painting and others I have seen first-hand, I don’t think Berthe used much painting medium at all, beyond a little turpentine at the outset. I don’t see any evidence that turps were used towards the end since the nature of the strokes on top belies it. With one exception being the isolated brilliant cobalt or ultramarine blue strokes representing the nanny's left wrist cuff. That is clearly an improvisational turpentine wash of pure color on top of dry paint below.

And in your opinion would that painting be completed in one sitting or over many days?

Both paintings look as though they were executed all prima, or completed within a single session. Perhaps there may be a few areas that were further worked after the initial paint layer had dried, maybe as corrections, but given how the layers of paint ‘break’ and overlap those re-workings would be minimal. And there is no sign of Berthe working fresh paint into or on top of an ‘oiled out’ area, which is how some painters of this era made multiple session paintings look as if they were a one-shot wonder...

Malcom, I hope this information is helpful as you continue to study Berthe Morisot. But be sure to look at as many original paintings by her as you can find.

And of course...keep painting!

TJK

_____

And for those interested in practical painting lessons:

Workshops!... Workshops!... Workshops!...

It's that time of year when some of you look for Summer and Fall workshops. Click here to learn about my upcoming classes with detailed downloadable info. But don't delay, most classes are about half-full as of this posting.

The Macro and the Micro of Oil Painting

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Jefferson Kitts) — Mon, 25 Feb 2019 00:04:00 +0000

I recently completed a large painting of a group of California Washington Palms that grow in an oasis near Palms Springs, CA These palms (Washingtonia filifera) often wear a long skirt and tend to clump around a desert spring, or wherever water may be found close to the surface. These palms are near the mouth of Indian Canyon, where native Americans once harvested them for fruit.

Here is a sweeping video with close up shots that present the painting's color, texture, and brush strokes up close. I want to share how the painting looks when you stand ten feet back, and how it looks when you are close enough to press your nose against the paint. (Something I have been known to do in some of the finest museums in the world.) Why? Because I am fascinated by how the grand masters can use paint to create an illusion of reality, yet also play around with the paint as they do so, and transform what they see into abstract color, shape, and movement. So I guess, as you watch this video I want you to also experience the concrete nature of my subject, yet never forget you are – in truth – only looking at paint.

(Can't see this video? Click here...)

"Five Palms", Indian Canyon, near Palm Springs CA
48 x 72 inches, oil on linen
2019

I invite you to enlarge the video and crank up the sound. But before pressing play, confirm you are connected to WiFi or have an unlimited cell plan because this video is large.
_____

Workshops!... Workshops!... Workshops!...

Polarizing the Light to Photograph your Paintings without Glare...

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Jefferson Kitts) — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 23:09:00 +0000

Not the way to do it...
© Trevor Taylor 2019

I am often asked what is the best way to photograph a painting, especially if it has a glossy finish – and while my answer can range between shooting it outdoors on an overcast day, or in the shade, and digitally correcting the color for the inevitable shift that will occur – I think Trevor Taylor has detailed an easy low-cost way to shoot your work in your studio. Trevor's method is exactly what I pay a pro to do when I don't want the hassle of photographing my own work.

The cleverest part in Trevor's post is how to use cardboard boxes to hold the polarizing filters to the aluminum clamp housings, and +90 CRI index GE Reveal™ Lightbulbs for full-spectrumlight. Once you get the gear and set up your studio, shooting your work becomes easy.

One thing to note, however, is that when you polarize the light your paintings will look as though they have gained in contrast, especially in the dark passages. (They may even appear a little warmer in overall hue.) This is because the polarizing also eliminates the subtle 'velvet' (soft reflectivity) you are used to seeing in those darks – not because you are doing something wrong. So if the appearance of extra contrast is an issue you will still need to digitally fuss with the image after each shot.

(Re-published with the author's permission © Trevor Taylor 2019)

How To Eliminate Glare When Photographing Artwork

The first impression of your artwork matters most and in today’s age that will most likely be a photo. You may need to submit pieces to galleries, post on social media, send out newsletters, or update your website. Whatever it is, paintings are notoriously difficult to photograph but paying for professional shots for each piece quickly adds up. Thankfully, a small investment and a little practice will give you great results, perfect for online use and even small art prints or reproductions...

(to continue reading Trevor's blog post, click below...)

How To Eliminate Glare When Photographing Artwork

And if you would like to see more of Trevor's work visit his website here:

https://trevortaylor.net

Thank you Trevor for allowing me to share this tip with my readers!...

TJK

My New Article about Painting on Monhegan Island in PleinAir Magazine is Now Out...

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Jefferson Kitts) — Fri, 01 Feb 2019 23:14:00 +0000

I just had an article published in the Feb/Mar issue of PLEINAIR MAGAZINE about my recent trip to Monhegan Island, Maine.

In it, I share the pure joy of painting without purpose. If you are a subscriber, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed living and writing it. If you aren't subscribed, a copy can be purchased at your local magazine shop. If you must wait, I will publish it in full in three months. (Publisher's requirement.)

And yes – as my article says – I will be teaching a week-long plein air workshop this August on Monhegan. This will be a rare workshop from me, open to ALL mediums. I've already reserved accommodations for you in the grand old Island Inn, and in the artists' cottage Zimmie's – and I've put together an exciting itinerary for everyone to paint. So all you have to do is show up with your gear.

Come join me, and experience the historic beauty of one of America's greatest art colonies! Paint in the footsteps of George Bellows, Robert Henri, Frederick Judd Waugh, Rockwell Kent, Kate Chappel, Elena Jahn, Lynne Drexler, and the three generations of N.C., Andrew, and Jamie Wyeth.

But don't delay: an announcement has already gone out to my Early Bird Workshop Notification List and folks are now signing up...

To learn more about this, and my other workshops, visit:

https://thokitts.wixsite.com/pleinaireverywhere

Pictured above: An old postcard looking out over the dock, near Fish Beach.

Believe me when I say things have not changed all that much today – TJK

Registration for my 2019 Plein Air Workshops is now open!...

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Jefferson Kitts) — Sat, 26 Jan 2019 00:17:00 +0000

Some of you have been looking ahead to the upcoming plein air season and asking about my classes... And finally, here they are! Three new locations in my yearly rotation: Charleston SC (sorry, now full), Wexford, Ireland (one day) and Monhegan Island ME (seven days). All great places to work on your outdoor painting skills. Plus two more listed below...

You can read all about my 2018 trip to Monhegan Island in this month's issue of PleinAir Magazine. (PAM's 2019 workshop guide shown left). My time on the island was a restorative week of quiet introspection, drawing, and painting for fun – oh and yes – scouting for my new Monhegan workshop listed above. If you don't already know, Monhegan is a famously beautiful place to paint, with a rich history of American artists working and living there. I've ALREADY got fantastic lodgings reserved for you so you won't have to find them yourself. (It's a small island, wait too long and they can be hard to get.) I expect Plein Air Monhegan to fill fast, starting this week, so don't delay if you want to join us.

And yes, this September I will offer something I've never offered before... I've scheduled two of my most popular Portland, OR, outdoor classes – Drawing for the Plein Air Painter & Painting for the Plein Air Painter – back-to-back so you can experience a two-week intensive plein air study like nowhere else. (Of course, you can take just one or the other if you prefer, but two weeks focused on landscape en plein air? Wow!)

To learn more about these classes, click Plein Air Everywhere!...

Once you've read up let me know if you want to register!...

Brushstrokes - The Modern Era (Part 3)

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Jefferson Kitts) — Thu, 20 Sep 2018 16:13:00 +0000

Part 3 of 3 clips on the history of brushstrokes of the masters. (Part 1 and 2 are before this post.)

Remember, your surface and brushstrokes are two of the most important things you can use to distinguish your paintings from a photograph...

Enjoy,

TJK

Author credit:

Jill Poyerd Fine Art

Published on Nov 21, 2017

In part three of this groundbreaking three-part series on brushstrokes, artist Jill Poyerd takes a look at the explosion of new ideas in brushwork and paint application throughout the modern era. Focusing on select brushstrokes, viewers walk through the gradual progression and learn how ideas of abstraction became part of the artist’s repertoire.

Music Credits (Part 3):

Classical Piano Inspirational by TheJRSSoundDesign

Emotional Flashback by TheJRSSoundDesign

Simple Piano by TheJRSSoundDesign

Emotional Flashback by TheJRSSoundDesign

Piano Inspirational (review) by TheJRSSoundDesign

Brushstrokes - The 19th Century (Part 2)

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Jefferson Kitts) — Thu, 20 Sep 2018 16:07:00 +0000

Part 2 of 2 clips on the history of brushstrokes of the masters. (Part 1 is before this post)

Enjoy,

TJK

Author credit:

Jill Poyerd Fine Art

Published on Nov 21, 2017

Part two of the groundbreaking three-part series on brushstrokes delves into the significant changes that occurred in the world of art throughout the 19th century. Many of the innovative brushstrokes developed by the masters during this time, set the foundation for the work and ideas seen throughout the 20th century and into today.

Music Credits (Part 2):
Piano Inspirational by TheJRSSoundDesign
Simple Piano by TheJRSSoundDesign
Simple Piano by TheJRSSoundDesign
Beautiful Inspiring Piano by TheJRSSoundDesign
Solo Piano Inspiration by Opus68

Brushstrokes - The Early Masters (Part 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Jefferson Kitts) — Thu, 20 Sep 2018 16:03:00 +0000

Part 1 of 3 clips on the history of brushstrokes of the masters.

Remember, your surface and brushstrokes are two of the most important things you can use to distinguish your paintings from a photograph...

Enjoy,

TJK

Author credit:

Jill Poyerd Fine Art

Published on Nov 21, 2017

How do brushstrokes influence a work of art? What are the different brushstrokes available to artists and which Masters made them famous? This groundbreaking video by artist Jill Poyerd traces the history of artistic brushwork from the pre-Renaissance era up to the 1800s. This is part one of a 3-part series.

Music Credits (Part 1):
Night Scenes by TheJRSSoundDesign
Simple Piano by TheJRSSoundDesign
Night Scene by TheJRSSoundDesign
Above the Clouds by TheJRSSoundDesign
Emotional Flashback by TheJRSSoundDesign
Simple Piano by TheJRSSoundDesign

Sorolla and the Concept of Color Temperature...

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Jefferson Kitts) — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 15:10:00 +0000

First, let me begin by saying that Color Temperature is one of the worst explained aspects of painting....

Too often a teacher either doesn’t understand it himself, or she makes it sound more complicated than it is. This leaves a student struggling with trying to see what is being talked about before giving up frustration. Or worse, the student comes to believe color temperature is not a real thing. Which is unfortunate, because seeing, understanding, and learning how to accentuate color temperature can transform your work – indoors or out.

I think of color temperature the same way I think about cooking. Until recently, food scientists firmly believed there were only four flavors the human tongue could taste: Sweet, Sour, Bitter, and Salt. But now, most culinary experts agree there is a fifth flavor – Umami – the flavor of meat. It is a concentrated sensation found in grilled meat, mushrooms, and many fermented foods as well. A taste we all love...

Color temperature is similar to Umami in the sense that once you know it exists you start seeing it everywhere. And when you do, you never stop seeing it again.

So okay, how do you start seeing color temperature?

First, it is important to understand that color temperature has nothing to do with a single color or hue. A yellow, orange, red, purple, blue, or greens by itself is not inherently warm or cool. Color temperature is defined by the relationship between two or more hues! The relationship between a green and a blue (top left). Between an orange and a purple (middle). And even a red and a slightly different red (bottom left). In all cases, one hue will appear to be warmer or cooler than the other. To what degree they will appear to be warmer or cooler depends upon where each hue sits on the color wheel. Or, to be more precise, how close a hue is positioned to the color yellow or purple. The French Impressionists discovered this principle while painting snow outdoors: the hue closest to yellow is the warmer of the two. The hue that sits closest to purple is cooler. It’s really that simple.

Okay, so why does this matter?

Landscape and figurative painters, such as Sorolla, understood that on a sunny day, the areas of light will appear warmer if the shadows in close proximity are being influenced by the cooler light bouncing in from the sky. Thus, on a sunny day the temperature relationship between a color lit by the sun, and the same color that passes into a shadow, will be warm and cool. For example, if you set out to paint a white shirt going from light into shadow you can see the white in the light contains more yellow; and the white in the shadow is not just darker, it is also a little cooler. The shadow has a bluish/purplish cast (see lower right image). If you maintain this relationship of warm lights/cool shadows consistently throughout the painting you will end up with color harmony – a unified color of light.

When you examine Sorolla’s outdoor work you discover he often pushed his colors in the sunlight more towards the yellow than they actually were. And you also learn he pushed the colors in his shadows towards the blue or purple. This warm/cool temperature shift, or ‘push’, forced a greater separation between the light and shadow masses and also created an optical vibration within the eye. This color vibration was a well understood physiological effect called “Simultaneous Contrast in Hue” and it was first exploited to its fullest extent by painters of Sorolla's generation. In fact, Simultaneous Contrast in Hue was one of the principles that launched Impressionism.

However, as you continue to examine at Sorolla’s work for this effect you find exceptions to the principle of warm lights/cool shadows. (Nothing is art is ever simple, right?) Yet when you find them they turn out to be logical exceptions, easily explained.

Not all light that bounces into a shadow comes from the sky. Some light may be reflecting in from another direction all together. And that light may be of a different color. In Sorolla’s paintings on the left, the sunlight is bouncing up off a beach below onto the underside of the woman's arm. In the middle image, the light can be seen bouncing off the inside of a straw basket that is held tightly against a boy's torso. And on the right, the light is bouncing off the face of a cliff outside the painting, AND bouncing up from the bottom under the water. (Fantastic, yes?) In these three examples the reflected light is so strong it overwhelms the weaker, cooler skylight coming in from above. So exceptions to the warm light/cool shadow principle is limited to specific situations where the color within the shadows are being pushed toward a warmer hue than the sunlight shining down from above. As a result, in comparison, the color of sunlight may appear cooler.

Tricky, yes? Well, not really, once you start looking for such exceptions in real life. And, once you do, you begin to see all kinds of colored light bouncing around in the shadows. And of course, when you include such temperature shifts into your own work it will imbue a quality of light everyone will love.

My Sorolla video is extensive and filled with a lot of information about color and temperature. In truth, I’ve been working on it over the past five years when I began traveling to view his his masterworks and the places he painted. This demo is a stroke-by-stroke presentation and it runs just over 15 hours from start to finish. It includes detailed explanations of what I am about to do, and explanations while I do it. I talk about the Why, as well as the How because both are critical to fully understand what is happening. Nothing is left out or held back. Nothing is dumbed down. And topics beyond color temperature are explored in detail. I talk about how Sorolla applied his paint. How he altered, edited, and simplified his subjects. How he used his brush at the beginning of a painting, and how he used it at the end. And much, much, more...

So if you are a painter like me, who is in awe of the genius of Sorolla – or if Sorolla is a new artist to you – you can learn a lot about how he worked from this video. Click the link below to receive a time limited special pre-release price. But don't wait. This discount will end the day after its official release, Monday, April 16.

You can pre-order your copy of my Sorolla demonstration here...

In this video you will learn how to see, understand, and use color temperature to add vibrancy and life to your own work, just like Sorolla…

– TJK

Announcing My First DVD Video Release! Sorolla: Painting the Color of Light...

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Jefferson Kitts) — Fri, 06 Apr 2018 17:24:00 +0000

Hey there Everyone:

It's been a while since I posted to the blog and my wife has been bugging me to get back to it because you readers have changed my life and attitudes about art over the past decade. And so, I shall...

Much has happened within the past few years that pulled me away from this blog. There is only so much time in a day, right? But I am going to commit to offering more tips on painting – and art in general – right here in the near future.

But first, I want to share the biggest news about me in a long time.

______________

My Sorolla DVD Set Will be Released April 16th, 2018 through Streamline Premium Art Video!

Click to order now...

You can pre-order your own copy right now and receive a pre-release discount – or you can wait to hear about it at the Plein Air Convention & Expo in a few weeks. Or hopefully, you can hear about it from your friends...

This video demonstration focuses on how Sorolla painted. With much attention given to how he used value and color temperature to convey a sense of intense natural sunlight.

While I put a lot of effort into explaining things clearly, nothing has been "dumbed down" or held back during this demo. Having said that, I made sure it includes substantial instruction for both the novice and the advanced painter. In fact, while I do talk about Sorolla's methods and materials at the beginning, this demonstration is more about how Sorolla used color to achieve his astounding effects, how he simplified and composed his subject matter, and how he physically applied and pushed his paint around. You know, the things with move you forward as a painter...

Click here to pre-order your own copy at a special pre-release discount from Streamline Premium Art Video......

In 'da house', the Museo Sorolla, Madrid...

This three-DVD set contains a complete stroke-by-stroke, start-to-finish demo, with a total run-time of over 15 hours. It also contains many extras, such as a brief overview of Sorolla's life, an explanation of the color theories he incorporated into his work, and an in-depth interview with me hosted by Eric Rhoads, owner and publisher of PleinAir and FineArt Connoisseur Magazines. We talk about how and why I became a painter, what my current artistic interests and influences are, and there is also a select gallery of my artwork that spans the last two decades. So, for those of you who've been asking me for a DVD at my workshops, well – this is the one to get. (In fact, it is the only one to get...ha!)

"How did you do it?... How?"

I started working on this project five years ago when I began traveling to Madrid, Granada, Toledo, New York City, and San Diego to study original Sorolla paintings first-hand, and to visit the places he painted. All of which has been a dream come true for a Sorolla-nut like me.

Now, I am thrilled to offer it to you with the assistance of Streamline Premium Art Video – in HD format, with high production standards, edited for your convenience. I hope you will find this video demonstration a valuable addition to your art library.

And oh yes, please let me know what you think of the demo in the comment section below!...

Thomas

Artistic Arsenals...

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Jefferson Kitts) — Thu, 16 Nov 2017 14:46:00 +0000

This is a long lecture, but still an interesting take on the methods, materials, and tools used painters throughout the ages, largely centering on the Old Masters.

I've always been interested in the way painters can do so much with so little. So if you have 90 minutes or so to watch this video you will likely learn and few things about your chosen craft.

I, for one, wasn't aware that until the mid-19th century, European painters (and thus American painters by default, as well) only had about twenty five colors at their service, with only eight of them being mineral in content. This means the bulk of the colors they had available to work with were somewhat fugative.

Compared to all the colorants we have today, it is remarkable what could be accomplished.

Think about that the next time you visit your local art store, or order paint online!

Enjoy!

I am an idiot!...

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Jefferson Kitts) — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 01:13:00 +0000

AAARRRGGG! Really, I am an idiot!...

When I announced this workshop way back in June and I USED THE WRONG DATE!...

Well, specifically, I used the WRONG YEAR in the date....

The correct date for this workshop is

December 4th, - 8th, 2017

But don't wait, registration closes this Friday, Nov. 8th!

Five days of intense instruction. Two in the field and three in the SAS studio.

CLICK HERE for more Information, or to Register...

If you live in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area, or if you are able to travel at a moment's notice, and would like to take a terrific in-depth, five day indoor/outdoor class with me, you still can.

So this winter, when it is cold and wet, you can pack your paints and come down to the Southwest where you can learn how to go from small to BIG with your paintings! This popular five day outdoor/indoor class will focus on how to collect useful information in the field – by painting, sketching, and taking photographs in the field – and then how to use those references to produce larger works in the comfort of your studio. We will start by spending two days in the Tonto Forest. I will then spend one day at the SAS creating a large painting, demonstrating various techniques and answering your questions. Then, you will have two days to complete a large painting yourself in the SAS studio with personal assistance!

Click here to watch a brief video from last January's class...

And yes, feel free to call me an idiot. Anytime. I won't argue...

Plein Air Mexico 2018 | San Miguel de Allende...

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Jefferson Kitts) — Fri, 20 Oct 2017 15:51:00 +0000

A Workshop in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

February 19 - 23, 2018

For more info, visit: PLEIN AIR MEXICO | 2018

Yes, I know, this post is just a shameless plug for an upcoming workshop I've organized for this February. But it is such a fantastic workshop. One of my favorites of the year.

I've put this trip together three years in a row. And enjoyed co-teaching it with my good friends Anne Blair Brown and Frank Gardner every time, who are also excellent painters and instructors themselves. But the real reason, the best reason, you might want to think about signing on for this winter workshop is – well...

San Miguel de Allende itself, actually.

Sure, Anne, Frank, and I have a lot to offer the novice-to-intermediate painter. (Heck, we have ways to challenge the experienced painter as well.) But we are talking about painting and improving your painting in SMA – one of the most beautiful and exotic colonial Hispanic towns in the world.

You walk the streets of San Miguel and it is as if you have stepped back into the 16th century. You look at all the exuberantly colored walls, the ancient work-eaten doors, and the active open squares. You stop to grab a bite when you are hungry and the food is delicious It is as if someone has crossed the bistros of Paris with the taco carts of US and Mexico. You look into your wallet and you smile because it feels like you've become a gazillionaire – in pesos.

Then you go paint...

There are books and books and books about San Miguel. Photo albums such as "The Doors of San Miguel". Books about living in San Miguel, such as "On Mexican Time". Books about cooking in San Miguel. Books on making art in San Miguel. There are ex-pats from all over the world living there because the weather is perfect, the life is interesting, and everything is all so civilized. This also means there are many books about how to move to, or retire in, San Miguel. And the copies I have picked up in the restaurants and bars are always well-thumbed through.

Then you go paint some more...

The people of San Miguel are kind, thoughtful, and always happy to see you. They answer your questions, forgive you your elemental Spanish, chuckle, and then offer directions or advice in English.

This will be my sixth?... seventh?... trip to SMA. I have lost count because I keep going back. I keep bringing people with me too because I know many of them will start visiting regularly as well.

Why?...

Because it is San Miguel.

If you would like to know why the readers of Condé Nast Traveler continually puts San Miguel de Allende on its 20 Best Places to Visit list each year, come paint in SMA with Frank, Ann, and I. You will fall in love too.

For more info, or to register, visit: http://thokitts.wixsite.com/sma2018

Imagine yourself painting outdoors in warm sunshine in the middle of January. Imagine the bright colors, the indescribable food, and lovely nights and lights of SMA. Bring your spouse, a partner, or a friend. It's all good.

But don't wait. This workshop is already half full and last year we had to put 15 people on the waiting list. Some of them have already signed up for this year...

TJK

Info on Sargent's Watercolor Technique...

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Jefferson Kitts) — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 21:20:00 +0000

Sargent Watercolor Show Review

John Singer Sargent Watercolors: Exhibition Report

We recently visited the Brooklyn Museum to see the show of John Singer Sargent watercolors. It’s close enough to Montreal that I couldn’t really pass it up. Not and still call myself a serious watercolorist. The exhibit ends July 28, so by the time I post this it’s basically over – however, it comes to the MFA in Boston (Oct 13/13 – Jan 20/14), so that’s another chance for Nor’easterners.

Like most artists, I’ve always admired Sargent’s mastery of calligraphic brushwork in oil. I wasn’t as aware of his watercolors before this show. Which I suppose was the point. The curators have brought together a never-before-seen exhibit.

So, for those that don’t have a chance to get there in person – here’s my report...

I don't often cross-link to another writer's blog, but here is a link to a fascinating post about Sargent's watercolors. The author, Marc Taro Homes, author of The Urban Sketchbook, took some lovely close ups of JSS's watercolors in the Brooklyn Museum, and his observations with regards to Sargent's use of gouache on top of watercolor and other effects are quite illuminating.

So visit his blog page here and learn something new about Sargent's technique...

https://citizensketcher.com/jss-watercolor

It looks like I'll be in Boston next October while this show is there so I'll add to Marc's report when I see it.

Enjoy!

TJK

Workshop Announcement: Drawing for the Plein Air Painter...

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Jefferson Kitts) — Thu, 22 Jun 2017 23:52:00 +0000

Announcing my Summer 3-Day Workshop...

Sauvie Island, near Portland, Oregon

Cost: $450

Learn to paint with your pencil or charcoal! Become more skilled at composing your paintings before you pick up a brush. When you paint alla prima en plein air you must work quickly and state things in a clear and concise way. This class will focus on how to create a dynamic design using the light and shadow pattern Nature provides. There will be fundamentals, but also advanced concepts as well. So learn how to stitch smaller bits and pieces into larger, more unified masses. Create dynamic compositions by pitting light against dark, and dark against light. Downplay the line work and emphasize the shapes. The things you learn in this three day outdoor class will improve your painting in every way possible, indoors or out.

This workshop will focus on:

How to simplify the complex values you see

How to exploit the power of positive and negative shapes

How to transform natural light into beautiful rhythmic patterns and punctuated marks

How to find or create pleasing proportions

And much more…

The material list for this workshop is minimal. All you will need are some soft vine charcoal sticks, a few kneadable erasers, a few pencils, a medium-sized drawing pad, a lap board or portable easel. (And of course, a chair if you must sit down.)

My thirty years of painting outdoors has lead me to teaching design and composition in the simplest way possible, by drawing outdoors. Each day I will present ideas and demos and share the decisions I make in real time as I work. You will receive helpful direction and valuable one-on-one critique and a group discussion will be held daily. With this class, it is my goal to help you become more sensitive to the potential of conscious design.

Do not underestimate the power of this workshop to improve your work! I have spent many years teaching students how to paint and this class is specifically designed to share what every outdoor landscape painter should know about value and composition. Sure, you will just be drawing, but what you will learn 0ver these three days will impact your painting for a long, long time. Why? Because the value decisions you make from the first stroke in paint must be solid. And drawing is a faster path to gaining that skill...

Registration is now open. Class size is limited to maintain maximum quality instructor time. To register, email Thomas at:

Drawing for Plein Air Painters...

Color and Culture – Culture and Color...

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas Jefferson Kitts) — Fri, 19 May 2017 17:14:00 +0000

By the time I arrived in art school I was convinced I was severely color blind. Largely because my previous art teachers and peers would talk endlessly about color distinctions I did not seem able to make. They'd say things like "Oh, look at that beautiful 'pinkish-green'", or "Can't you see the red in that (green) tree?" (I tried. Oh, how I tried...) Such discussions always left me feeling inadequate and ill-prepared to make art until my sophomore year in school when it became time to take a semester-long class devoted to only color.

At first I was intimidated but that class was the best thing that ever happened to me. In fact, that class was life-changing. It literally opened my eyes. Or more accurately, it opened up my mind because the professor who taught it offered tools I could use to understand what I was looking at. He gave me (and my fellow classmates) a precise language I could use to analyze, comprehend, and parse color.

In his class, I learned there was objective terminology one could use to reduce a color into its fundamental elements (as in Hue/Value/Chroma). I learned that we do not see isolated colors, we see relationships between colors. I also learned there is the color of nature, which is out in the world, and there are optical effects of color that only occur within the eye and brain. I learned about the interaction of color. And color persistence. And so much more. As a result, that professor opened up color to me like a light bulb. My hardware, my eyes, hadn't changed. But my perception had. And all that talk about pinkish-greens, and red-trees began to make sense.

In addition to explaining the simple mechanics of color, that professor delved into the cultural constructs of color – both in how different cultures at different times in history categorized the visible spectrum, and the ever-evolving symbology of color; meaning, what certain colors represented to certain people in different parts of the world. Even the whys and hows of such symbology. (For example, white often represents purity in most parts of the Western World, but in contrast, often represents death in Asia. And red often represents impurity in Western Culture, yet again in contrast, can represent purity on the Asian side. I know, I know, I simplify things greatly, but you get the picture, yes?) And while I learned there is no universal color code that can be applied to all of humanity, there are common color stages most cultures incorporate, and the more nuanced the terminology, the more nuanced the seeing.

So I was pleased to stumble across a short Ted Talk video (below) that neatly summarizes a few of the cross-cultural stages of color I remember from that class. The anthropological aspects of color continues to interest me today even though I have remained mostly a naturalistic painter. While I may not believe color is as quantifiable as the video below will imply, I do accept our individual perception of color is greatly impacted by what we expect to see. Or perhaps, what we have been told to see! But then, as this video shows, there does seem to be a few things about color that develops in a similar manner across different cultures and perhaps that part of our color perception is hard-wired. I dunno.

Color, and the Perception of Color are two of the things I enjoy teaching most in my classes. Largely due to that one day, in that one class, when suddenly I understood color. I just got it and could see so much more. That moment had a profound impact on the rest my life and I will always grateful for that teacher's ability to make someone see what they couldn't see before..

Enjoy!...

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