February 16, 2014

I wouldn't bet a wooden nickel on what the conditions will be tomorrow!  This morning it was nearly idyllic, almost boring, temperature started out at about 52ºF, sun with some clouds softening the harsh blue sky, and providing some interest up there.  No major wildlife events, other than the Boulder equivalent to the Serengeti Plains massive Wildebeest migration... Here we have a strange herd animal that is adorned in very tight skin, usually black with Italian or other advertising graphics branded all over them, that have very odd looking round legs that spin constanly... Boulder area bicyclists were out en masse.  That's how it started...

It ended with winds that were blasting at a steady 25-30 mph, with gusts hitting the 45mph mark!  I had to use my bag of tire chains to weight my tripod down from the center post.  That held it still, but it was flapping like a card on a bicycle tire!  I managed the last two paintings while it was like that, fortunately it was a nice warm 63ºF.  Even with the wind, that temperature felt so good that I really didn't mind it that much.  Only problem was trying to put the brush where I thought it should go.  Best part of it all was the Golden Eagle that was perched up on a knoll, close to the last one I painted, that would every so often raise it's wings to launch into the strong wind, flying barely a few feet above ground level, and chase prairie dogs all around their 'town'.  I also saw it try to take out a raven, chasing it in the high winds, the raven could barely move forward, the Golden Eagle only slightly more able to.  I guess it was too much work as the eagle slipped back up the hill side and perched on a rock until it's next little jaunt chasing dogs.  That made the wind worth it.

Today I decided to use another favorite limited palette of mine.  You may know of the great painter, Ned Jacob, who lives in Colorado.  He's been a favorite of mine for 30 years.  I knew he used a limited palette, but had never seen what it was until another fabulous artist and friend, Robert Lemler, told me to give it a try.  I have used it quite a bit over the last two years.  The version I use is slightly different than the one Ned uses.  It's a perfectly abbreviated spectral palette.

It is... Cadmium Yellow light (Ned uses cad yellow medium but I like having the slightly cooler yellow for things like turning a sky slightly green), Cadmium Orange, Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine Blue, Titanium White.  That's it, but if you mix the missing secondaries you will see you have a full spectrum palette to work with.  Below are a couple of charts I made to show the chromatic range of the palette, and to show some of the grays that you are able to achieve with those 4 colors, plus white.  What I've also discovered is that there is another aspect to the color you can achieve with this palette. That is that the transparency of the mixes can be very different than the same mixes used opaquely.

Thanks for looking in... Enjoy!
ps... Sorry for the glare on some of these.  I had to rush tonight.

Some possible grays from the palette used today.

The "Ned Jacob" palette showing the full spectral range, and some neutrals.

2-16-1 "A Field With A View" - oil - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

Click here to purchase.

2-16-2 "Wind Coming Up" - oil - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

SOLD

2-16-3 "Wind Blasted" - oil - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

Click here to purchase.

2-16-4 "Last Stand" - oil - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

SOLD

February 15, 2014

My overview of today, as a day to be out painting... Well, at least it wasn't snowing!  Low ceilings, chilly temps, and almost no snow left, didn't get me real excited out there.  I really found it hard to like what I was looking at this morning.  Without the snow cover, the dead grays of the landscape under the low overcast were less than interesting.

Like I've told students, sometimes these are the kind of days when you go out to school yourself.  One way to do that is to minimize the palette to study and paint the tonal relationships without as much concern for color... because the color there is minimal at best.  Let me put that another way... at this time of year, if there is sun on the landscape, even the dead grasses and 'winter landscape' usually has a wonderful visual treat in store for the painter.  If not... then it's like today.

I almost went with straight value studies, black and white paint, which is a great way to study.  Instead I decided painted with the so called "Zorn" palette of Ivory Black, Cadmium Red Light (Zorn used true Vermillion) and Yellow Ochre... plus white.  Zorn did use this palette, but not for everything he painted.  He had tons of tubes of color in his studio when he passed, and it's obvious looking at his work that he painted with other colors on his palette.  Still, on a day like today, it was a challenge yet a very appropriate selection of colors to use.  I might have liked a blue... but after the day of painting with those three colors... I really didn't miss the blue at all.  It's all about color relationships, this palette shows that in spades.  The violets and cool bluish colors are only looking that way because the black, white and red in mixture is next to a yellowish or an orangish color, causing the visual effect of complimentary contrast to help out.

Since the snow has melted off, there is a lot more road surface to see to pull over on.  Today was a road painting day for sure.  No weirdos, no animals.

Thanks for checking in... Enjoy!

2-15-1 "Low Ceiling" - oil - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

Click here to purchase.

2-15-2 "Easy Gray" - oil - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

SOLD

2-15-3 "Old Dark Ones" - oil - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

Click here to purchase.

2-15-4 "Ouray Up" - oil - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

SOLD

February 14, 2014

I can't believe it, but today marks the half way point!  That means that for two weeks I have neglected absolutely everything in my life, except for being outside painting every day.  And it shows...

It looks like the painting gods have decided that this mid point is a good place to make an improvement on the weather too.  Temps are up, and I can't tell you how good that feels, after two weeks of chilling it out there.  Sadly, the snow is nearly all gone now.  There was more around today than I thought there would be, but with what's forecast for the next two days, and beyond, snow is probably a distant memory for now.  Except... last year, we had 12" on May 2.

I spent 3/4's of the day on 61st St, which is only open part way due to the bridge over the St Vrain being too damaged to use.  I was there last night too.  I've noticed lately that I have become a magnet for conversation.  Today on four occasions,  visitors stopped to "chat".  I meet the most interesting people while painting.  Most of them, harmless.  Yesterday I met a guy who is a photographer, and who seemed to know the entire history of the area, going back to before white settlement.  This morning, met another photographer who has recently returned to Longmont, where he grew up, to re-establish his photography business... Virtual Photo Tours?.  This afternoon I had a nice talk with a guy who creates art using antlers from elk and deer that he harvests or finds while hiking.  Makes some great pieces, and he knew a million places that he suggested I go paint, or take my bow with when it's the right time.  The last nice couple I met, and their dog Rosy, supply retailers, main supplier to Cabela's, with field guides and maps.  We had some common connections there, since my publisher of wildlife art has a long connection to Cabela's, and I also had some experience illustrating a field guide for National Geographic years ago, another business who they deal with extensively.  Needless to say, this all takes quite a bit of time.... but I enjoy the interaction with interested people.

I was looking for an appropriate Valentine's image today.  Best I could do was the second painting.   I know, it's just a red fence and barn.  That's it, no hearts or other normal Valentines objects out there in the country side.

Thanks for looking in... Enjoy!

2-14-1 "Morning Warms" - oil - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

Click here to purchase.

2-14-2 "Valentine's Day" - oil - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

Click here to purchase.

2-14-3 "Eroded" - oil - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

SOLD

2-14-4 "Willow Central" - oil - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

SOLD

February 13, 2014

Living in Minnesota, the joke is that if you can't find something nice to say, you can always talk about the weather.  I think that's a trait that I adapted during my 33 years there, and will probably continue to hold onto until the day I'm done.  So, I'm not complaining... I'm just offering up some conversation that just happens to include the weather.  Outside of a painting not working, or some weirdo or wild animal, the weather is the only other interesting thing about a day of painting that is worth writing about!

Speaking of the weather, on one hand today, it was so warm it was T-Shirt weather!  On the other hand, it was so windy that I had to take a long lunch time, stalling act, to try to put off having to stand out in it.  The gusts were way over 20 or 30 mph... the steady winds were over 20 mph at one point.  I have a lot of outdoor hobbies and there is only one where the wind is a 'favorable' thing to have going on... that's sailing a boat.  ANY other outdoor hobby I indulge myself in, wind is the nemesis.  Today the wind was KING NEMESIS!

I started the first painting with a light weight shirt on, sun beating down on my gloveless hands, and a big smile on my face.  I was just about to consider washing the brushes and scraping the palette on it, when I heard what sounded like a B-747 bearing down on me.  It was the wind!  The next painting was a ballet, or better yet, a boxing match, between the panel being violently whipped by the wind, and my hopelessly aimed brushes, which were trying to escape my grip for the calm comfort of the Honda.

After a LONG lunch, I headed back out to see if there was anywhere that was sheltered from the wind.  I was worrying that time was running out, that I was going to be left with only two paintings today.  At the last hour, about 3:30, the winds died down a little bit.  Enough to make painting the last two, in about an hour and a half, a possibility.  I painted 'Ditch Tails', then turned around and saw an amazing light effect behind me.  Compositionally it wasn't great, but it was all about the the light effect, the color of the mountains in shadow, with the land lit up and glowing.  That one was painted in about 25 minutes, very fast.

The temps today and the wind totally melted the snow, other than in deeply shadowed areas.  I cannot wait to get out there tomorrow with all of the wet darks of the mud, and the warm tones of the grasses of last season.

Thanks for checking in... Enjoy!

2-13-1 "Old Farm" - oil - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

SOLD

2-13-2 "Wicked Wind" - oil - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

Click here to purchase.

2-13-3 "Ditch Tails" - oil - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

Click here to purchase.

2-13-4 "Hygiene Rd at 59th St" - oil - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

Click here to purchase.

February 12, 2014

Almost an amazing day today... but still some cloud cover and as the day went on, some pretty stiff winds.  I grabbed the pastels again today, but took out the last piece of Wallis 'Belgian Mist' that I had.  It was definitely more workable and to my liking than the LaCarte.  Now to find some...

Not much to chat about this evening, except that it sounds like tomorrow is going to be T-shirt weather!  That's something to talk about!

Enjoy the paintings... I'm going to eat, crash and get up to make day 13 happen.

Thanks for looking in...

2-12-1 "55th St Rise" - pastel - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

SOLD

2-12-2 "Oxford Rd Winds" - pastel - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

Click here to purchase.

2-12-3 "Tree Stand" - pastel - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

SOLD

2-12-4 "Prairie Homes" - pastel - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2104

SOLD

February 11, 2014

Today is the birthday of the other best thing that ever happened to me.  My youngest son was born 28 years ago on this day.  

For a change of pace, I grabbed the pastels this morning.  We're not having any precipitation now, and it seemed like it would be good to switch things up today.  What you should never do, and I did, is try a new art material when you don't have time to monkey around with it if it's not working so well for you... for... Me.  It's almost impossible to find my all time favorite paper of choice, Wallis 'Belgian Mist'.  The supplies just aren't getting to the distributers that I've tried.  It's a shame, it's a wonderful paper, but if it's always going to be so tough to but when you need it, then an alternative is going to be imperative.  I've used UArt... it's ok.  But I wanted something with a tone.  My paper today was LaCarte light grey.  Not really a grey, but a warm ocherish colored paper.  I used it many years ago, before I had nice soft, buttery pastels like I do now.  It didn't work out very well at all, using harder pastels in the past.  

I have mixed feelings about it.  Some aspects of how it takes pastel are wonderful.  It holds plenty of pastel pigment, can be wiped down, and is a nice stiff card stock type paper.  I was not happy that I couldn't get the kind if sharp little touches that I can with Wallis, and UArt.  It has a great texture, just about the right coarseness.  I'll keep plugging away with it, it worked in the end, but took me a lot to try to figure out how to work it.  I discovered one thing, I still don't have enough soft, buttery pastels... a trip to the supplier is in order.

Thanks for looking in... Enjoy!

2-11-1 "Nimbus Rd" - pastel - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

SOLD

2-11-2 "Swirl" - pastel - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

Click here to purchase.

2-11-3 "Casting Shadows" - pastel - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

SOLD

2-11-4 "Willows" - pastel - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

SOLD

February 10, 2014

Another winter wonderland today!  And finally, some sun began to make itself known.  I didn't get a start until almost noon today because I had some errands to run.  My painting time was pretty limited, about 5 hours.  Today's conditions went from almost NO value difference, to good contrasting values.  Since the days are lengthening, there was some really gorgeous light towards the end of the afternoon.  Those are the kind of effects that, if you want to try to grab them, you had better paint fast.  The last two paintings were painted without haste, not fast in the sense that I was slapping on paint willy nilly.  But fast and precise, getting an idea and holding on to it while the scene in front of me changed every few minutes.  I'm addicted to that kind of energy, the fast changing landscape.

Whenever I begin to feel like I'm getting too myopic, I look for something out there that will break that trend.  I prefer to grab the moment, not the afternoon.

I see a lot of critters every day, here are a few shots of some of what is around here.  I'm usually shooting with a point and shoot or my iPhone, so the quality isn't great.

The paintings... Thanks for looking in!

2-10-1 "White Land" - oil - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

Click here to purchase.

2-10-2 "Coot Lake" - oil - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

Click here to purchase.

2-10-3 "Finally, Sun!" - oil - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

Click here to purchase.

2-10-4 "Breaking Sky" - oil - 8x10

©Marc R. Hanson 2014

SOLD