Photos or Plein Air

 

 My husband and I visited a beach in Virginia and took this photo with Ken Auster's comments in mind.  We watched his DVD before our trip.  This wasn't the most magnificent house in the area, but it had a charm all its own. 

 

I love painting outside, but once in awhile a photo will work. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 

Available at Daily Paintworks

Gone But Not Forgotten

 

This house was knocked down recently.  I don't really have all the facts, but it was called an antebellum house. When we first moved here a nice older couple lived in this house.  The husband was often outside tinkering on the house and was very friendly.  He used to say hello to us whenever we walked by. I took quite a few photos because I liked the red roof and picket fence.  It just called to me to be painted and remembered. 

 

 

 

 

 

Daily Paintworks

 

Thank you Daily Paintworks

 

 

This painting was chosen as a "Judges Pick" for the month of October so this means my paintings are shown at the top of the gallery page for this month.  I feel very honored to be chosen for this.  Thank you.  It is a good idea to enter this contest.  If you aren't a member of DPW, I encourage that, too.  It's really given me a more disciplined approach to painting by painting every day and posting each day on the website.  Here is a link to Daily Paintworks.  Plus I have had to become more organized with record keeping and filing my paintings.  My spread sheet is nothing to write home about, but for the most part I know where each painting is.   

 

 

Fredericksburg Plein Air Artists  (link to our facebook page)

Our leader,  Patty Obrien, submitted a photo to Plein Air Magazine that she took at Snead's Farm when we were on one of our weekly plein air trips.  I call her "the wind beneath our wings".  Gregg really did put his chair out in the field and had these visitors who were very interested in art. 

Gregg Holmes  (link to article)

Palette Knife Painting

I been trying to figure out the steps for doing a palette knife painting that I like. First,  I do an underpainting emphasizing the darks.  Then I go over that with a palette knife letting some of the underpainting show through.  I think it would be interesting to use complementary colors in the underpainting which I am going to try today. 

Here is my recent palette knife painting.  I like the way the underpainting shows through. 

(I done this before and try something new every time.)

 

A lot of palette knife work used here. 

 

 

 

Another painting for the Food Bank mini fundraiser.  I didn't put this one on the auction because the first two have no bids.  Maybe using the auction feature of Daily Paintworks doesn't work for me.  I did post it on my Gallery page. 

 

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/artists/carol-josefiak-3555/artwork#/mode=search&arrangeMode=false&page=1

JUST SOLD - thank you

The monthly(September) give-away painting is one of a pear done with a palette knife.  I haven't taken a photo yet, but will post it tomorrow.  Just send me an email (cbjmail@cox.net) or message me on facebook to enter. 

I'll have Ziva do the drawing on October 1. 

This is Ziva.  She is very talented. 

Raising Money for Local Charities

I have been thinking about doing this for awhile.  I would like to raise some money for local charities in Fredericksburg, VA.  The idea is to use the auction feature at Daily Paintworks.  I like the idea of using the proceeds from paintings about food for our Fredericksburg Food Bank.    I'll put the link here, too. 

Daily Paintworks Auction

Things I like about painting outside

I like being outside

Doing studies gives me enough drawing information to do a bigger painting in my studio.

You can do a better drawing than using a photo because the angles are not exaggerated the way a camera does.

It's a chance to get better color for a bigger painting.  Even if I get a smattering of the color it helps me when I get back home. 

It helps to paint faster. 

Improves memory because once you paint something you never forget the place.  The first painting was done from the memory I had of this setting when I painted there a couple of years ago.

(Donated to Friends of the Rappahannock event coming up soon)

 

 

This 8x10 was my study from the day we painted here.  (I changed this a little at home.  That high contrast are in the middle towards the front was too strong.)

12 x 16 (on DPW and my website)

Painted when I got home using photos and the study done at the location.  I did add color that wasn't there, but I like a lot of color.  Even though I add color being there gives you ideas for later. 



Plein Air Painting

Summer of Plein Air Painting

Our day this week on the Rappahannock.  One person even arrived by bike.  

Starting in the spring my husband and I have painted once a week with a group of plein air painters from Fredericksburg, VA.  It has been such a positive experience to be with this group of enthusiastic painters.  Learning from each other and sharing our progress is a big part of painting together.  Thank you to everyone for your excitement and dedication. 

Each week, Patty O'Brien, our leader,  finds a location, calls for permission from the owners,   makes sure there are bathrooms, and emails everyone in the group with details and directions.  All in all, a job in itself, but she makes it looks easy.  Thank you to Patty for being such a great organizer and communicator. 

Here is a link to our facebook page.  If you want to join the group, paint when you can, and post your paintings on the group page, just click on JOIN which is below the banner. 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/749096011869539/

I think my next blog will be about the challenges and benefits of plein air painting. 

STOP BEFORE YOU ARE FINISHED TO SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING

 

 

  I had a  panel just lying around with an abstract painting on it, one done to see if I liked these colors together.  I decided to use it for this little painting of a salt and pepper shaker, something I have painted before.  Normally, I would cover up most of the underpainting, but the colors showing through gave the painting a lot more personality AND made me think of good titles: 

 

50 Shades of Gray

 

Everything is not always black and white....

 

(check it out:  shadow white is darker than dark light- thank you Kevin McPherson)

 

 

sold

6 x 6 for Daily Paintworks

 

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/artists/carol-josefiak-3555/artwork