031717 S 24x36 Twilight in the Snowy Forest

This is one of my very favorite, plein air, snow oil paintings painted late in the afternoon with the sky starting to turn a peachy sunset color.  I wanted to work this up into a larger, 24" x 36", painting.

"Twilight in the Forest, February 16, 2014, plein air oil on panel, 12" x 16", c. Charlene Marsh.

So I started with a sketch on a magenta tinted panel. 

I mixed up a dark value for the creek water using Ultramarine Blue and Cadmium Red Medium.  I also mixed up an orange with the Cadmium Red and Cadmium Yellow Light and then added generous helpings of Ultra Blue. 

The same mix of Ultra Blue and Cad. Red, heavy on the Cadmium Red, is used for the treeline on the horizon of the hills.  Cerulean Blue and Titanium White, with a touch of Cadmium Red and/or Yellow is mixed for the shadows in the snow.  I wanted to keep this palette on the warmer, Cerulean side of blue.  I often slide over towards periwinkle and blue-red-violet for the shadows to keep the golden highlights from shifting to green.  But for this painting I wanted to keep it in the cyan blue range and use peaches for the highlights. 

I often set up the palette for a painting based on a foundation of complementary colors that also make a nice range of ethereal neutrals.  Some highlights using the peachy colors are used on the top of the hills.  Cooler hilltops use various blues mixed with white.

I continue painting the snow on the hills.  The sky color is mixed with two complementary colors.  First, Cerulean Blue and Titanium White are mixed for the sky color at the top.  A second color is mixed from Cadmium Yellow Light and Cadmium Red Medium and/or Primary Red-Magenta to get a sunny, peachy orange.  Generous amounts of White are added to this sunny color and used along the horizon line. 

The two colors, blue and peach, are mixed to get the magical, middle color in the sky.

Once the surface is covered, I start adding the trees.  The major, big trees are painted in first with my palette knives from a deep brown mixed from Cad. Red, Ultra Blue, and a bit of Cad. Yellow.  I use a rubber tipped implement to add twisting and twirling branches and limbs throughout the entire painting.  I continue adding trees and branches with the palette knives. 

I also added the delicate, light, salmon colored ash leaves that cling onto the branches throughout the winter.  I work the entire surface, back and forth from foreground to background, and then back to the foreground pulling the foremost trees out.  I will even go back into the sky to push back certain areas and pull others forward.  Golden orange highlights are added to the foreground of the creek.

 And here is the final painting:

"Twilight in the Forest", oil on panel, 24" x 36", Code #031717 S 24x36, c. 2017 by Charlene Marsh. 

Thanks for following along!

Happy Trails!

Cheers,

Charlene

113016 12x16 Creek Near Strahl Lake in Brown County State Park

This is the last painting in the Arts in the Parks project grant for 2016.  I went out to Strahl Lake in the Brown County State Park on November 30, 2016 to paint. I had already scouted out the location and, although the lake and waterfall at the dam are gorgeous, I really loved this creek through the forest near the lake's dam.  What can I say?  I LOVE painting the forest!

The day was 50 degrees and overcast which makes for a very ethereal light in the woods.

Here's a long view of the plein air set up in the forest.

Adding the final touches!

And the finished painting:  "Creek Near Strahl Lake, November 30, 2016", plein air oil on panel, 12" x 16", c. Charlene Marsh.

Thanks for stopping in!

Happy Trails and Happy New Year!  Wishing you many blessings in 2017!

Charlene

091116 16x20 no1 Morning Glories, Ironweed, and Glass Sculpture

This plein air, oil painting depicts the Morning Glories, Ironweed, and one of the glass sculptures in my yard that I make from recycled glass.  I did this painting as part of the Brown County Art Guild Paint Out.

  

"Morning Glories, Ironweed, and Glass Sculpture, September 11, 2016", plein air oil painting, 16" x 20", c. Charlene Marsh

Happy Trails!

Charlene 

P.S.  Be sure to sign up for THE ART BRUSH newsletter where you can receive news, tips, special pricing, exhibitions, and more!  As a bonus, when you subscribe, you will immediately receive a FREE one page report on How to Create Health, Wealth, and Harmony Using Fine Art!

080916 12x12 Deep End of the Pool

This is another plein air from the Brown County State Park as part of the Art in the Park Project Grant I received from the Indiana Arts Commission and the Department of Natural Resources. 

I set up in one spot at the pool but ended up moving to another spot.  People constantly on the move can make it difficult to compose a painting!

I settled on a location on the right side of the deep end with the diving boards.

I start the painting by blocking in the deep rich blue of the pool.

I add the background and start popping in the swimmers, one gesture at a time!

These young ladies were two pairs of sisters in the park on a camping trip, enjoying the final days of summer before returning to school.  They saw me starting to pack up my painting and came over to see the final result.

Here is the final painting:

"Deep End of the Pool, August 9, 2016", plein air oil on panel, 12" x 12", c. Charlene Marsh

Happy Trails!

Charlene 

P.S.  Be sure to sign up for THE ART BRUSH newsletter where you can receive news, tips, special pricing, exhibitions, and more!  As a bonus, when you subscribe, you will immediately receive a FREE one page report on How to Create Health, Wealth, and Harmony Using Fine Art!

080816 12x12 Swimmers

I started to set up next to the baby pool but just as I was getting ready to start painting, they all got up and left!

So I turned my attention to the Olympic size pool.  You can see it wasn't super busy!

Even so, some young swimmers stopped to check the progress of the painting.

Luckily, this bather/model seemed content to hang out at the edge of the pool for a long while watching her kids.

Here's some more swimmers who stopped to check out the painting.

The lifeguards blew the whistle for the break and emptied out the pool.  Luckily, I was just putting the finishing touches on the painting.

These kids from Bloomington were taking a swim lesson from their coach before the lifeguards cleared the pool.  They stopped by to check out the painting on their way out.  Their mom is the figure on the left in the painting.  She was on the move keeping track of her kids!

Here they pose for a picture before heading home.

And here is the finished painting, swimmers in action!  Plein air oil painting done at the Olympic size, outdoor pool at the Brown County State Park.

"Swimmers, August 8, 2016", plein air oil painting on panel, 12" x 12", c. Charlene Marsh

Happy Trails!

Charlene 
 
P.S.  Be sure to sign up for THE ART BRUSH newsletter where you can receive news, tips, special pricing, exhibitions, and more!  As a bonus, when you subscribe, you will immediately receive a FREE one page report on How to Create Health, Wealth, and Harmony Using Fine Art!

062716 12x16 Changing of the Guard

This is another painting I did as part of the Arts in the Park Project Grant I received to paint in the Brown County State Park.  The lifeguards were switching out, hence the title.  Other swimmers and bathers were painted in as they walked by.  Everyone was moving!  I love painting all the action!

"Changing of the Guard, June 27, 2016", plein air oil painting on panel, 12" x 16", c. Charlene Marsh

Happy Trails!

Charlene 
 
P.S.  Be sure to sign up for THE ART BRUSH newsletter where you can receive news, tips, special pricing, exhibitions, and more!  As a bonus, when you subscribe, you will immediately receive a FREE one page report on How to Create Health, Wealth, and Harmony Using Fine Art!

062516 Divers

I painted this scene of the deep end of the pool with lots of action on the diving boards!

 

Another hot, sunny day and lots of people at the pool on this Saturday.  Burned the back of my legs!  Ouch!

Here is the finished painting:

"Divers, June 25, 2016", plein air oil on panel, 12" x 16", by Charlene Marsh.

Have a great summer!

Happy Trails!

Charlene

P.S. Be sure to sign up for my e-newsletter, the Art Brush, and receive instant access to an article I wrote, How to Create Health, Wealth, and Harmony Using Fine Art as well as specials, new paintings, tips, exhibitions, and more! 

P.P.S. I love to hear from you so leave a comment!  Thanks!

061616 Summertime at the Pool

Busy day at the pool!  Hot and sunny!  Lots of action!  This painting was done at the Olympic size pool at the Brown County State Park(Indiana) as part of the Arts in the Park project grant I received celebrating the bicentennial of the state.

I tend to set up and get to painting and things move so fast, I forget to shoot any photos of the progress of the painting.

So here is the painting in situ.  People move a lot so I am often just capturing a gesture, a movement, a head bobble.  


I absolutely love the brilliant sunlight and crystal blue sky and pool but sunburn is one of my greatest challenges!  I wear a long sleeve shirt, hat, and full shoes (tops of feet are very tender!) and often still get burned on some little nook or cranny that the sun finds. 

Here is the finished painting.  "Summertime at the Pool, June 16, 2016", plein air oil, 12" x 12", by Charlene Marsh.

Have a great summer!

Happy Trails!

Charlene

P.S. Be sure to sign up for my e-newsletter, the Art Brush, and receive instant access to an article I wrote, How to Create Health, Wealth, and Harmony Using Fine Art as well as specials, new paintings, tips, exhibitions, and more!

053116 12x12 Fun On the Diving Board

I had such a fantastic time painting the pool, I went back out the next day to paint again.  I arrived shortly after noon and the pool was not quite as bustling as the day before.  But I noticed about the time I was finishing up, there were more and more people arriving.  On my way out of the pool area, I noticed on the signage that the pool doesn't open until noon so I will try to arrive more mid-afternoon to paint and capture the swimmers after more have arrived.  The pool closes at 7 p.m. and I bet the numbers start dwindling by 5-6 p.m.

Anyway, after circumnavigating the pool, I decided most of the action and excitement was in the diving board area so I set up to paint there.  Had a blast capturing the kids flinging themselves off the diving boards in all kinds of acrobatic positions!

Here is the finished painting:

"Fun on the Diving Board, May 31, 2016", plein air oil, 12" x 12", by Charlene Marsh.  

Thanks for tuning in!

Happy Trails!

Charlene  

P.S.  Be sure to sign up for my e-newsletter, The Art Brush, and get instant access to a FREE one page report on How to Create Health, Wealth, and Harmony Using Fine Art!

053016 12x12 Memorial Day Pool Time!

I headed to the Brown County State Park to paint as part of the Arts in the Park project grant I received.  While I had intended to paint in the forest, I was immediately drawn to the luscious turquoise blue of the pool at the North Entrance of the park.  I also was excited to paint the activity and movement of the people in the pool area enjoying one of the first days of summer.  I used to do a lot of figure painting including quick gestural sketches so I really wanted to try my hand at it again. 

First, I scouted out various vantages around the pool area.  Since the day was quite hot and sunny, I found a spot in the shade to set up in.

Instead of starting with the darkest hues as I normally do, I blocked in the brilliant turquoise of the pool mixed with cerulean blue and white and, to a lesser degree, ultramarine blue and white.  I wanted to capture that crystal clear blue, unmuddied by any other colors or pigments.

I quickly captured a pair of young ladies sitting on the edge of the pool before they got up and left.  The lifeguard was fairly stationary but they changed out about every 10 minutes and the new one would assume a whole new posture.  Throughout the pool area, the people were constantly on the move.  So I would dab in an arm, a leg, a slouch, a dance, a stride that captured the frenetic movement.

This family was heading to their car after an afternoon at the pool and stopped to admire the finished painting.

And here is the final painting.  I took it to a show just three days later, still wet, and the first person that saw it bought it. 

"Memorial Day at the Pool, May 30, 2016", plein air, oil, 12" x 12", by Charlene Marsh.  SOLD

Thanks for following along!

Happy Trails!

Charlene

P.S.   To learn more about my paintings and how they are created, subscribe to my weekly or bi-weekly (or thereabouts) newsletter, The Art Brush. 
Subscribers will be notified when paintings become available and will receive exclusive, special pricing.  The newsletter also has info about paintings in progress, upcoming shows, painting tips, tools, gear, supplies, classes, workshops, reviews, news, and more!

Bonus! When you subscribe, you will immediately receive a FREE one page report on

How to Create Health, Wealth, and Harmony using Fine Art!

Snowy Vista at the State Park, 021516 12x12

Grey day in the Brown County State Park with temperatures in the mid-thirties and a gorgeous vista!  I love the way the snow is so white against the trees and grey sky.  This is a highly visible spot to paint along the main road with a small parking area for the scenic overlook.  Since this is an activity as part of the Arts in the Park grant I received from the Indiana Arts Commission and the Department of Natural Resources to celebrate the bicentennial of the state of Indiana, I wanted to maximize exposure to park visitors. 

 

I was able to park my car in the small lot nearby and carry my gear to this vista.  Easy peasy!!  MUCH easier than backpacking deep into the woods to paint.

For this painting, I started with the gleaming, sparkling white of the snow in the foreground.  If you follow my blogs, you know I usually start with the darks but this time I started with the lightest, brightest white snow.  I wanted to capture that virgin white and use it to set the values of the background colors.

I say "virgin white" but I never use paint straight out of the tube.  I mixed a violet from magenta crimson and ultra and cerulean blues to get a nice crystal snow blue violet, mixing it with lots of titanium white.  I wanted the white to be fresh, like the snow. 

Here you can see my painting with the vista.  Hard to compete! 

Temps felt quite warm after working outside in the low twenties just the day before!  The paint stays workable rather than turning sticky and making "icicles" of the paint. 

And here you can see the finished painting:

"Snowy Vista in the State Park", 021516 12x12, oil on panel, by Charlene Marsh.

Thanks so much for reading!  I love to hear from you so please leave a comment.

Happy Trails!

Charlene

P.S. Please be sure to sign up for my The Art Brush where I share exclusive info with my subscribers.

Arts in the Park Grant

I am really excited to announce that I have been awarded a $3000 Arts in the Park grant by the Indiana Arts Commission and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, in celebration of Indiana's bicentennial in 2016.  Here is the summary of my proposed project:  

"The artist will backpack oil painting supplies into the forest in all four seasons to paint "en plein air" in the Brown County State Park to capture the spirit and beauty of the forest. The artist will demonstrate to and engage with the public while working to raise awareness of fine art and the natural environment. The artist plans to create four, plein air oil paintings, one in each season of the year.  The artist will use social media to promote the events and engage the public."

I plan to keep you updated with the progress of the paintings and grant project as we go along.  Stay tuned!

You can sign up for my email list to make sure you get all the exclusive information that I send to my subscribers!  You can sign up from this blog or visit my website.

Thanks so much for checking in!

Happy trails!

Charlene

P.S.  I love to hear from you so leave a comment if you like.