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

092816 S 30x24 Twilight in the Snowy Forest

I wanted to create a 30" x 24" oil painting inspired by a plein air oil I did on location several years ago.  To be honest, I regret selling this painting. 

 

"Twilight in the Forest, February 5, 2013", oil on panel, 16"x12", by Charlene Marsh.  SOLD

I set up an "inspiration board" of past plein air snow paintings,in addition to the one above, that I could refer to and pull out the best of the best features. 

I start with an initial sketch using my brush dipped in oil and transparent Primary Red-Magenta.

I mix a black using Ultramarine Blue and Cadmium Red Medium.  I also use Ultra Blue with Primary Red-Magenta and sometimes a touch of Cadmium Yellow.

I have a very simple palette with just six primaries plus white.  I usually mix one or two secondary colors with the primaries and then combine those two secondaries to get a tertiary color.  Or a secondary color with the complementary (opposite on the color wheel) primary color to get a nice range of neutrals from grey to brown.  You can see here where I have mixed an orange(secondary color) using Primary Red Magenta and Cadmium Yellow. I  lightened the primary color, Cerulean Blue with Titanium White.  

Using various combinations of the complementary colors, I could mix a wide range of neutrals to block in the shadows on the snow. 

I continue blocking in the snow, starting with the shadow areas and working to the highlights.

For the sky, I mixed Cerulean Blue with Titanium White and a pale orange color.  The pale orange was blocked in along the horizon line and the blue was painted in higher up on the panel.  I could then gradually combine the two complementaries to get the neutral colors where the two intersect.  Neutrals can be magical!  They add an ethereal glow to the painting.

I pop in some of the sky orange on the creek where the sky is reflected.  I paint in a shale blue for the water mixed from Cerulean Blue, a touch of Cadmium Yellow Light, and a bit of Cadmium Red Medium.  Cadmium Red can be a very strong color so a little goes a long way!

I then work the surface adding the delicate salmon colored ash leaves, branches, trees, weeds, twigs, and more water reflections all weaving across the painting.  I work back and forth between the background and foreground.  Towards the end, I pull out the foreground elements so they sit in front of the background features.  

I was very pleased with the finished painting and the rich tapestry of colors and forms. This painting evokes the same feelings of awe and wonder that the plein air one did, maybe even more so.

"Twilight in the Snowy Forest", Code #092116 30x24, oil on panel, 30" x 24", by Charlene Marsh.

I love to hear your comments and questions!

Thanks and Happy Trails!

Cheers,

Charlene

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082416 S 6x8 no2 Winter Snow

A little snow painting to remind us winter is coming!  I love the snow paintings especially in the summer!  Makes me feel cool just looking at it.

"Winter Snow", oil on panel, 6" x 8", c. Charlene Marsh SOLD

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!

Snowing in the Forest 022516 12x12

I had planned to paint in the Brown County State Park as part of the Arts in the Park grant project.  We got snow the day before and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to capture the snow in the park in some areas I have scouted out. 

So I loaded my supplies in the van and headed out.  Much to my surprise, as I turned south off Lanam Ridge and headed downhill, the snow all disappeared!  Not a bit left anywhere!  I drove all the way over to the park hoping to find snow in the hollers but, alas, nothing!  Seems Lanam Ridge was the dividing line between snow and no snow!  So I turned around and headed back to paint in Yellowwood State Forest which did not disappoint.

Not a lot of snow on the ground but some and it continued snowing most of the afternoon.  Not the big fluffy stuff but the small, hard, snow pellets fell steadily and necessitated the use of the umbrella to keep the snow from gumming up my paint palette.  The scarf hanging on the tree branch during set up was wrapped around my face as I continued to paint!   Standing to paint for long periods can be bone chilling even when the temperatures hover in the mid-thirties.  Compared to the days when temps were closer to 20, this was downright balmy!

I started with the darks of the creek banks and then moved to the more delicate colors of winter.  The pale salmon colored beech leaves, the receding hills and trees in the distance, and the blue green shale of the creek are all rendered with a sensitive eye and hand.The creek itself is a mix of cerulean blue, cadmium yellow, and cadmium red light and cadmium red medium with titanium white.  

I work back and forth between the foreground and background, popping in the falling snow that was building up on some tree branches creating delicate tendrils snaking through the trees.  Here is the finished painting:

"Snowing, February 25, 2016", oil on panel, 12" x 12", by Charlene Marsh.

Thanks for following along!  

Happy trails!

Charlene

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Late Afternoon in the Snowy Forest Code #012116 12x12

Painted this on a really cold, snowy day - temperatures in the mid-20s all day with some sun and light, thin clouds.  I painted it between 3-6 p.m., finishing in the twilight hour.

"Late Afternoon in the Snowy Forest, January 21, 2016", oil on panel, 12" x 12", c. Charlene Marsh

I forgot to take my camera phone when I headed out to paint in the forest so I don't have any photos of the painting as it progressed.  I'll admit, I am not a big cell phone carrier or user.  In fact, I had an old Tracfone cell phone operating on the 1G network and was perfectly happy as long as it could dial 911 or AAA.  

Well, last September, when my cargo van broke down in downtown Chicago on a Sunday morning at a show, I found out that my phone was dropping calls with AAA and the garage, cutting out, and generally, NOT doing it's job!  

Four days later, I was heading to a show in Alexandria, Virginia and needed a phone that works!  So I upgraded to a Tracfone compatible Samsung Android Stardust smartphone I picked up on the fly at Best Buys for $100.  The best feature is the camera!  I love it!  

After I got back from Virginia, I found out the phone could be found on the internet for $50 so I went back to Best Buys and got a $50 refund for their "price match guarantee"!  Great deal!  The reviews for the phone were all really good so I totally lucked out!  

Now, I just need to remember to pack it in the breast pocket of my winter coat when I am heading out to the woods. And remember to UNPACK it before throwing my coat in the washing machine!  Yeah, learned the hard way. 

011416 12x12 Splish Splosh, Snow Melting in the Forest, Plein Air Oil Painting

"Splish Splosh, January 14, 2016", oil on panel, 12" x12", c. Charlene Marsh, Code #011416 12x12.

This is the same scene I painted two days ago and what a difference two days make!  This painting was a real challenge to paint!  Okay, I admit it, downright frustrating.  "Frozen Beauty" from January 12, 2016 was a challenge due to the bitter cold but the frustration trying to paint this painting was something else!   Frankly, I'm surprised it turned out as well as it did!  

I was so excited to get out and paint.  The day was one with the brilliant blue sky, warming temperatures, and snow on the ground, albeit melting.  So I packed up my gear and headed out to the forest around 12:30 p.m.  I waited long enough for the sun to be high in the sky and the temps going up to the mid-40s - it even felt downright balmy at times.  In retrospect, I should have waited another 2-3 hours to go out.  

I found out real fast that the snow, which had been thick on all the branches, was melting quickly.  And as it melted, the chunks of snow would fall onto my palette, pochade, painting, and me in big, wet sploshes.  And, as we all know, oil and water do not mix!  I was painting in a storm of rain snow drops!  What a mess!  What a challenge!  My palette was turning into a wet water oil non-mix. 

I tried to dab at the water drops with a paper towel to try to absorb a bit of it but the water was winning and turning my parchment paper palette into a big mess.  Even so, the snow crystals had some interesting effects on the paint and how it mixed.  

But the most frustrating was when I tried to apply paint to the panel with the knife and found it would not stick!  I would drag my knife and paint across the panel and find that nothing was there!  Grrrrr...  If the panel was wet with the water, the oil paint just wouldn't stick to it!  So then I was drying the panel as best I could with my paper towels.  

I have an umbrella but it is not too good.  The handle is too short and the clamp is too funky.  So I never carry it.  EasyL has developed a new umbrella design that looks very good and has good reviews.  I have resisted buying it because I am not sure I want to add any weight to my pack -- I have been working to pare it down!  But I may go ahead and get it because it is too limiting to not be able to go out and paint if the weather threatens any moisture.  

Today was steady rain and/or drizzle all day but it was so gorgeous out!  Remnants of the snow with some fog down by the creek and temps still warm in the forties.  I was itching to paint but knew the light drizzle would make it nearly impossible.  Soooo....time to order that umbrella!

The melting snow drops definitely had an affect on the paint which reflected the water and snow crystals in the final surface.  In my book, that adds to the authenticity of the final painting imbued with the essence of nature on that given day.  Here's the finished painting:

"Splish Splosh, January 14, 2016", oil on panel, 12" x12", c. Charlene Marsh, Code #011416 12x12.

Thanks for visiting!

Happy Trails!

Charlene 

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First Plein Air, Winter, Snow Scene of the Year!

"Frozen Beauty, January 12, 2016", oil on panel, 12" x 12", c. 2016 Charlene Marsh

We finally got some snow!  4 1/2" fell Saturday night into Sunday morning and more Monday night into Tuesday morning.  The snow is thick and heavy and weighs down all the branches.  So gorgeous!  The sun finally came out around noon and I was just itching to go out and paint.  The sky was a brilliant blue and the light was just fabulous!  The temps hovered around 21 degrees, "real feel":  one degree!  Brrrrr.....  Normally too cold to try and paint.  The paint freezes too fast.  But I thought if I didn't hike too far and took a smaller panel, I might be able to get a painting completed before my paint got too sticky and stiff.  

I lay out the paint in the studio before I head out so I can get started painting right away.  I also don't want to carry the extra weight of the tubes of paint.  As soon as I laid out the paint in the pochade and packed my Kelty backpack, I bundled up and headed out.

I stopped here to paint.  How much more beautiful can the forest be?  Beautiful but very difficult to hike through.  I got my pochade and tripod set up in quick time.

I am actually standing in the creek while I paint with the legs of the tripod in the water, too.  Luckily, I have some great, insulated, waterproof boots although I forgot to slip some toe warmers in them before heading out.

After laying out the scene with a quick sketch, I start by blocking in the dark creek and then move to the snow in the shadows.  I mix a violet-blue and add white.

Then I move to the areas lit by the sun and then the trees while working back and forth between the foreground, background, sky, and water.

Okay, I confess, I got so "into" working on the painting I forgot to shoot more pictures in progress.  I usually go into a trance state while painting and am just focused on what I am doing.  I was also trying to get it done while the paint was still workable. 

Finally satisfied with the finished painting, I packed up my supplies and break down.  My feet were really, really cold and I wanted to go ahead and take a hike and warm up.  So I left my painting gear along the trail by the creek and headed deeper into the woods, marveling at the intense beauty and peace and quiet. 

When I finally got back to the studio, three hours later, the temperature had dropped to 14 degrees with a "real feel" of MINUS ONE!!!  BRRRRRR!!!!! 

Here is the finished painting:

"Frozen Beauty, January 12, 2016", 12" x 12", plein air oil on panel, Code # 011216 12x12

Update:  January 27, 2018.  I recently finished a 24" x 36" version of this painting in the studio.  You can see it and read the blog HERE. 

Thanks for following along!

Happy Trails!

Charlene

20 Practical Tips for Plein Air Painting in Back Country

While I have been painting my entire life, I have been painting "en plein air" since 2000, hiking deep into the forest that surrounds my home and studio.  I tend to go out for the day so these tips are for day trips.  I go out in all four seasons in all kinds of weather.  Brutal heat and snowy cold.  Here are 20 Practical Tips for Plein Air Painting in Back Country I have learned, some the hard way, in no particular order.

1. Have the proper clothing for the weather.  This can be a matter of life or death and should be considered very seriously, no matter how close to home you may be.  If painting in the snow, wear waterproof snow pants and insulated, knee high, snow boots.  An over coat suited for the temperatures goes without saying.  I remember when I first moved to Brown County and was hiking out in the forest in the deep snow, near dusk, I was so enchanted with the beauty of the fresh, sparkling snow I didn't realize until I was a good mile or two in the woods that I had lost my trail.  Everything looked totally different in the deep snow.  Trees were bent over with the heavy snow and small bushes were buried in it.  My trail was obliterated.  I also realized that my jeans were soaking wet, snow had spilled over the tops of my hiking boots and my feet were wet, I wasn't quite sure where my trail was, and it was starting to get dark.  A wave of panic swept over me.  Thankfully, I was able to drop down off the ridge and down to the creek and follow it back up to my property.  I thought I knew my trail so well, that I had become lackadaisical.  
2. Dress in layers and wear undergarments that wick away sweat.  Often, hiking out to a painting location, I start sweating and my under shirt can be soaking wet by the time I arrive at my destination even when the temperatures are below freezing.  Wearing clothing that wicks away sweat is important to staying warm and dry especially in cold weather.  You want to wick the moisture away from your body to stay warm.  Several companies make clothing that have no cotton in them with material designed to wick away moisture.  Look for the tag that specifically says the fabric is designed to wick away moisture.  While I love natural fibers, cotton is a material that retains perspiration and won't serve you well in the winter, especially.  Standing for several hours in one spot, I often get chilled especially as the day wanes and the shadows grow long.  In the fall and spring, I will usually have an extra jacket in my back pack to put on as the day cools off.  In the summer, I may tie a light jacket around my waist, just in case I need it.
3. Carry a compass along with your cell phone.  Practice using it before you need it.  Don't count on GPS.  You may not have a signal in the back country.  And GPS can be flat out wrong.  People have died counting on a GPS.  Don't make that mistake.  I have two GPSs and neither one can find my house. 
4. Study and carry maps when going into new or unfamiliar territory.  Getting turned around in the forest on the rills and ridge tops and in the valleys can be very disorienting especially if there is a cloud cover and you cannot navigate by the sun or it gets dark.  One time when I first moved out here next to Yellowwood State Forest, I was exploring out in the woods and got turned around and lost my way home.  I ended up climbing up to a ridge top to take a look around and much to my surprise, I could see my barn off in the distance, one ridge over!
5. Travel light.  Get rid of any gear you don't absolutely need.  One pound here and another there may not seem like much, but it adds up fast.  And if you are like me, a 105 pound weakling, 10-15 pounds is a lot.  Twenty pounds is way too much.  Try carrying around a 15-20 pound bag of cat food for a day. 
6. Wear a brimmed hat, NOT sunglasses.  A hat with a brim will keep the sun out of your eyes while painting.  A brimmed hat will also keep the rain off your eyeglasses if you wear them.  Sunglasses will distort and darken the colors you see.
7. Give yourself plenty of time to get back to civilization before it gets dark.  Keep track of how long it took you to get to the painting spot and how long it will take you to get back taking into consideration the terrain.  If you have an uphill climb to get home, leave extra time for that.  Pay attention to the sun.  When the shadows are starting to get long, it is time to pack up.  Since painting the sunset and dusk is one of the most beautiful times to paint and you may want to stay out until the last vestige of sunlight is gone,you should see Point 8.  There have been plenty of times I was packing up and hiking home in the dark.
8. Carry a flashlight in your pocket if you will be out in the field after dark.  The headlights are great and keep your hands free.  In the winter, I almost always carrying a flashlight and/or headlight because the days are so short and can get dark very quickly.  But, again, don't be lackadaisical no matter what the season.  Once, I got caught out in the woods in the summer in the dark.  The heavy tree cover and lack of any moonlight meant it was pitch black.  I couldn't even see my hand in front of my face.  And I was a good mile back in the woods.  I had to drop down off the trail to the creek bed and follow it along, stumbling, and when I finally got to the point where I had to go up the steep hill with a very narrow path with dropping sides, I called my dog over and hung onto his collar and told him to lead me home.  I guess he was so hungry and ready for dinner, he obliged.
9. Know your physical limits.  Don't do more than you are physically able to do.  Practice with short expeditions to test your stamina and your gear.  Work up to long treks like you are training for a marathon.
   
10. Stay in good shape.  Staying in good shape year round is the best policy.  Easier to stay in shape than try to get back into shape.  Eat good organic, raw, fresh foods and steer clear of food made in a factory.  Eat plants not food made in plants.  Exercise everyday.  
    
11. Wear Hunter Orange during the hunting season.  This is required by law during the deer season but I wear it whenever there is anything "in season" just to be safe.  If you aren't sure, wear it.  I have a variety of bright orange long and short sleeve tees, a hoodie, hats, and vests to wear no matter if it is 80 degrees or 10 degrees.  I also make sure any guest has on hunter orange.
    
12. Be alert for dangerous animals such as venomous snakes, coyotes, feral dogs, bears, and cougars.  Know the region where you will be hiking and painting.  Learn about potential, dangerous wild animals you may encounter and know how you will respond.  Most wild animals will want to move away from humans but, again, don't be lackadaisical.  I got bit by a copperhead at the edge of my driveway, on Friday the 13th, no less, and I should have been paying better attention.  I had a "Red Flash Warning" (see Tip 16.) but ignored it.  I learned later that copperheads are very aggressive and are one wild animal that does NOT move away nor does it give a warning(like the rattler).  They also have unlimited venom and a spare set of back fangs -- and they know it!  I was laid up for two months with that! 
13. Poor eyesight can be an asset but keep your glasses safe and near.  I am nearsighted and take off my glasses to paint the landscape.   Everything gets a little fuzzy and the picky details are distilled out of the scene, allowing me to see the major shapes and values and the essence of the landscape.  I carry a glasses case in my backpack to slip them in while painting to keep them safe and handy.
14. Stay alert.  I tend to go into a deep meditative, trance state when I paint on location.  Nevertheless, one must always remain vigilant on a certain level and always be aware of your surroundings.
15. Consider self protection.  My dogs go with me and go a long way to filling that "protection" role.  Everything you add to your pockets and pack weigh you down so I like to keep it light.  However, pepper spray and a cell phone are the smart things to do for safety and protection.  
16. Listen to your intuition.  If you get a bad feeling or what I call a "Red Flash Warning" pay attention and respond appropriately.  Under no circumstance ignore that "feeling".  The neat thing about intuition is that the more you use it, the more it comes to your aid.  
17. Carry a first aid pack and survival cheat sheet.  So if the worst happens, you are prepared and have a strategy.  Okay, I admit, I don't do this for day trips in familiar areas but that doesn't mean it isn't a good idea.  I have at least studied those survival cheat sheets.
18. Tell someone where you will be and when you are due back.  Especially if it is an "out of the ordinary" expedition.  I go out every day and pretty much everyone knows it so they should know where to start looking if I turn up missing.
    
19. Carry food and water appropriate to the length of the journey.  For day trips, I often eat before I head out and eat when I get back home.  I am usually too busy with hiking and painting to bother eating anyway.  A light snack may suffice.
    
20.  Keep your mind on good things. 
    Philippians 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
    
    Happy Trails and safe painting!
    Charlene