Monday, November 15, 2021

Late Autumn in Yellowwood, November 9, 2021

POSTED ON NOVEMBER 16, 2021 BY CHARLENE MARSH

Late Autumn in Yellowwood, November 9, 2021

Autumn is super late this year. As late as I have ever seen it. There are still some green leaves in the forest on November 9! Here is the plein air painting I did November 4, 2021. You can see how much more green there is in the forest at this late date.

Lots of gold and orange and rust colored leaves on the trees. Glad the season is running late because so am I!

Detail, Late Autumn in Yellowwood, November 9, 2021, plein air oil painting

Gray, overcast day in the mid-60°s. Gray days create a wonderful light in the forest. Ethereal and shimmering.

I hiked my three mile circuit in Yellowwood State Forest, stopping at the farthest point to set up my tripod, pochade, and paints. Does my pack get heavier every year or what?

More details:

Lots of energy exudes from the forest and into the paint!

So much rich color from greens to chartreuses to oranges, golds, and rusts. And cool blues and violets.

I work back and forth between the foreground, background, middle ground , sky, and creek.

Trees are painted in and then over and pushed back. Then pulled forward again until there are multiple layers of depth with the leaves and trees.

Some of the leaves are rich golds and oranges.

Other parts of the painting are cool and restive.

Detail of the signature in the wet paint:

This time I packed the wet painting in a Raymar box instead of the other carrier I had that doesn’t protect it quite as well. Check out last week’s blog for the story on that. Not to mention, I had to do some repairs on the other carrier.

When I get back to the studio, I usually wait a few hours before pulling the painting out of the carrying box so I can see it with “fresh eyes”. Then I write my field notes on the back of the painting.

Finished Painting:

Field Notes on the Back of the Painting

Gray, overcast, mid-60°s, Tommy stayed with me, Jack explored the forest but was at the back gate when I got there. 1:30-4:30 p.m.. Cools down. Yellowwood State Forest, Brown County, Indiana. Plein air oil. “Late Autumn in Yellowwood, November 9, 2021.”

Mark your calendar! The 2021 Christmas Art Launch Is Coming Soon!!

I will be getting the Christmas Art Launch ready soon so keep an eye out for more news on that in the next 2-3 weeks. The tentative dates are December 6-8, 2021. Original oil paintings in a variety of sizes as well as prints on canvas will be specially priced just for my VIPs. I’ll have some new releases and surprises, too.

This event is exclusively for my VIPs.

There will also be a selection of fine gift items like artistic mugs and tee shirts. Yoga mats, leggings, rash guard shirts, and swimsuits over on my Charlene Marsh Designs website will be included, too. At least, that’s the plan. I’m probably going to need some help from Santa’s elves to get it all done in time, along with some other deadlines I have.

So, that’s it for today! Thanks for tuning in.

Happy trails,

Charlene

P.S. If you are not already a VIP, sign up now!

Friday, November 5, 2021

Caleb and Jessica’s First Dance FINAL

POSTED ON OCTOBER 31, 2021 BY CHARLENE MARSH

Caleb and Jessica’s First Dance FINAL

First Dance FINAL

This week, we are finishing Caleb and Jessica’s “First Dance” wedding painting. You can see the Live Wedding Sketches, Part 1, and Part 2 to see the inspiration, design, and progress of the painting.

All that is left is the chandelier and the bride. These elements are the highlights of the painting and I have been looking forward to getting to this point.

Video

Here is a short video showing the evolution of the painting from start to finish:

On YouTube:

If watching videos is not your thing, scroll down to see the step-by-step pictures.

The Chandelier

The chandelier in the beautiful Sixpence venue, is painted in warm shades of red, orange, and gold that sparkle against the complementary blue greys. If you look carefully, the lights in the chandelier form the hint of a heart over the newlyweds.

Painting the Bride’s Hands and Face

Caleb and Jessica's First Dance — Caleb and Jessica’s First Dance

Next, I paint the bride’s face, arms, and hands.

The Negative Space Around the Bride’s Head

Painting the negative space helps define the bride’s face and expression. I used a bright green to pop out the face. Later, I will adjust the color, as needed.

At this point, I am ready to paint the bridal gown. Usually, I paint the basic values of the fabric and then add the lace, brocade, or any pattern. I wanted to experiment with seeing how it would compare to paint the gown the way I normally approach it versus painting the pattern first, then the negative space around the lace patterns.

Painting Brocade Experiments

Using my small panel painting easel, I made a quick, 8″ x 6″ sample. In sample 1, I started with painting the fabric and then added the patterns on top.

In sample 2, I painted the fabric in the shadow area and painted the pattern first on the lighter areas. Then painted the negative space around the pattern.

While both samples were successful, I felt I had more control over the under layer of fabric that sets the tone for the highlights and shadows in sample 1. This is the method I normally use and so I went with this way of working. But I was happy to do this little experiment to confirm which method works best for me and what I want to achieve.

Bride’s Gown and Final Tweaks

First Dance FINAL

Once I painted in the bride’s gown, the painting really came together. I worked on the highlights in the negative space wrapping around the bride’s head and highlighting her arm to create a dramatic, eye catching focal point tying in with the backlit highlight on her gown.

At this point, I was able to step back and see what else might need some adjustment.

I toned down the warm colors on the back, left wall so it would recede. I also painted the negative space between the bride and groom, eliminating any elements that would get between the couple. In my photo collage, prepared in Adobe Photoshop, there was some equipment and a man’s head in between the couple. That would NOT do at all in the painting!

The passionate red represents the pure energy between the newlyweds. I also reworked the groom’s head. Normally, I sign the painting in the wet paint in the lower left but forgot to add it when the paint was wet. So, I added some wet paint to the collar of the man recording on his cell phone and added my signature.

Love Love Love

Maybe I am biased, but I LOVE this painting! Please let me know what you think.

If you want me to create a wedding painting for you or a loved one, visit my Wedding Paintings page to learn more. I can’t wait to get started on the next one.

But for now, it is time to get out in the woods to paint en plein air. Luckily, we are having a late fall and the colors are just now peaking.

Thanks so much for following along. I really appreciate your support!

Happy trails,

Charlene

P.S. If you would like to learn more about having a wedding painting created for yourself or a loved one, please visit the Wedding Paintings page on my website. Feel free to call or email me with any questions. Thanks!

Caleb and Jessica's First Dance wedding painting VIDEO.

Time lapse video shows, step-by-step, the creation of this wedding painting from start to finish.

To learn more about creating a special wedding painting for you or a loved one please visit my Wedding Paintings page.

Thanks for following along!

Happy trails,

Charlene

Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Caleb and Jessica's First Dance Wedding Painting, Part 2

Caleb and Jessica’s First Dance Painting, Part 2

POSTED ON OCTOBER 26, 2021 BY CHARLENE MARSH

Caleb and Jessica’s First Dance Painting, Part 2

Check out the Wedding Sketches done live during Caleb and Jessica’s wedding and reception at the Sixpence in Whiteland, Indiana. You can see how Caleb and Jessica’s First Dance Painting was started in Part 1

So, let’s start where we left off last time. I was just getting ready to paint the man in the lower left holding a cell phone, recording the “First Dance”.

Man with a cell phone, Caleb and Jessica's First Dance Part 2 — Man with a cell phone, Caleb and Jessica’s First Dance Part 2

So, here he is recording the “first dance” and we get a painting within a painting.

Backdrop and Wedding Cake

Next, I paint the backdrop with the couple’s names lit up in neon. At the same time, I paint the wedding cake and bridal table.

I ended up reworking the table cloth and cake and may re-work them again. Still debating about that. I’ll wait and see how it looks when I have more of the painting blocked in.

I also added the hardware to the rafters and beams and started to paint around the windows. Greys are mixed using mostly the Ultramarine Blue and Cadmium Red Medium and Light. The combination of complementary colors yields lovely, ethereal grays that range from warm red-grays to cooler blue-greys. At this point, because of the red tinted panel, the greys look really blue but once the whole painting is blocked in, they will read more grey.

The windows behind the guests and bridesmaids, with some green foliage, are added, too.

There are more details in the drawing than I need or want in the final painting but it helps to give me the “bones” of the painting so I can carve out the scene with the paint and the palette knife aligned with the details. I don’t need to expressly paint the details. How the the thick paint is applied will suggest them.

Painting the Negative Space Around the Windows

Painting the Windows, "First Dance" — Painting the Negative Space Around the Windows, “First Dance” wedding painting.

I start with the walls around the windows which are a darker value than the glass and sky outside. Mixing a cool grey using Ultramarine Blue, Cadmium Red Medium and Light, and Titanium White, I begin to block in the walls. I adjusted the hues to a lighter value. While the walls are dark against the glass, I did not want them to be too heavy handed dark. Once I block in the areas, I can always readjust the values and hues again.

Painting the Rafters

Still using the Ultramarine Blue, Cadmium Red Medium and Light, and Titanium White mix, I continue on painting the rafters in the upper left. Now the painting is really starting to come together. Up to now, the pre-tinted red on the panel has dominated. In fact, I bet some of you were thinking, “This is terrible! What the heck is she thinking?” LOL.

I remember once painting a flowering red bud tree, on location near Owl Creek, at the edge of the road where cars passing by could see the painting. I was just finishing up and putting the final touches on the painting when a car stopped. The driver leaned out the window and said, “That looks pretty good. I drove by when you were starting and it looked like a big mess. You really pulled it together.” I got a good chuckle out of that. I guess making a painting is a bit like making sausage. You really don’t want to see the process! LOL.

Continuing with the Back Wall Behind the Bridesmaids and Guests

Caleb and Jessica's First Dance Part 2 — Painting the Background

Adding a bit more warm reds and oranges to the grey, I block in the lower part of the rafters and back wall.

The Windows

The windows are one of the lightest, brightest parts of the painting with all that light pouring in. Using Titanium White and a touch of Cadmium Red Medium and Cadmium Red Light, I mix a bright, warm hue for the windows.

The Floor

I actually painted the floor once before. Except for the reflection of the bridesmaids, I didn’t like it. So, I scrapped it off and painted it again. This time I was happy with the results.

So, that’s it for now.

Next time I will finish up with the chandelier and the bride. While the bride is the star of the painting, the chandelier is the maid of honor(sorry groom, I am thinking in terms of the composition and sparkling eye candy). Everything up to now has been painted to support the “stars”. Once the chandelier and bride are done, I can step back and see if any others values or hues need to be adjusted.

This is where it gets really exciting to see the painting all come together. Be sure to tune in next time to see how it turns out. Will be so nice to finally have everything blocked in and the red tinted panel covered.

Thanks for following along!

Happy trails,

Charlene

P.S. If you would like a wedding painting for yourself or a loved one, please visit the Wedding Paintings page on my website.