Katie Warner

Goals

My goals with this class were to learn more about painting and color mixing, and learn acrylic painting.  I came into this class with some painting experience but not a lot; I have used oils and watercolor prior to this class.  I teach 3D art and my concentration work has always been in ceramics.  I was looking to try a new media and a new type of painting experience. 

Day One

Carroll Road

On the first day, we went to Carroll Road.  This was my first day painting en plein air... ever!  I was looking forward to it but a little bit unsure of what to expect, as it was a new experience.  As I went to chose a composition I really struggled because it was all so beautiful, but I could only get a small amount on my 16 x 20 canvas.  I picked a view where I could see several trees and rolling hills.

It had been a while since I had painted, and I really felt like I was struggling to get the paints mixed and a base color mapped out for each area.  But, by the end of the day I had a good start with many things that needed to be resolved.

 

Homework

I did the torn paper assignment for homework that night as well as this painting.  I changed it since the final critique-- I added a separate piece for the lower highlight but it is still 1 shape :). 

I stayed at a cousin's cottage in the "country" part of Traverse City, so I decided to paint the Lake Rennie behind the cottage.  I like the clouds and the gestural quality of the trees in the background, but feel the water is kind of chalky in the background and might have too much texture for being so far back. 

Day Two

 

Carroll Road

I was very grateful to revisit Carroll Road the second day to have more time to work on the first painting.  I was able to tweak it and add some more details, colors and textures.  Coming into the class, finishing a painting was something that came more difficult to me and I feel like having those few extra hours to work and Nora's suggestions that day really helped things click and make the rest of the week come easier.  With this painting, I am happy with the composition, varied colors, textures, and brushstrokes.  If I were to do it again, I would go for a larger variety of values and shades of green.   

Homework

I painted the lake again-- this time with the sunset.  I like the color palette for this painting, and will need to mix a little bit of the pink from the sky to be reflected into the lake.  I like the gestural quality of the backround, and I think the water improved from the last painting.  The water was still a little choppy looking far away that day, and very still in the front.

Day Three

Bowers Harbor

I was so excited to get to go paint the beach on the third day.  I even woke up before my alarm went off thinking about it.  So... what did I paint?  Trees!  There was something about the trees that drew me in that day; I think that same pine or evergreen drew a lot of us in.  I really was beginning to panic trying to attempt every rock-- then Nora said that I should "suggest" the rocks instead of painting each one individually.  What a relief!  And, I am happy with the way the rocks turned out.  I also like the fresh brushstroke in the sky, and decided to work with that for the homework that night.  I also had a really bright color for the sand that I fixed.  It was way off and too orangey.  It looks a lot better with the new colors, and I had even mixed those colors that day and not used them--I thought I had overshot the light value of the sand at first.  It turned out to be just right. 

Homework

For the homework, I was thinking of the sky compositions that Tula (of the comtemporary artists we viewed in class) had created.  However, I wanted to experiment with using only a palette knife.  I did not touch the sky with a paint brush, but I used a combination of the brush and knife for the other parts of the landscape.  I am glad I tried it; I think right now, I work best using both a brush and knife to apply paint.  And I think the water continued to improve.  The sand on the other side looks a little strange; I think it would have helped if I did a little more with the brush in that area.  But, that was my "experiment"-- using the brush minimally if at all.

Day Four

The Lighthouse

This painting was definitely my favorite.  I really enjoyed painting the water.  I think painting the water each night for homework paid off and I feel like I really learned something about the color of sand the day before by getting it so wrong.  Some of the things I like best about this painting are the simple but effective composition and fresh brushstrokes. 

Homework

I decided with two nights left in Traverse City, I wanted to paint a 16 x 20 the next two nights instead of a couple of smaller paintings.  So, I worked on starting a painting of Lake Rennie that night.

Day Five

Chateau Chantal

At Chateau Chantal, I wanted to work vertically again.  I wanted to get the water in the little cut out area of trees off in the distance with more of a variety of trees and other plants in the foreground.  I wanted to really play up the variety of greens in the middle and foreground to be a big part of my composition.  Making and painting with such a  variety of greens is quite a challenge!   I struggled with not only making the variety of greens but seeing them as well.  However, I noticed a lot more greens on the drive back home than I did on the way up.  I viewed the landscapes in the car ride and the shades of green quite differently after having this class. 

Homework

I finished the painting of Lake Rennie.  I played around with the cattails in the foreground until it was too dark to paint.  With this painting, I am happy it overall, except for the cattails, but those can easily be painted over.  I am still thinking about what to do with that area so I haven't touched it yet. 

That night there was a full moon and I watched it rise and light up the sky.  My family and I were amazed with how many little bats were flying above us.  The moonlight seemed to show them off.  I don't see stuff like that at home!  Anyhow, I packed up my things and went to bed for the night.  At 2 a.m. I awoke to bursts of air rushing over my face and unusual noises that sounded like sound effects from the movie "Batman Begins."  I opened my eyes, and thought I saw a bat flying above my face and body.  Thinking I was half asleep, I sat up to wake myself up.  I was woke up and there was a bat in my room-- RIGHT BY ME!  So, I did the only logical thing and pulled the covers over my head and started screaming for my family.  It scared the bat and it started to fly more frantically and I could feel the air whooshing over my fingers as I held onto the covers.  My dad came down and said "give me something to catch it with."  All I had was a laundry basket-- and to make a long story short, he got the bat, but there was another that disappeared.  He also got bit by the bat.  After looking it up online, bats are the #1 carrier of rabies, so we are all getting rabies shots (when you are exposed you get a series of shots).  If you wake up in a house with a bat, you are considered to be exposed because you can't account for the time you were sleeping.  Bat bites are very small and most people don't realize they have been bitten.  The only reason my dad noticed it and I looked it up was because his new "scratch"  seemed to have two parallel small punctures. 

Overview

I really enjoyed myself and learned a lot in this class.  I have always heard great things about this class and wanted to try painting en plein air, so this was the perfect opportunity.  I really loved painting outdoors, I expected I would like it, just not so much.  I feel like I was able to take a lot more from the class than what I had went in hoping for.  I feel like I was able to grow as an artist in this class, not just with a given media or subject matter.  I would definitely like to continue with this type of painting in the future, and would like to take this class again.  I really enjoyed being able to talk with and work with everyone there-- and I appreciate all of your thoughts, ideas and suggestions.  I hope to be able to paint with you all again in TC someday!