Outdoorpainting.com
asked our readers…
“What's the single greatest challenge you face
in painting outdoors?”
Our reader responses came from many Outdoor
Painters across the nation…including Oklahoma,
Washington State, Massachusetts, New York, California,
Maine, Georgia and Michigan. So many painters, no matter
what their location, have similar concerns. The first
two questions are closely connected, so I’ll answer
them together…
Armand Cabrera
Canyon Creek 9 x 12 Oil
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How can I match my painting to
what I am really seeing in life?
How can I establish my painting quickly enough to successfully
capture the fleeting light?
I believe most people struggle with painting
from life for one, simple reason…inferior drawing
skills. When I talk about drawing skills, I’m
referring to drawing from life. Drawing from photographs
is an ineffective exercise that gives a false sense
of accomplishment. Photo values and colors are never
accurate. In photos, the decisions are already made
for you. The only thing photos capture is detail--which
is to be avoided in good painting.
When drawing from life, your ability to
quickly and accurately judge value, color and size relationships
provides the cornerstone to good painting. The facility
to do this comes only by life drawing. There is no shortcut
available to attain this critical skill. Good drawing
is about accurately judging size and value relationships---regardless
of color. Once you master the talent of drawing accurately
from life, painting from life will only be a step away.
After all, painting is just drawing with a brush!
Armand Cabrera
The
journey to Vernal Falls in Yosemite is always a favorite
of mine. Spring 2005 ushered the largest rainfall in
decades. The Merced River overflowed its banks and the
valley floor became a lake; it was rumored that Vernal
Falls had never looked grander. The view of the falls
from the bridge is a local point of interest, however
this time it wasn’t on my agenda. It was from
below the bridge itself that held my interest.
Childe
Hassam
