Ojai in Plein Air

Landscape is hardwired into our psyche.

It touches our emotions, experiences we've had,

and gives a sense of place.

~Clyde Aspevig

Well, Ojai partly in Plein Air. These are a couple of pastels I worked on at the Richard McKinley workshop. The first is a rather small field sketch. (5x7) I first did a "ground" of a color, going lightly over the paper with a pastel stick, close to a burnt sienna. Then, I went over it with a cloth dipped in alcohol, creating a loose wash effect. (rubbing alcohol, not a cocktail!) This works on the sanded Uart paper but I can't vouch for other brands.

It turned out much more impressionistic than my studio work but it's kind of sweet.

Nature Preserve, Ojai

Pastel Field sketch

The following day, after Richard did a underpainting demo, we used those field sketches to do our larger more "finished" pieces, in the studio.

Here you can see my larger (12x16") very loose, underpainting, on sanded, mounted Wallace paper.

When your technique and your ideas support each other

and the image becomes the vehicle of that expression,

then you will have found your voice or niche.

~Henry Bateman

Here is the finished piece, below. (Or almost finished!) I may add a little something to it later but I need to get away from it, for a bit. I don't want to completely overwork it. That is often the tough part for me! When am I done? Actually, sometimes it's pretty clear but landscapes are where I can get into danger of overworking a piece. Anyway, here it is.

Ojai Nature Preserve, Early Spring

Pastel on paper 2012

12"x16"

It is no longer sufficient to describe the world of nature.

The point is to defend it.

~Edward Abbey

Have a beautiful weekend!

Blessings and light!!

quotes found on Painterskeys.com