A little night painting

Now I'm back home I've started to load all my photos into a Flickr Collection - Provence 2011 - for all to see - minus a few which will only be shared with those who visited Provence!

I thought I'd post a few of these to the blog so you can see what you would have seen while we were there if we hadn't had the lightning strike.

The first is to show you that Sarah not only produces lots of paintings - but also that she does it at all times of the day and night!

Here's a photo of her night painting on the night when we had the total eclipse of the moon.  That's as in plein air oil painting at night!

Sarah Wimperis - plein air oil painting at night

Oil painting #4 - the view from Julian's studio window

This is the small oil painting I did of the view from Julian's studio window after I gave up wasting paint on the canvas boards and gave them three coats of gesso instead!

It was done the day after the lightning strike when the weather was a bit odd and I was waiting around to see "what needed to happen next" re the telephone and modem - so staying near to the house seemed like a sensible idea.  Ruth did a sterling job in England sorting out the telephone people while I dabbed at the board with some paint!

Oil Painting #4 - the view from Julian's studio window
5" x 7" oil on board

I feel I have to keep saying that those vineyards really are dayglo green at a certain time of day - their colour absolutely staggered me the whole time we were there.

The painting is on a small 5" x 7" board and the smoother surface of the sanded down gesso certainly helped me paint.  I also learned how to scratch out and what happens if you use a bit more paint and a bit less solvent.

I made a mistake with this painting in trying to include the roof of a small outbuilding which made absolutely no sense to the painting unless you knew what it was - which was when I learned about how you can paint things out of the picture!

The main benefits/lessons for me were

• finding out how much I liked working at an easel in a studio!  That's not something I routinely do and I now have to think about how this might be remedied in "real life" - as opposed to "Provencal life" which is now becoming something of a dreamlike state!
• learning just how difficult it is to find a subject which works in terms of composition, colour and brushwork when painting a small painting.  My admiration for those who can do this grew in leaps and bounds - especiallyin relation to the local landscapes produced by Julian.  

The need to simplify much more is I hope a lesson well learned.  I'm not saying this painting is in any way good - it's just the product of a learning process and hopefully that's one which I will use to re-engage with oil painting in the near future. 

My very first oil painting

My very first oil painting, a photo by makingamark2 on Flickr.

Well - there really isn't another title which describes its significance. I've been getting round to painting in oils for the last five years.

Yesterday morning I watched Sarah paint using the alkyds and then secreted myself away in the nearest decent shade and had a go for myself.

Got to go and start another one now. We're learning not to waste the early morning hours before it gets too hot

This morning at 6am we waved "Goodbye" to Ronelle who has returned home for a family celebration this weekend

The first time I went painting in Provence

...the BBC came too.  I kid you not.

There I was (in 1989?) trying to get to grips with painting with proper watercolours - and there was the BBC crew filming our painting party.  Actually I was trying to remember how to paint period as I'd not done anything for about 16 years!

I've still got the video of the BBC Holiday Programme featuring Ann Gregg trying a painting holiday in Provence - and all of us developing our paintings

Here's a couple of photos of our trip to Sault - a town close to where we are going to be staying in Provence.  I'm looking forward to going back again to visit the market and seeing the lavender fields from the top of the escarpment.

The first photo below is of Ann Gregg - sat centre in a pink T shirt - painting produce on a market stall.  It was taken by me sat in the shade and painting Ann Gregg painting the market stall!  Little did I know that the BBC was off to the left of this view filming me painting Ann!

Ann Gregg painting in Sault, Provence

The next photo is of the view from Sault and the BBC film crew filming a "set up" shot.  Martin, the chap in the striped T Shirt, was the Director and I think we managed to get him painting by the end!

The BBC film crew - on the left - film the tutor and student discussing composition on the right!

We didn't know when the programme was going to air.  This led to me spending a complete winter making sure I was always at home with video ready to record for every episode.

I think our film aired in the last episode of the season - complete with the evocative music from the Pagnol film Jean de Florette - which was filmed in the Vaucluse!

My Art Materials - or why it's a good idea to take a car!

This is my checklist of art materials and equipment for drawing, sketching and painting in Provence.  It contains some top tips from people more experienced than me at painting plein air in oils.

I thought I might as well put it on the blog and then I can't lose it!  I'm bound to have forgotten stuff I need to take so this will keep being updated as I remember it!  Hopefully it will be complete before I set off on 9th June.

Now I know it looks like a lot but I am going to be in Provence for three weeks and this is a painting holiday not a sightseeing one.  Plus I've got six days of travelling there and back when I'll be fitting in sketches to break up the journey.

Plus I'm driving - and that's what I buy a decent sized car for - so I can take art materials on holiday!

Sketchbooks

• Moleskine sketchbooks (A3, A4 x 2, ordinary size)
• Moleskine watercolour sketchbook
• Panorama sketchbook?
  

Dry Media

Unison Pastel Sets at Walden Pond

• My complete sets of Unison Pastels - seen above during a plein air outing to Walden Pond in Massachusetts
• My Pastel Art Bin (more portable!)  So sad to see that they don't seem to be making these any more - I really like them.  However they won't take Unisons which is why I've always kept mine in their boxes.
• Lots and lots of coloured pencils + pencil wraps + pencil cases

Links:

• Pastels - Resources for Artists
• Coloured Pencils - Resources for Artists

Paint

Water based media

• Schminke paintbox - if I can find it
• Gouache - but whose? / do my old tubes still work?
• Black brush roll and Brushes for watercolour / gouache

Oil paints

• W&N Griffin Alkyds (need to buy / including 200ml white / need to decide how these are best carried)
• W&N Liquin
• W&N Art Guard
• W&N Art Gel
• Brushes for Alkyds - to buy 
• Palette knives for Alkyds - to buy
• Cheap nutcrackers for if lids are hard to open (tip from Vivien Blackburn)
• Zest It
• Disposable Palette Pad
• Really Useful Boxes for paint tubes and other art media
• Baby oil to clean brushes and clothes!  (another tip from Vivien Blackburn)

I'm also looking at oil bars as maybe a half way house for me -see Winsor & Newton's page Artists' Oilbar - Oil Colour at your Fingertips

Paper and supports

• Pack of Arches sheets cut down to usable sizes
• Arches HP Block
• Ampersand Colorfix (Fix colourfix to mountboard?)
• Mountboard cut down to usable sizes (plus gesso? / plus watercolour ground?) 
• Oil Painting Pad (A3?)
• Baking Paper to cover wet paint (that tip was from Sarah) 
• Cling film to cover palette (that tip was from somebody else - I forget who) 
  

Links:  Paper and Non-Canvas Supports - Resources for Artists

Art Equipment

Me on my Phillips Chair - nearly 20 years ago
Sketching Pura Ulun Danu Bratan by Lake Bedugal in Bali
Check this gallery for the pastel painting completed at home

Various chairs and stools

I'm going to take different ones have different weight for different circumstances - plus we're a party!)

• Blacks Eurohike Compact Chair
• cheaper camping chair 
• Phillips De Luxe Folding Chair 
• Blacks Compact Stool (for sketching)
• RHS Kneeling Pad - for sitting on ground

Drawing boards and clips

• Different size sheets of 5mm foam core for drawing board 
• LOTS OF BULLDOG CLIPS (can you tell what I often forget?)

Easels and pochade boxes

• Box easel - probably not.  Buy a lightweight sketching easel instead?
• Pochade box instead of an easel? 
  
• Maybe a Julian?  (see Places to buy Pochade Boxes in the UK)
• Maybe a plastic clic box instead? (see Really Useful Boxes)

Vivien - who understands my problems with carrying too much weight / the need to maintain balance at all time (or else I fall over due to very dodgy feet!) - suggests I forget the pochade box and easel and use something lightweight as an alternative - she's now written up her advice in the email below as a proper post re what she takes on painting holidays

Consider as an alternative,  a simple plastic food box - the kind with clip sides is good.  That's what I took to Cornwall.  Though I took my easel I never actually used it!   I hand hold my work - you can use the lightweight board you use and clip your sketchpad and palette to it with bulldog clips.  The liquin and palette knives fit into the box as well.   Brushes in an old padded envelope rolled up.   Then baby oil and rags and tissues plus your oil paper sketchbook and it all fits into a lightweight rucksack.

Vivien Blackburn (Painting Prints & Stuff)

Painting media equipment

• baby oil and wet wipes - for cleaning up
• Masking tape
• roll of kitchen towel 

Pastels and Pencils media equipment

• Cornmeal for cleaning pastels
• Really Useful Boxes for keeping pastels I'm using in plus cornmeal to keep them clean (this is a Felicity House tip - see this post)
• Electric pencil sharpener (Yes / No / Maybe?) I do wish there was still a decent portable sharpener around with like my old Panasonic KP-4A
• Jakar battery powered erasers + small batteries + spare erasers - I'll probably pack three as I'd be distraught if I only packed one and lost it
• Tuff Stick (this is a tip from Dianna Ponting)

 Links:   

• Art Equipment - Resources for Artists
  
• Pastels and Pencils - Art Materials - Erasers
• Pastels and pencils - Art Materials - Pencil Sharpeners  
• Product Review: Really Useful Boxes (for art media and crafts) 
• Product Review: Jakar Battery Operated Eraser Pen

Camera etc

• Camera + charger
• two new SD cards
• spare batteries + charger
• Camcorder + charger + new SD card
• iPad + mains lead + USB cable + up to date software
• card reader
  

Venice shopping trolley
doubles as Artcart

Other essential equipment

• Sun Tan cream / sun block
• long sleeved shirt for if I'm in full sun
• insect repellent plus cream for if I get bitten (guaranteed!)
• Visor to keep sun out of my eyes.  I don't wear sunglasses while using colour.
• Hat with decent brim
• Baby Oil and wet wipes - clean up equipment
• Shopping trolley from Venice - this from a holiday where I gave in and realised that the shopping trolleys were an excellent way of getting stuff around really easily 

Exhibition

Even if it's just for ourselves!

• BluTak for displaying work without damaging walls 

Books about Oil Painting

But that's another post.......

Learning how to paint with oils in Provence

My challenge for this painting holiday is to learn how to paint with oils.

I've got enough time and hopefully enough good weather to make some progress.

However I'm a bit wary of the drying time, (given I've got to transport paintings home plus all the rest of the paraphernalia associated with being away for four weeks).  I've been with people painting with oils in Provence before who were completely stumped as to how they were going to transport wet oil paintings back home on a plane.

Which means I'm leaning towards using Alkyd oil paint instead as this is quick-drying and that will mean I'm hopefully transporting paintings which are dry.

All colours in the range remain workable on the palette for 4 to 8 hours, and are touch dry on the canvas in 18 to 24 hours.

Winsor and Newton - Griffin Alkyds

I'd be very interested to hear from anybody who has used either or both in what will hopefully be a warm/hot summer climate.

Colour Palette - what's available and what I will need

Below is the colour chart for Winsor and Newton's Griffin Alkyds.  This is the table of information about composition and permanence which indicates all are rated extremely permanent or permanent.  Now to work out which ones to get!

Winsor & Newton Griffin Alkyd Colour Chart
click to see larger version on W&N website

My experience when going abroad is that there is usually a colour which is quite unlike anywhere else. 

I've already asked Julian (Postcard from Provence) what his recommendations are as to colours.  I remember when I first went to Provence feeling a strong need to get some naples yellow very fast.  I also couldn't work out what colours made the sky colour or the universal blue house paint of Provence.

Julian suggestions for blues are as follows

• Manganese blue or ceruleum and ultramarine
• cutting ultramarine with cad red to get that hot dusty blue/grey which is so south of france
• the deep blue of looking up away from the sun I usually manage with ultramarine and ceruleum or manganese mixed 

My Queries

Since this is a virtual house party, I've listed my queries below.  Do feel free to join in! :)

1. What colours do I need for Provence?
2. Does anybody had any experience of using Zest It with Alkyds?  I'm very keen on using something which is non toxic.
3. Which brushes work best when painting small paintings with alkyds?

In my next post I'll be ruminating on easel versus pochade......