tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52926261826264734582011-07-08T01:30:19.838-07:00Jeanean Songco Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16710270506024260771noreply@blogger.comBlogger11100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5292626182626473458.post-30685367793898534252010-06-10T03:53:00.000-07:002010-06-10T04:48:00.614-07:00<div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 241px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ccNGBU0azE0/TBDPHEWdRXI/AAAAAAAAAAc/H9qZgw6ynBk/s320/Cottages+in+Giverny.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481108466843862386" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i>"Cottages in Giverny" </i>(9x12) oil on linen panel </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 243px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ccNGBU0azE0/TBDFY5zPOUI/AAAAAAAAAAM/1VUfdE1UNss/s320/100_2033.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481097778133154114" /></div><div><br /></div><div> "<i>View from my window at Le Calendal"</i></div><div><i> (</i>11x14) oil on linen panel </div><div><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(255, 204, 102); font-family:Times;font-size:medium;"><div id="blogfront-entry_text"><div>I saw several exquisite "studies" by John Constable at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. It is interesting that he did so many of these in preparation for his larger pieces. I was very inspired by his tecnique of "roughing in" the masses and keeping the freshness and quick energy of the study alive. </div><div><br /></div>A plein air study is very different from working on a painting on consecutive days. I do both. In the case of the two paintings done recently in Giverny from my hotel Le Calendal. Because I was also teaching and helping the participants I did not actually have extra time to work on these two paintings. Upon inspection of the works I am really glad that I didn't have any more time because they feel very fresh and unlabored. I will take these two paintings and make two more that will incorporate a little more information and refinement but I will keep the "freshness of the mark and spontaneous response" that I think are evident in these two pieces.</div><div id="blogfront-entry_text"><br /></div><div id="blogfront-entry_text"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Times;font-size:medium;">Quick study vs. sustained study: This is the other successful plein air quick study that I felt had merit. Working for just a few hours and not laboring on details. Again, the idea of a plein air study is to quickly surmise the landscape elements throught the gesture, capture a sense of light and form, work through the composition trying different configurations and then walk away from it. Leave it alone. I sometimes have a very hard time doing this and the energy of the mark and the freshness of the paint become labored and the whole idea of a quick study is lost. That is not to say that one can not work on a painting on consecutive days of the same weather condition and continually pull out other elements and refine the work. I also do this kind of painting but the "quick study" should be just that. </span></div><div><br /></div></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5292626182626473458-3068536779389853425?l=jeaneansongcomartin.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jeanean Songco Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16710270506024260771noreply@blogger.com0