Progress of a Painting....

Archusa Morning
Pastel on UArt  12 x 18
©Randy Hamburg

Painting is a process.  While some painters can simply begin a painting with no forethought, I find that working through a process works best for me.  I tend to make too many changes "on the fly" if I don't have a plan which usually results in a painting with undefined areas and no particular center of interest.  Today I'd like to show you a bit of my process.  First of all, I need something that inspires me.  It can be a photo, an object that I can build a painting around, or a plein air scene.  I usually begin with a thumbnail sketch to work out the composition while concentrating on the large mass values.  Below is the thumbnail sketch for "Archusa Morning".

Once I'm happy with the layout, I begin with a block in of major shapes making any adjustments as needed.  Note the value differences in the shapes.

The block-in sets the stage for the rest of the painting.  It provides me with a "road map" going forward.

I can now concentrate on color and value, generally beginning with the most distant part of the painting.  Below are shown the next few steps in the process.

Here, I've begun with the sky creating depth by working with lighter colors in the most distant sky near the horizon.

Next comes the distant treeline.  I've used a mixture of warm and cool colors to create depth within the treeline itself.

I can now work on the lake and the foreground.  For these, I've chosen to highlight the small island of brush in the lake.  At this point, I began to work on the details of the foreground and point of interest.

I also want to include the reference photo for this painting so that you can compare it to the finished work.

 Let me know your thoughts.  If you were painting this scene, what would you have done differently?

Keep painting!

Adding a new dimension....

Boy in Green
Pastel on UArt, 5 x 7
©Randy Hamburg

Today's challenge painting is one I've been putting off for a few days.  It contains a figure - go figure why I put it off.  I've mentioned in the past that I need more practice painting man made objects.  Well, I need even more painting "man",  I love painting landscapes and have never really had a desire to paint portraiture.  I guess we each have what we like, and what we don't.  Sometimes however, even a landscape needs a human being in it as a center of interest or to support the overall painting.  What's a beachscape without beachgoers, or what's a cityscape without people on the streets?

In this painting I've suggested swimmers and sunbathers on the beach.  That's easy, especially in a small pastel.  A stroke here and another there and we have suggestions of people.  The problem is when we need a more detailed person.  When we were in Antigua, I took the photo reference for this painting.  While the beach was crowded, this one small boy was standing on the dock patiently waiting.  It seemed to be the perfect opportunity to practice my skills at painting a figure.  Actually, it turned out better than I expected for a quick study and will give me the confidence to try more.

Hope you like it.

Keep Painting!

Inspiration in disaster (Houston floods)....

Today's blog is off the subject of painting, but living in Houston this week, we've seen amazing stories of God's grace and inspiration.  Since the title is Inspiration from My Life, I feel this is appropriate. Houston has been hit with a 500 year flood and places that never had water in the past are flooded.  Above are three pictures of the flooding in northwest Houston and the Cypress area from the rains that hit Monday.  While we always seem to hear the bad stories, this week the news has been filled with stories of neighbors helping neighbors.  People getting their boats, canoes and rafts and helping evacuate, groups coming together to provide food, water and clothing to those who had to leave with nothing.  We'll get back to painting with my next post, but in the meantime take a moment and say a prayer for those affected by the floods here and take inspiration from all the goodness in people when they come together.

Keep painting!

Trying something new......

Ready for Market
Pastel on UArt 7 x 5
©Randy Hamburg

We all find a comfortable place be it in painting or in life.  It’s that place where we’re not challenged, where we can just sit back and not have to push ourself.  Sometimes I feel like “Crash” Davis in the final scene of the movie “Bull Durham”.  I just want to be.  I’ll tackle the problems later, or work out that composition that just won’t come together.  My comfort place in painting is landscapes.  If I make an extra branch or move the tree entirely from the reference, then it’s ok.  I can change the direction of a river if it leads the viewers eye to the spot I want in the painting.

In my last post I discussed my problems with buildings.  Today, I’m sort of working in between.  While I’m not painting buildings, I am painting man-made objects and maybe that will help me work up to painting buildings, towers, and more cityscapes.  For me, it’s pushing my painting in an attempt to become better.  This scene is another from the islands.  When we disembarked, vendors were finishing their setup for the daily market.  There were bright colors everywhere.  I’ve tried to capture the colors and the time just before market opened.  Let me hear from you.  What do you think, have I captured it and what does it make you think of with you see the painting?  Where is your comfort place and do you push yourself beyond it?

Keep painting!

The Good, The Bad, The Frustration…..

A Failed Attempt

I’m not one to hold back.  I knew that eventually in doing this painting challenge, there would come some pretty very bad practice studies, so, as with the good, I’m also going to share the bad.

As painters, we all go through highs and lows with the results of our work. Sometimes what you see in your mind as a finished work doesn’t turn out like you planned.  As they say, everything works in theory, but not so much in practice.  To expand our knowledge and skill as artists, we need to push ourselves into areas where we are not comfortable.  For me, one of the least comfortable areas in pastel painting is street scenes.  I know this going into the painting, but I also know that I’ll only improve by trying.  I can study other artist’s paintings, go over lessons both on line and in person, but I feel like a beginner.   Only practice will resolve my discomfort.

Maybe it’s a lack of confidence.  I don’t approach street scenes like I do landscapes.  I’m not as bold. I’m more concerned with how the painting will turn out rather than just enjoying the process.  Today's practice challenge is a 5 x 7 island street scene.  From my viewpoint, it’s some of my worst work and I became so frustrated that I didn’t even finish it.  I had planned to have vehicles on the street, and shoppers on the sidewalk, but after looking at the buildings I just threw up my hands.

After reflecting on my reaction and getting over the frustration, I realized that there is a lot to be learned from the failed attempt.  I can now take time and calmly analyze where I went wrong, what areas I need to work on, and take steps to improve on my next street scene.  Is it a problem for me?  Yes, definitely at this moment but I need to remember, problems are only challenges that give us opportunities, opportunities to grow.  (Not only in art, but in life in general.)  So, next time you confront a problem, remember that it’s just an opportunity in disguise!

Keep painting! (even when they turn out really bad)

Why do I paint…..

Standing Tall
 Pastel 9 x 12 on Canson
Available from Artist
©Randy Hamburg

Mountain Retreat
Acrylic on Canvas 40 x 30
Available from Artist
©Randy Hamburg

Recently, a friend asked me why I paint.  It’s something I’ve never really put a lot of thought into, it’s just something I do.  If you ask ten artists why they paint, I would bet you’ll get ten different answers. But for most there’s a common thread, just for the sheer enjoyment.

I find a joy in both the creative process and in the finished work but I paint just because I enjoy it.  When I’m painting, I get lost in my own world, it’s just me and the canvas.  It’s a way to “escape” the daily grind we all go through.  It’s amazing the process I go through without ever realizing it.  What will I paint?  How will I lay out the composition and each color mass?  What colors to use, how much detail and what do I want the painting to say?  I spend time painting and the results are either successes or failures. 

Being the optimist I am, I look at each failure as simply a chance to learn something.  Was it the mark making, or maybe the colors came out muddy because of too much mixing?  By spending time to determine where the painting went wrong, I learn not to repeat the same mistake.

But then, there’s the painting that really comes together.  Everything falls into place and I’ve created something that surprises even me.  The two paintings above fall into that category.  I hope you like them.

Keep painting!