PAINTING WITH FRIENDS
Building up a practice of regular sketching excursions with friends is a great way to get motivated. There are Urban Sketchers groups and plein air meetups in almost every city, and you can paint together in a private garden if you're nervous about people watching you.
DEVELOP A COLOR-MIXING WORKFLOW
Some kinds of flowers and foliage are composed of small bits of color to make an impressionistic effect of variegated hues. Capturing that effect with opaque paint requires a palette that's set up for a lot of free mixing. With opaque pigments, I mix a bunch of batches of varied color and try to keep several different brushes in play at once.
BRING HIGH-CHROMA COLORS
I should follow my own advice, but sometimes I forget how intense colors can be. At the New York Botanical Garden's Plein Air Invitational, I wanted to do a close-up study of a tree peony, but I didn't have a strong enough magenta pigment. Luckily my wife came to my rescue with a tube of opera rose. In the deep recesses between petals, the chroma is heightened by transmitted light.
LEAVES ARE LIGHTER THAN SURROUNDINGS
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A Sense of Depth
A solid grasp of foreground, mid and background makes Colley Whisson's scenes come to life
Peaceful Places
Sara Linda Poly creates a sense of atmosphere and depth in her soft, ethereal landscapes
School's in Session
A look at some of the many in-person and online art classes and workshops available today
Collaborative Environment
In this special edition of Beyond the Palette, we asked Scottsdale Artists' School executive director Trudy Hays a few of our own questions-about the benefits of art school, community and more
Flying COLORS
Artist David Barclay discusses how to pack painting gear for air travel-managing bulk, weight restrictions and more
Keep It REAL
The Art Renewal Center bolsters the support and reverence of traditional representational art
BUILDING AN ART CAREER ONLINE PART I
In this two-part series, James Gurney presents options for artists who want to improve their internet business strategies
EDWARD FRAUGHTON
Sculpting the Spirit of the American West
Preserving the Soul of Art
Throughout human history, people have used art to express themselves, record their daily activities, capture moments and share their emotions.
Intrigue in the ordinary
I've \"'ve never had any formal training always had a strong attraction to the arts and the practice of painting