Painting on Location E-Book

David Curtis

• Herausgeber: Batsford
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 130

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Beschreibung

David Curtis is one of the most successful and celebrated artists working in the UK today. His books are bestsellers and in his latest book he discusses and demonstrates his approach to painting outside on location. He paints on site whenever possible as he finds that working directly from the subject gives his work a sense of immediacy, dynamism, light and drama. Many artists are interested in painting outside but lack the confidence to successfully work in this way. Here David shows how to develop the necessary skills. He looks at every aspect, from preliminary planning to appropriate painting techniques and, above all, how to capture the essence of the scene in front of you. He includes location sketching as well as advice on essential equipment to take with you. With practical advice and inspirational paintings covering a wide variety of subjects, Painting on Location will prove valuable to all those who wish to paint outdoors, whether to make finished paintings in their own right on location, or to use the experience and information gathered as a basis for further work in the studio.

Leseprobe

Painting on Location

View Through the Copse, Jenkinsons’ Farm Oil on board 30.5 × 40.5cm (12 × 16in)

Morning Low Tide, Staithes Harbour Oil on board 25.5 × 25.5cm (10 × 10in)

Painting on Location

David Curtis and Robin Capon

Contents

Introduction

1. THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Painters and plein-air work

Scope and advantages

Practical considerations

2. TRAVELLING LIGHT

Equipment

First impressions

3. ALLA PRIMA

Wet on wet

Key shapes

Freedom and control

Descriptive washes

4. CAPTURING THE ESSENCE

Appeal

Strong design

Light effects

Colour and mood

A personal response

5. SPEED AND CONFIDENCE

Scale and format

Time

Varied challenges

6. SUBJECTS AND LOCATIONS

Variety

Assessing subjects

A sense of place

7. TAKING IT FURTHER

Evaluation

The middle way

Plein-air and studio work

Index

Introduction

I imagine that we all occasionally reflect on the most satisfying and pleasurable aspects of our life. For me, without doubt, the most fulfilling times are when I am outside in the landscape and have found an inspiring and challenging subject to paint. I have loved painting outdoors since my early teens, when I was given my first oil-painting set as a Christmas present. I soon discovered that oils can be used in a very direct, alla prima manner to capture the essence of a subject and that this approach was ideal for painting en plein air (in the open air).

Since those early days, the vast majority of my work has been based on the plein-air approach. Often I work entirely on site, or I might start a painting on site and finish it in the studio. It is the most rewarding and enjoyable way of working, I think. The advantage of painting outside is simply that you are there, ‘living’ the subject. In experiencing this heightened awareness of everything, you are able to paint with far greater sensitivity and conviction. In the studio, however, the experience is second-hand: you have somehow to recapture what it was like to be in a location, responding to a subject.

At its best, when painting on location, the work is totally absorbing: there is such a complete focus and intensity of purpose that you become unaware of anything else. And if the final painting captures the original inspiration and concept to a fair degree, the thrill of achievement can be quite sublime!

Of course, there are often added difficulties when painting outside, particularly concerning the light and weather. Naturally, time and comfort are far more limited than when working in the studio. For a beginner, early attempts at plein-air painting can seem very daunting and prove quite disappointing, but give it time and persevere. I know from my own experience that it takes time to build up confidence and develop the necessary aspects of technique and speed of working.

Receding Tide, Staithes Oil on linen canvas 61 × 76cm (24 × 30in) I always look for an exciting composition. With these breaking waves, I used a combination of careful observation and invention to create some strong, directional lines leading into the painting.

A Quiet Ride Home oil on board 40.5 × 30.5cm (16 × 12in) You don’t have to go far to find interesting plein-air subjects. I painted this in the lane near our house.

David Curtis at work.

Even now, after more than 50 years’ experience, I still have disappointing days occasionally. But the successful days more than compensate for that. What you learn is to accept the disappointments, re-motivate yourself and start a new painting. The more plein-air painting you do, the more you learn about choosing appropriate subjects and how to interpret them in a quick, lively and interesting way. It is important to go out painting as often as you can.

I paint in both watercolours and oils. Both are suitable for plein-air work, although for subjects in which I need to capture a fleeting light effect with speed and control, my preference is for oils. Where the key factor is atmosphere, but accuracy in depicting the shapes isn’t quite so vital, I normally choose watercolour. It is good to have a choice of media, I think, because different media can bring out different qualities in a subject. Outside, I quite often start with an oil painting and then move on to work in watercolour, or vice versa.

I also used to work in pastel and pen and ink, and these too are excellent media for making plein-air studies. Incidentally, if you are not confident about starting directly with paint, take your sketchbook and some different sketching materials and begin with some plein-air sketches – perhaps later using these as starting points for some small paintings in the studio.

My principal aim in this book is to engender confidence, so that if you have not tried plein-air painting before or are relatively new to the idea, you will be encouraged to make some painting trips and see what you can achieve. The book includes information on all aspects of location painting, from practical considerations and equipment to painting techniques and capturing the essence of a subject. I hope it will help to prepare you for the wonderful painting opportunities that await you outdoors and inspire you to try this increasingly popular way of painting. There is no greater creative experience!

1. The Great Outdoors

Sheltered Harbour from the Nab, Staithes Oil on board 25.5 × 25.5cm (10 × 10in) As time is always a key factor in plein-air work, it is important to have clear objectives for a painting and to stick to them. Here, my aim was to capture the contrasting qualities of texture and light between the transparency and fluidity of the water and the solid, structural nature of the enveloping cliff.

When I started painting seriously, almost 50 years ago now, plein-air painting (painting in the open air) was a popular way of working. You would often see artists working directly from life outside, and this is how I learned to paint, working alongside experienced local artists. I was also lucky enough to paint with Edward Wesson, Jack Merriott and other nationally well-known artists of the time.

Throughout my career I have remained loyal to the plein-air approach and I continue to paint on the spot whenever I can, throughout the year and in all weather conditions. Like many artists, I think this method of painting is the best way to achieve a personal response to a subject. There is more edge and daring with plein-air work; it is a much more challenging way of painting than working in the studio. To quote a modern saying, you ‘get into the zone’ of the painting experience, and it can be quite spiritual. Equally, when painting outdoors, the surroundings, the weather, the sounds, the atmosphere and the sense of occasion all contribute to the vitality of the whole experience.

Painters and plein-air work

Something I have always admired about many of the great plein-air painters of the past, including Henry Scott Tuke and Stanhope Forbes, is the degree of finish that they managed to achieve. And they did that without having to resort to photographs as back-up reference, as we might do today. Also, they weren’t afraid to work on a big scale and so have to return again and again to a location until the painting was completed. Today, we can only marvel at their painting ability and at their incredible powers of observation and draughtsmanship. The immense skill and fluency of their work remains an inspiration.

Together with particular skills, plein-air painting also requires confidence and discipline. It is often an intense process, largely because of the constraints of time, light and other practical considerations, requiring quick judgements and a focus on essentials. It takes time to develop those skills: consistent practice over many years. Unfortunately, especially now that most of us have digital cameras, it is tempting to spend less time outside and work more from photographs. This practice must be kept to a minimum, I think. It is very difficult to capture the moment, and to paint with strokes that have life, meaning and integrity, when detached from the subject matter.

Lane in Winter, Harwell Oil on board 20.5 × 30.5cm (8 × 12in) For speed and spontaneity when using oils, don’t be afraid to work with large, blocky brushstrokes. My own preference is to use short-haired brushes – mainly brights (which have short bristles of equal length arranged in a flat, rectangular shape).

Crashing Waves, Bude Oil on board 20.5 × 30.5cm (8 × 12in) Outdoors, it is often quite difficult to decide which part of a panoramic scene to concentrate on. Generally, as in this painting, look for a helpful lead-in feature across the foreground and a middleground centre of interest.

In my view, you are far more likely to create a painting that evokes feeling and atmosphere when you are actually there, working on the spot and in tune with the sense of place and mood. I aim to do that for at least the greater part of each painting’s execution. Lane in Winter, Harwell demonstrates this point – it has that sense of immediacy. Its success, as is so often the case with plein-air works, relies on confident, big brushstrokes, most of which were made with a slightly worn, short bright brush. (A bright is a flat brush with short bristles.) For example, the hedge in the bottom-right corner was suggested with just one or two large, blocky brushstrokes. Similarly, Crashing Waves, Bude shows a very direct response and a considered choice of subject matter, resulting in a profoundly satisfying composition.

History and inspiration

Painting and sketching in the open air became popular during the nineteenth century, particularly with groups such as the Barbizon painters and later the Impressionists and the Newlyn School, although also with individual artists such as Constable, who sought ‘truth in nature’. Its popularity was aided by the introduction, in the 1870s, of paints in tubes and easily portable painting equipment, notably the box easel. Since then, many different art movements have come and gone, but painting on location has remained popular, especially in Europe and the United States.

Most of the painters who have inspired me belong to the British school – artists such as Harold and Laura Knight, who used to paint at Staithes, which is one of my favourite locations. And because, usually, it is the particular quality of light that attracts me to a subject, I have always loved the work of the Impressionists, especially that of Monet and Pissarro. Also, more recently, I have discovered several Finnish artists whose work I admire, amongst them Victor Westerholm, Albert Edelfelt and Eero Järnefelt. Like me, you will find that there are plenty of plein-air artists, both contemporary and from previous eras, whose work can be inspirational.

Home Farm and the Austin 12, Sandbeck Oil on board 23 × 30.5cm (9 × 12in) Sometimes a foreground feature will provide the focus for a painting, as here. Having spotted my old car parked in a particular position, I could see how it would enhance the composition and give me an interesting and more original subject.

Plein-air painting today

It is encouraging that plein-air painting continues to attract many of the finest artists in the world and that there are various groups of artists devoted to this approach – for example, the Wapping Group in the UK, or the Plein-Air Painters of America and the National Academy of Professional Plein-Air Painters in the USA. I am now more optimistic about the future of plein-air painting. There is evidence of a renewed interest in it, especially amongst younger landscape painters. I have noticed this in the submissions that are received for some of the major open exhibitions, when I have been working as one of the selectors.

Cabin Interior, The Dawn Treader Oil on board 30.5 × 40.5cm (12 × 16in) I have favourite types of subject matter, but I also like trying new subjects or variations from my usual approach. This fascinating interior of a pilot boat was a subject that I just could not resist, and something different to the barn interiors that I often paint.

Some artists are turning to plein-air work as a reaction against technology and from a wish to achieve a more direct response to subjects. But there are different approaches, and not all artists want to paint entirely on the spot. Instead, they might gather lots of reference material on site (sketches, tonal studies, small colour ‘notes’, try-outs and so on), all of which will be useful later when they come to paint the final picture in the studio. During that process, they might decide to move things around or leave things out, in order to arrive at a strong, interesting composition borne out of experimentation and a thorough consideration of all the possibilities.

In contrast, there are other artists who are not afraid to carry huge canvases into the city or the countryside and to paint exactly what they see. My aim is to reach a conclusion on the spot – to capture the moment, convey the essence of the subject. I hope I can minimize any further work back in the studio, although this is not always possible. I think an important point to remember when painting on location is to be faithful to your reaction to what is there, which is not the same as being faithful to what is actually there. I like to focus on what I feel and consider is important about a subject.

Scope and advantages

The scope for location painting is tremendous: just think of the many different subjects that are found outdoors, from gardens and landscapes to buildings and city scenes. Certainly for me the advantages of plein-air painting lie in its very nature – the fact that you have to adopt a fast-and-loose approach, working on a small scale and aiming to express a response to a subject in a direct, non-fussy way. I like the challenge of painting on site and, as I have said, I enjoy the whole experience of being outside with all that it entails. Inevitably, plein-air painting requires a sense of urgency to capture the essence of a subject before the light changes or conditions radically alter, and that is something I relish.

Your ambitiousness in location work (and consequently the choice of subject matter, scale, medium and approach) will largely be determined by the degree of confidence you have, taking into account the light and weather conditions and the likely amount of time available. For example, when the light is dull and fairly constant there is always more time to work on a painting, and in turn this might tempt you to try a more challenging subject.

The Harbour, Polperro Oil on board 30.5 × 40.5cm (12 × 16in) For this high-aspect, complex subject, and with the advantage of being able to work from a shelter, I was able to take a little more time than usual, enjoying painting sessions on two consecutive days.

A Cotswold Barn, Little Barrington Watercolour on Arches Rough paper 38.5 × 57cm (15¼ × 22½in) Completed entirely on site, this watercolour painting took about three and a half hours. I decided to work from a low viewpoint so that I could include the added interest of the beamed roof structure and the sense of light coming through the far door.

I started painting The Harbour, Polperro on a dull day, setting up my box easel under the shelter above the harbour. The tide was out, so the conditions were favourable for attempting a much more detailed and considered painting than usual. Moreover, from my sheltered position, I knew I would be able to return at the same time the next day to complete the painting. In contrast, time was very limited when I painted Windrush Mill, as it was raining and so I had to work quickly, under the limited shelter of an umbrella. The light and weather conditions always play a part in influencing the scope, content and character of a painting and, if possible, they are qualities to embrace rather than fight against.

Windrush Mill