Evaluating..

Taking an online Webinar right now through WetCanvas.  Johannes Vloothuis is sharing knowledge of and teaching about the "Essentials of Painting Water".  Today, I learned a lot. I solidified a lot of what I already knew, but found what I know is sort of instinctual.  I don't paint many landscapes as a rule.  I wanted to put the major paintings that have water in them on this blog to just to look at them all in one place.  Some are sold, so are no longer here.  The last one is a bad photo, as I had to swipe it off my blog here. But some of the 'keys to painting water' I utilized in them

.

They all are 'close-up' of the water.  It seems that reflection on the surface was what I was really tuning into while painting and I like the way it reads in every one of these. 

This is a three week course.  I plan on gleaning more from it each time.  There are a lot of things to think of while you paint.  Perhaps the largest idea or thought is when using a photo to paint from.  Vloothuis reminds us that photos lie to artists who use them, that's why 'plein air' (painting from real life - outdoors) painting is so hugely

important to an artist's well-being.  In photos, the colors and values cannot be trusted...but the details and the shapes can.

 

The other real important thing to be aware of when painting from photos, according to Vloothuis, is that a camera stops all motion, (of course, we know this)...but when we look at a scene in person with our eyes with water included, there is motion ~ so it is important to blur the movement and not make it static.  And it is important to create melodic lines as you go, not zigzags.  I think my lines in the water of my paintings are the exact melody I was striving for.  Perhaps the one in the middle needs a little blurring of the edges of the reflections.  Will I change it?  Probably not.  But am I ready to try some more?  Yes!

Gotta practice what I learned or was made aware of....good thing it is snowing!

There were so many things shared in this class.  YOU should be tuning in, as well! 

It's free!