In The Studio: Figures in the landscape: 3 Recent Demonstrations

All three of the following paintings were painted last Thursday for my three classes at the Art League, Alexandria, VA.  My focus was to have the figures be simple shapes carved out of the background and to take fairly mundane subjects and turn them into interesting compositions.  All three are painted in different styles, with different feelings of light, but light is the big deal, as it should be in every painting.In this painting I have the light coming from behind the buildings and the figures as dark shapes against dark buildings.  I have left a little bit of white paper on the edge of each figure to give them a strong presence in the painting.  Try to cut around the figures when you are painting the sheds rather than to use a masking agent.  Learning to cut around and preserve lights is a fundamental skill to learn.

This painting is all about creating a moving dark using mostly the shadow patterns which will create wonderful and expressive white pieces.  I really try to plan the focus points in the painting with strong colors, interesting figures and openings and interplay of white paper.  Think shape and think starting at one edge of the paper and working all of the way to the other side.  You will learn a lot and have fun at the same time.

In this demonstration I had several goals the primary one being to get the color of the shadow to really feel like it works with the color of the building.  I also wanted to place some figures into the painting creating interest and entertainment to the subject matter.  Make sure your figures are harmonious with the rest of the shapes in the painting not too much detail or color if the painting on the whole is not very colorful and precise.