Monterey Big Sur 4-Day Plein Air

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EARLY-BIRD DISCOUNT AVAILABLE

If you are passionate about plein air painting, join me for a plein air “re-boot”, an intensive re-boot of your skills to get you out of any rut and get you painting with a fresh perspective. For four glorious days we will be painting in locations around the Monterey Peninsula, Pacific Grove, Carmel, and along the Big Sur Coast.

This place is magical, intense with light and beauty, and artist-friendly. We will be painting in the best spots on the famous Monterey and Big Sur coast, places painted by the greats of early California plein air painting. 

You will come away from this experience with a lot of paintings, a deeper grasp of fundamentals, a “can do” attitude, and stunning visual memories that will last a lifetime. I’m looking for painters who are relatively new to plein air but have plein air experience, good tools and supplies, and a passion for the art. If that’s you then be prepared for fun, laughs, and work hard, and probably some good food and great local wine.

 SEE PHOTOSREQUIREMENTSTOOLS & SUPPLIES

Day One, Fundamentals Re-boot

Morning

Plein Air Sketching Essentials

Intended to teach the importance of being able to quickly sketch the composition of the landscape or other subject. Sketching quickly, getting the basics blocked in, reducing the details to major areas, and capturing the relative values. Students will complete about 12 pencil sketches in one hour.

• Time: One Hour
• Materials: 5”x7” wirebound sketchbook, sharpened carpenters pencil

The Value of Values

After a brief refresher about values, we will go over the use of a red plastic value finder to identify values. Using only a black and a white, we will paint a scene in tones of black, white, and grays.

• Time: One Hour
• Materials: The following oil colors: titanium white or soft mixing white, pthalo blue, burnt sienna, 12”x9” canvas or canvas panel, small bristle round

Afternoon

Immediacy: The Quick Sketch in Oil

Building upon the quick pencil sketching practice and the color work we have done, we learn to quickly block in our basic shapes and prepare to add details using a single brush to prevent obsessing over details. Quick sketches in oil can remain standalone paintings or be used as a basis for a final piece. I demonstrate basics then paint along with the students. We will produce five 5”x7” canvases in two hours.

• Time: Two Hours
• Materials: 5-5”x7” canvas panels, full range of oil colors, small bristle round

Day Two, Building a Painting, Demo and Practice

Morning: Demo

Laying the Foundation

Selecting the subject, finding the composition, rule of thirds to find the focal point, asking yourself key questions, determining the values, toning the canvas, sketching in the composition

Nailing Down the “Look”

Determine where the brightest and the darkest places are. Mark them. Now comes the “lean” part of “fat over lean”: color in the values using thin tones of gray, no texture. Adjust your color and values to match the scene.

Finish the Painting

Now add delicious brushwork and passion to the basic painting. Now you mix the “fat”, thicker and more textured brushwork that will go over the “lean” that you painted in the previous section. Add warms and cools. Finally, sharpen the focal point and soften other areas. Sign.

Afternoon: Practice

Using what we have learned, we will paint all afternoon on location.

• Materials: a 14″x11″ canvas or canvas panel

Day Three, Practice, Practice, Practice

All Day

Painting on Locations

We will paint in one location in the morning, have lunch, then move to a different location for the afternoon.

• Materials: at least two 14″x11″ canvases or canvas panels

Day Four, Wrap Up

All Day

Big Sur Coast

Weather and wind permitting we will paint in a location along Highway 1 on the Big Sur coast.

• Materials: at least two 14″x11″ canvases or canvas panels

Tuition and Discount

To be determined.

Requirements

In order for this workshop to be efficient, effective, and beneficial to each artist, it is crucial that each attendee is willing to meet some essential requirements.

• You already have experience painting outdoors, on location, in oils. 
• You can wholeheartedly claim to be a serious, dedicated plein air painter with actual fundamental experience.
• You are fit enough to work, and smart enough not to whine.
• You have professional equipment, tools, materials, and paints. You will show up ready to paint. Be prepared. Download the free, comprehensive ebook “Plein Air Painting Tools & Supplies” for a complete description of the tools and supplies you will need.
• You understand that we will be painting together as a group in proximity and you will remain with the group.
• You will be painting in oils only. This is not a watercolor, acrylic, or pastel class. I will be teaching oils only.

Please Note…

The sessions may be recorded on photos and video. I will ask you to sign a release form so that I may use the visuals in a documentary. Let me know if this is a problem for you.