Today drove out to Waukesha & met up with John. $3 park fee. Lots of parking. Pretty wide open park. River was nice. A nice lady was kayaking. Mosquitoes were a bit pesky, even in the sun. Not much of breeze. Warm.
I experimented using paynes gray, hansa yellow, burnt sienna and white. Should of used raw sienna instead of burnt sienna to capture the grass color better. Nice green mixed with paynes gray and yellow. Painting OK.
Spent a lot of time talking to the kayaking lady. Only stayed a little while after John left. The mosquitoes chased me away. I had 3 different insect repellents plus a bracelet that didn't work at all. Not sure if the deet free or cutters insect repellent gave me a rash. Deep woods off worked the best but I do not like applying DEET to my bare skin. At least 2 mosquito bites on my face near my eyes.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Forest Home Cemetery 7/6/11
I pulled up and saw Angelika's red car and her walking around. So I walked over by her and we walked around and pretty soon Bonnie pulled up.
Neither wanted to go down into the hollow. I ran down and took pictures of the man-made lagoon. Water was dirty brown with stuff floating in it. So we stayed up in the shade by some bright, orange, tiger lillies. Angelika paints acrylics quite large for plein air probably about 16x20? Wisconsin is green in the summer and gray in winter. She painted me sitting down and painting. That was so cool. Then 2 more people showed up so there was 5 of us in total and we all painted in a group. Bonnie painted with water soluble oil pastels, one person painted watercolor abstracts and Sharon painted in oil.
One of the workers riding in the golf car stopped to see what we were doing but didn't approach us, so I waved at him. Some bicyclists rode by. Very peaceful. I like cemeteries.
There was a double bridge going over the lagoon that had a small island in the middle of it. I struggled to paint it but it turned out ok. I used the same paints as last Sunday; yellow, ultramarine blue, burnt sienna & white. There is such a range in the color of green. I like to mix on the canvas. You can get a real nice dark with burnt sienna and ultramarine blue.
There were a few mosquitoes but not enough that you were breathing them in and the insect repellent kept them away quite well. It's been in the 80s the last few days so we hung out in the shade with the mosquitoes.
Neither wanted to go down into the hollow. I ran down and took pictures of the man-made lagoon. Water was dirty brown with stuff floating in it. So we stayed up in the shade by some bright, orange, tiger lillies. Angelika paints acrylics quite large for plein air probably about 16x20? Wisconsin is green in the summer and gray in winter. She painted me sitting down and painting. That was so cool. Then 2 more people showed up so there was 5 of us in total and we all painted in a group. Bonnie painted with water soluble oil pastels, one person painted watercolor abstracts and Sharon painted in oil.
One of the workers riding in the golf car stopped to see what we were doing but didn't approach us, so I waved at him. Some bicyclists rode by. Very peaceful. I like cemeteries.
There was a double bridge going over the lagoon that had a small island in the middle of it. I struggled to paint it but it turned out ok. I used the same paints as last Sunday; yellow, ultramarine blue, burnt sienna & white. There is such a range in the color of green. I like to mix on the canvas. You can get a real nice dark with burnt sienna and ultramarine blue.
There were a few mosquitoes but not enough that you were breathing them in and the insect repellent kept them away quite well. It's been in the 80s the last few days so we hung out in the shade with the mosquitoes.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Painting in Marinette County 7/3/11
The week before going up north for the 4th of July family weekend was just nuts so I didn't get any painting in. So while the guys and kids went fishing I decided I was going to paint by golly.
Michelle and her mom watched on and off. I showed them my toys; my view finder, my guerilla box, my big brushes, my golden open acrylics, wet palette, why I use rags instead of paper towels (less waste).
Talked a little bit of my procedure, looking for the big shapes, the values - darks/lights, more impressionist than realistic, out to have fun and experiment.
I was pretty happy the way it turned out. I think I caught the golden light as the day went towards sunset.
Michelle and her mom watched on and off. I showed them my toys; my view finder, my guerilla box, my big brushes, my golden open acrylics, wet palette, why I use rags instead of paper towels (less waste).
Talked a little bit of my procedure, looking for the big shapes, the values - darks/lights, more impressionist than realistic, out to have fun and experiment.
I was pretty happy the way it turned out. I think I caught the golden light as the day went towards sunset.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Greenfield Park Tuesday Evening 6/14/11
I was running late & got there a little after 5pm. Sharon & Donna H. had were there & had already met each other in the parking lot near the pool. They both paint in oil. The parking lot was not full. It was 70 F and sunny.
We grabbed our stuff and started walking east on the blacktop sidewalk around the pond away from the building. We stopped where we could see the birch trees across from us, chose the scene we each wanted, set up our easels and started painting.
I was tired so just sat on the ground and painted from my open guerilla box. I did a quick sketch and then as I only had a 6x6 canvas in my box painted on that. I used cad yel lt, cerulean blue (better suited to florida light) which I had to darken with paynes gray, burnt sienna and white off course.
I like greenfield park as the people are friendly, positive and curious so you get to have brief conversations with people. Plus with the 2 police officers riding bicycles so it felt even safer.
I'm pretty happy how my painting turned out. My little sister even recognized the location I painted when I met up with her to grout tile at mom's house at 7pm. Worked till 10pm. Came home real tired.
Sharon & Donna got the big shapes blocked in then planned to either finish at home or come back another time.
We grabbed our stuff and started walking east on the blacktop sidewalk around the pond away from the building. We stopped where we could see the birch trees across from us, chose the scene we each wanted, set up our easels and started painting.
I was tired so just sat on the ground and painted from my open guerilla box. I did a quick sketch and then as I only had a 6x6 canvas in my box painted on that. I used cad yel lt, cerulean blue (better suited to florida light) which I had to darken with paynes gray, burnt sienna and white off course.
I like greenfield park as the people are friendly, positive and curious so you get to have brief conversations with people. Plus with the 2 police officers riding bicycles so it felt even safer.
I'm pretty happy how my painting turned out. My little sister even recognized the location I painted when I met up with her to grout tile at mom's house at 7pm. Worked till 10pm. Came home real tired.
Sharon & Donna got the big shapes blocked in then planned to either finish at home or come back another time.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Mallard Lake in Whitnall Park
Man is it a wet day! June and it was only 60F. I got there before Margo so walked on down by the falls. Ground is saturated and water droplets were on everything. Very overcast. Yesterday I wasn't sure if I wanted to go but then I had not painted all week so decided to go. I was glad I did.
It was difficult to figure out what to do as there wasn't any interesting shadows. Shapes and lighting was very subdued. Finally I decided to paint a tree. I kind of like it.
Some grade school kids came by and watched us paint. Then all too soon it was time to return back home.
It was difficult to figure out what to do as there wasn't any interesting shadows. Shapes and lighting was very subdued. Finally I decided to paint a tree. I kind of like it.
Some grade school kids came by and watched us paint. Then all too soon it was time to return back home.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Going painting tomorrow at mallard lake
While I was getting ready to paint tomorrow. I looked at last thursday's painting with the thought of gessoing over it to reuse the canvas. However, when I looked at it again. It's not so bad, the shapes are right. It's just not finished. So I put it in my paintings to finish pile on my window ledge.
Tomorrow morning will be in the 50s. Hopefully it won't rain. We're going to Whitnall Park's Mallard Lake. We'll park in the parking lot at the top of one of the hills that people sled down in winter. It will probably be just Margo & me tomorrow.
Tomorrow morning will be in the 50s. Hopefully it won't rain. We're going to Whitnall Park's Mallard Lake. We'll park in the parking lot at the top of one of the hills that people sled down in winter. It will probably be just Margo & me tomorrow.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Frame Park 6/2/11
Today's painting did not want to be born. Something else will be painted on top. Some days you wonder why you even bother. But you know why. Even a bad day painting outdoors is worth doing. It's not the result that counts but the process.
Frame Park is a great place to paint. I thought we'd just be painting maybe the stone bridge or the river. But Viv & John came in off white rock avenue and parked by the formal garden. I didn't know Frame park had a formal garden. A modest garden, nicely laid out. Orange poppies, white roses already blooming. There were shaded areas to sit. A crew of young people were planting plants.
I brought my acrylic kit along but couldn't get a picture done. John was done with his watercolor in a hour. Viv was still struggling like me with her water colors. She, like me, had not painted for some weeks. The muse is finicky and you slide back when you don't practice regularly.
Bathrooms were open by the play area and rate an 8/10 on cleanliness.
Weather was perfect. Sunny 70F with slight breeze. No biting insects. Actually I didn't notice any bugs at all.
Frame Park is a great place to paint. I thought we'd just be painting maybe the stone bridge or the river. But Viv & John came in off white rock avenue and parked by the formal garden. I didn't know Frame park had a formal garden. A modest garden, nicely laid out. Orange poppies, white roses already blooming. There were shaded areas to sit. A crew of young people were planting plants.
I brought my acrylic kit along but couldn't get a picture done. John was done with his watercolor in a hour. Viv was still struggling like me with her water colors. She, like me, had not painted for some weeks. The muse is finicky and you slide back when you don't practice regularly.
Bathrooms were open by the play area and rate an 8/10 on cleanliness.
Weather was perfect. Sunny 70F with slight breeze. No biting insects. Actually I didn't notice any bugs at all.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Deciding where to paint this summer 2011
We had a good winter painting season and picked up a new painting buddy who is quite an accomplished water colorist. He's given us some real good suggestions for painting locations.
Here's links to some of the places we painted this winter & spring:
Just finished the summer plein air schedules. Should be quite interesting as we are going to several new places.
Here's links to some of the places we painted this winter & spring:
- http://milwaukeesketchclub.blogspot.com/2010/10/upcoming-milwaukee-sketch-club-plein.html
- http://milwaukeesketchclub.blogspot.com/2011/01/winter-2011-plein-air-sketching.html
- http://milwaukeesketchclub.blogspot.com/2011/03/winter-2011-plein-air-sketching.html
- Indian Head Park
- Scuppernong Springs
- Horn Feeds Mill
- East Troy Electric Train station
- Vernon Marsh; off frog alley, via DNR access road & Falcon View Estates
Just finished the summer plein air schedules. Should be quite interesting as we are going to several new places.
- http://milwaukeesketchclub.blogspot.com/2011/04/tuesday-evening-plein-air-summer.html
- http://milwaukeesketchclub.blogspot.com/2011/04/wednesday-morning-plein-air-summer.html
- http://milwaukeesketchclub.blogspot.com/2011/04/thursday-afternoon-plein-air-summer.html
- http://milwaukeesketchclub.blogspot.com/2011/04/saturday-morning-plein-air-summer.html
Friday, January 21, 2011
Deciding where to paint in winter 2011
It's been quite a while since we have painted the outdoors and both us miss it. So yesterday Viv and I drove along the Mukwonago Chamber of Commerce's walking tour, http://www.mukwonagochamber.com/ . Their walking tour is only available as photocopied papers from their office. They also have a book about Mukwonago history that is not for sale called "A Chronicle of Mukwonago History" compiled by D.E. Wright published by Bill & Jane Neustedter, Mukwonago, WI 53149 in 1990 & 1992.
As we drove the walking tour we were looking where we could park our cars so we wouldn't get stuck in the snow and a has good view. Our weather can be quite challenging. Today it is 0 degree Fahrenheit.
We discovered Phantom Glen Park. The parking lot was plowed and you could see the ice fishing shanties on the lake or paint winter bare trees and snow.
We checked out the beautiful historical buildings downtown along Rochester St. (Hwy 83) and decided they were best left for summer because we would need to park on the back streets.
We also checked out the historical buildings along Main St. (Hwy ES). There is limited parking which is snow covered now, so also best for summer. We looked at #30 Wanner house, 719 S. Jefferson St. It's been remodeled and sided so not very interesting to paint as a historical building. There's an interesting building at 711 Main St. #33 and at Meacham & Main St.
We looked over the area in the Grand Ave area of town. We decided to put #5 Pius Church and#7 John Cloisy Family home onto the winter schedule. We didn't put #3 Muckwonago Community library on the schedule as it is a modern building.
Then we checked out Heaven City and put it on the schedule. We drove past the lakes on Hidden Lakes Drive and looked the private Hidden Lakes Park at W275 S8735 Lakeside. The area around the park is very scenic but their lot is not plowed right now and it would be dangerous to park on the street as cars go down the road very fast.
I posted the painting schedule on the Milwaukee Sketch Club blog at http://milwaukeesketchclub.blogspot.com/2011/01/winter-2011-plein-air-sketching.html . This schedule will take us into the middle of March by then the weather should be better before we get the spring rains. I can't wait! Next week we paint on location!
As we drove the walking tour we were looking where we could park our cars so we wouldn't get stuck in the snow and a has good view. Our weather can be quite challenging. Today it is 0 degree Fahrenheit.
We discovered Phantom Glen Park. The parking lot was plowed and you could see the ice fishing shanties on the lake or paint winter bare trees and snow.
We checked out the beautiful historical buildings downtown along Rochester St. (Hwy 83) and decided they were best left for summer because we would need to park on the back streets.
We also checked out the historical buildings along Main St. (Hwy ES). There is limited parking which is snow covered now, so also best for summer. We looked at #30 Wanner house, 719 S. Jefferson St. It's been remodeled and sided so not very interesting to paint as a historical building. There's an interesting building at 711 Main St. #33 and at Meacham & Main St.
We looked over the area in the Grand Ave area of town. We decided to put #5 Pius Church and#7 John Cloisy Family home onto the winter schedule. We didn't put #3 Muckwonago Community library on the schedule as it is a modern building.
Then we checked out Heaven City and put it on the schedule. We drove past the lakes on Hidden Lakes Drive and looked the private Hidden Lakes Park at W275 S8735 Lakeside. The area around the park is very scenic but their lot is not plowed right now and it would be dangerous to park on the street as cars go down the road very fast.
I posted the painting schedule on the Milwaukee Sketch Club blog at http://milwaukeesketchclub.
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