LARGE PLEIN AIR IMPRESSIONIST PAINTING (click here to see my eBay art)

“IN THE SHADE OF THE SPREADING SYCAMORE” by Tom Brown
LARGE PLEIN AIR PAINTING
18”x9” ORIGINAL OIL ON CANVAS, READY TO FRAME


The painting shown at the top of today’s blog is an 18” canvas that was painted on location during my usual Saturday plein air workshop. I was attracted by the sprawling limbs of this ancient Sycamore tree and the dappled light filtering through the branches.

Shown beneath this painting are two 4”x3” studies that were done to explore possibilities before tackling a larger canvas. The first study was painted in early morning as the sun illuminated the limbs of the Sycamore, and the second was done at noon when the sun was directly overhead, as shown in the large painting.

I began this week’s workshop by having all the artists create a series of small studies like these. This exercise helped loosen everyone up and get the creative juices flowing. It also helped each artist clarify the essential elements of a composition without getting caught up in fussy details. By the time everyone had done a few of these quickies, they were warmed up and ready to tackle a larger canvas with authority.

The surprise is that these little gems often make very frame-worthy paintings in their own right!

Today’s thought to smile about:
Realizing what a beautiful world it is