CALIFORNIA IMPRESSIONIST PLEIN AIR OIL PAINTING

CALIFORNIA IMPRESSIONIST PLEIN AIR OIL PAINTING

“A PERFECT DAY”
6x8 inch plein air oil painting
by Tom Brown
To purchase this painting, email me at tombrownstudio@cox.net.

SOLD

I thought it would be interesting to include a photo here to show a comparison between what an artist sees and what the camera sees.

When painting outdoors I prefer to work on small panels like this, so the painting can be completed while weather and lighting conditions remain constant.

Larger paintings are created in the studio, like the series of 3-foot-wide paintings I recently created on commission for the City of Irvine that are now on permanent display at City Hall.

Painting large requires a very specific approach in order to retain the freshness of smaller plein air studies while satisfying the two critical viewing distances.

I cover all this and more in my new “Painting BIG package,” which includes a two-part video entitled “Secrets To Creating Successful Large Oil Paintings,” plus a printed guide entitled “Essential Secrets To Painting BIG.”

I am now taking pre-orders for the first release of this 2-DVD set and bonus material at a special price of $50. Don’t miss out. These videos also make unique Holiday gifts for your artist friends! Email me for details: tombrownstudio@cox.net.

Today’s thought:
Setting a good example

PLEIN AIR PAINTING DEMONSTRATION BY TOM BROWN

PLEIN AIR PAINTING DEMONSTRATION BY TOM BROWN

“CANYON SUNSET”
6x10 inch Plein Air Painting
by Tom Brown
To purchase this painting, email me at tombrownstudio@cox.net.

I thought it would be interesting to show the process of creating a plein air painting today. This canvas was photographed step-by-step for an upcoming CD release, and a few of those steps are shown here along with a photo of the actual scene.

I began by sketching the main shapes with a thin wash of ochre paint, switching to blue for the mountains. I then mixed cadmium red and blue to create the warm “darks” of the nearby trees. It was important to capture the pattern of light and shadows quickly because they would not remain constant for long at sunset.

Next I blocked in the warm greens for the nearby trees, then established colors in key areas like the sky, distant mountains and cliffs. This locked in the quickly changing portions of the scene before the light could change.

With the keynote colors safely captured, I blocked in the foreground shadows, then worked on one area at a time throughout the entire composition. I completed the sky, added more detail in the cliffs, and began working on the middle distance.

Below you can see that the middle distance was completed, final touches were added throughout the painting to add interest and sparkle, and it was finished. In the process of developing this canvas I used thick, juicy strokes of luscious pigment to add interesting surface texture. Click on the “detail” image above for a better look.

I hope you enjoyed this little demo. Leave a comment if you did, and have a happy day.

Today’s happy thought:
Sharing with others

NEWPORT BEACH, LARGE PLEIN AIR OIL PAINTING

NEWPORT BEACH, LARGE PLEIN AIR OIL PAINTING

“HARBOR DRAMA”
16x8 inch plein air oil painting
by Tom Brown
To purchase this painting, email me at tombrownstudio@cox.net.

SOLD

ANNOUNCING AN ALL-NEW DOUBLE VIDEO SET - I am now taking pre-orders for the newest set of videos taken from my TV series, in which I demonstrate how to create a large studio painting from a small plein air study.

The lesson is contained on two DVDs in which I create a 24x36 inch canvas from start to finish. In these 2 videos I share everything about the process, and the cameras capture it all, from details of my color-mixing on the palette to the way I lay strokes of paint on the canvas.

I also include tips on composition, blocking-in, values, edge treatment, aerial perspective, surface texture, how and when to use artistic license, plus much more.

I am now taking pre-orders for the first release of this 2-DVD set at a special price of $50. Don’t miss out. These videos also make unique Holiday gifts for your artist friends!

BONUS: For a limited time I will also include absolutely FREE my “Essential Secrets To Painting BIG,” which contains priceless information such as how to ensure that your painting has IMPACT in a gallery setting, how to work on large paintings in a small space, secrets to keeping freshness and vitality in your work, special equipment that makes life easier, and much more.

Email me for details: tombrownstudio@cox.net.

Today’s happy thought:
Being content with your life

MOONRISE AT TWILIGHT, PLEIN AIR PAINTING

MOONRISE AT TWILIGHT, PLEIN AIR PAINTING

"A MOON FOR ROMANTICS"
6x8 inch Plein Air Painting by Tom Brown
To purchase this painting, email me at tombrownstudio@cox.net.

A NEW ANNOUNCEMENT FOR ARTISTS: "HOW TO PAINT BIG" - I am now taking pre-orders for the newest set of videos taken from my TV series, in which I demonstrate how to create a large studio painting from a small plein air study.

The lesson is contained on two DVDs in which I create a 24x36 inch canvas from start to finish. In these 2 videos I share everything about the process, and the cameras capture it all, from details of my color-mixing on the palette to the way I lay strokes of paint on the canvas.

I also include tips on composition, blocking-in, values, edge treatment, aerial perspective, surface texture, how and when to use artistic license, plus much more.

I am now taking pre-orders for the first release of this 2-DVD set at a special price of $50. Don’t miss out. These videos also make unique Holiday gifts for your artist friends! Email me for details: tombrownstudio@cox.net.

Thanks for stopping to look.

Today’s happy thought:
People who are romantics at heart