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Have you ever struggled to get into just the right spot when you're painting in a group?
Everyone's elbowing each other trying to get the best possie!! You can either get into the jostle (yuck!) or get there early. Both, to me, are pointless because you never know what the model is going to do and I hate being stuck in a crowd. My solution is, no matter what's in front of you, the artist has to learn how to make a silk purse out of the sow's ear: use your creative brain to come up with a fine composition/design/idea and make it work (This is why I'm really good at painting feet)!! Test yourself, push your skills and make yourself come up with the goods. If permitted, dive in close at some point and get some photos so you have reference material for when you get back to your studio. My best strategy for painting en plein air is to grab a cushion, find some shade, get comfy and then look around to find my subject. A viewfinder is a handy gadget to avoid overwhelm and pin down a great composition. When I'm done with that view, i turn 5°, make sure I'm still in the shade, get comfy and paint - step and repeat!! Very sensible when you think of how much painting time can be wasted wandering around looking for the perfect subject - it's right there in front of you! have fun!! Amanda www.amandabrett.net edited from my original post 081214
Copyright © 2022 All images and text on Amanda's blog and website are the legal property of Amanda Brett and may not be reproduced without express permission from Amanda Brett or her authorised agent. Thank you for respecting her art and the livelihood of all artists.
6 Comments
Mayya
3/2/2022 07:57:40
Thanks Amanda!
Amanda Brett
3/2/2022 08:14:21
thanks Mayya, i'm glad my blog is useful!! thank you for reading!! are you getting to paint? I hope to have a trip to Christchurch soon, will let you know xx
Mayya
3/2/2022 08:29:16
Absolutely! My hands are already itching:)))
Jude Hazeldine
3/2/2022 08:20:54
Great tip. I must put my hand up for wasting time looking for the perfect opportunity. Thank you Amanda for the re reminder it’s right in front of me. Old dog, new tricks.
Amanda Brett
3/2/2022 08:25:33
we all do it jude - sigh! will let you know when i'm able (walking with a crutch atm!) for en plein air and we'll practice being ruthless!! lol!! xx
Jude
3/2/2022 17:04:06
Oh no, a crutch. That’ll slow up progress. 🐌🐌🐌 Hope you can ditch it soon. Yes, ruthless, yessss! 😊 Thanks Amanda. Leave a Reply. |
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Thank you for your tips. They inspired me to practise and I realised I haven’t been loading the brush properly. I learnt about adding more paint, and not water, to washes. In today’s tips I like the idea of painting with purpose. Your tips are very helpful. I very much appreciate receiving them. Elizabeth Hi Amanda I enjoyed your post and generous tips. Looked up Dan Burt I begin to see that you can colour any subject to give it pizazz so long as the tone and form is correct Certainly adding value now to my attempts Thanks heaps Annie
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February 2025
Copyright © 2022 All images and text on Amanda's blog and website are the the legal property of Amanda Brett and may not be reproduced without express permission from Amanda Brett or her authorised agent. Thank you for respecting her art and the livelihood of all artists.
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