I had a really good time completing this October Plein Air challenge. I had only gone plein air painting once before this challenge in preparation. Additionally, I worked on the Foundations Course by Paint Coach to refresh my skills. I knew that painting in this new style would be challenging and difficult for me and I am glad that I took the time to work on developing my skills beforehand. I can definitely see refinement and development over these four paintings.
I did notice that it can be difficult to tell exactly what color you've mixed on the palette, especially if your palette is in the shade. I found myself needing to hold my brush in the air just to tell if a color looked and felt right. I also noticed that if my shirt was too colorful or bright the light would reflect the color of my shirt onto my wet painting, making it hard to determine if my colors were correct. I've now purchased a long-sleeve button-up that I use exclusively for plein air painting.
It's hard to tell which of my four paintings is my favorite. There are elements from each painting that I absolutely love. In the "Cornfield" painting I love the way that the shadows from the trees stretch across the harvested cornfield. In the "Lost Home" painting I love the composition of the painting itself the most - the thumbnail of the painting really reads like dappled light is hitting the ground and trees. In the "Under the Bridge" painting I love the overgrown reddish grass in the foreground. I felt like I dialed in the value shifts between the tall grass and the bridge behind it, but I definitely see that I could have pushed the values a lot more. In the "Fall on the Keystone" painting I love how I was able to incorporate subtle shifts in color in the shaded area next to the water. Shadow colors tend to be difficult for me to get right but they really read when the value is correct. With all of that said, I think my favorite is the "Fall on the Keystone" painting. It really showcases how much I've learned over this month of plein air painting and I love the warmth of the bridge. "Under the Bridge" is a very close second. What is your favorite?
Links in the names of the paintings will re-direct you to my shop if they're currently for sale!
I think "Lost Home" may be my favorite. The dark and light colors so close together creates a vivid picture of being outside on a sunny day, and hiding in the shade. Congratulations on finishing your challenge! :)
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