ROSSITZA TODOROVA

• Acrylic Paint. I recommend Golden Open Acrylics. Bring cool and warm yellow, cool, and warm red, cool, and warm blue, green, and white. You will also need one neutral color like yellow ochre, raw/burnt sienna, raw/burnt umber, or Paynes Gray.  Golden Open Acrylic Landscape Set

• Palette. I recommended a Sta-Wet Palette. You can also use a regular palette or palette paper. 
  
  
• Small painting panels (2 - 3) with or without stretcher bars. I recommend not working bigger than 5" x 7" to 9" x 12." 
  

• Plein Air Easel - How to setup up a Plein Air easel.
  
  Plein Air Easels
  
  Plein Air Easel Buyer Guide

• Long Handled Synthetic Brushes (at least 3) 

- Large brush (1" - 1/2"). Size 10 Flat brush - Used to block in big sections, bold strokes, washes, filling wide spaces, creating edges, fine line, or straight edge. 

- Medium brush (1/2" or smaller), Size 4 Angular Flat brush - Used for curved strokes, filling corners, reaching small areas with tip, can also cover lots of space. 

- Small detail brushes, Size 1-4 Round, or Filbert. Round: used for details, short strokes. Filbert: used for blending, creating soft round edges like flower petals, it is like a combination of a round and flat brush. 

Nevada Fine Arts has Zen Royal & Langnickle in stock. They are great low-cost brushes. 

Before the workshop, you should prep the canvases or panels you will bring onsite. Keep your paintings small. I recommend bringing 2 - 3 canvas-covered panels (with or without stretcher bars). 

Good sizes are 5" x 7," 6" x 9," or  9" x 12."

You don't want to start with a white canvas. Instead, tint the canvases a neutral color. I recommend using yellow ochre, raw/burnt sienna, raw/burnt umber, or Paynes Gray.

Prep canvases ahead of time and allow them to dry before the workshop. 

Choosing a spot:

When we first get to the park, leave your supplies in the car and just walk around. Look at all the spaces available to you. Do you want blooming plants, mountain views, interesting lighting? As you walk around, stop, and take in a 360-degree view of the spot you are considering. Choose a spot that has shade from multiple sides as the sun will move. Try to find a place that has different things you can paint all in one spot. Choosing a diverse spot will let you move your easel only a few feet and be able to create 2-3 different paintings. Once you find your spot, go back to the car and get your supplies. Please let me know where you are in the park so I can find you. Expect that finding a spot and setting up will take about 45 min - 1 hr. 

Be aware of your surroundings: 

Once you have found your spot, be aware of your surroundings. Remember, the light will change. A spot that is shady one minute will be in direct sun the next. In the park there are sprinklers that turn on in the morning, you might find yourself getting wet and needing to move quickly. You are starting 2-3 paintings because the elements will dictate what will happen. There is a good chance you will not be able to be in the same spot for the full 3 hours. 

Choose a composition:

Don't just start painting. You need to take a few minutes and develop thumbnails for your composition. Use the Rule of 3rds. Zoom in and out in your sketches. Think of what composition will work better, vertical or horizontal. Take the time to plan at the beginning. It will make your painting experience better.

Document:

Take photos. Document your view before you start painting and before moving to a new place. 

Underpainting and blocking-in:

The goal for the first day is to start 2 - 3 paintings. Think about blocking in the big general shapes you see. Concentrate on value. Always work general-to-specific. Try to develop 3 different values using color. Save the details for Day 2. 

In this composition, I was thinking about the complementary color relationships I saw between the red rocks and green bushes, trees, and grass. I used warm colors to block-in the background, thinking of the under-color I saw.  

Simplifying shape and color

After you have developed an underpainting start thinking about the local color, you see. What color are the warm rocks? What are the colors of the shadows inside the bushes? Each object has at least 3 different colors. For example, the color of the rocks, the shadows on rocks, the highlight on rocks. 

In this video I am still using warm colors with a lot of reds, as I want a complementary color relationship. I am starting to develop texture and am beginning to add in some lighter sections.  I am mostly using warm colors first, saving the cool greens and details for Day 2. 

Color

Coming back on day 2 you want to take a look at the composition with fresh eyes. 

Make sure you are still blocking out forms. Don't cover everything you did yesterday. Let the underpainting show in places. As you make brush strokes, make sure they are purposeful. Try to capture the direction of the objects and their texture.

In this video my goal was to add the greens and details to the painting. As I start, the painting is still all warm colors. Adding the green will push the complementary color contrast. 

Details

We finally get to the details. Add the details you want the viewer to focus on. Include colors of flowers, bright highlights, and reflections. Details should sit on the surface and require little to no blending. 

Step back and look at the work. What does it need? Does it lose its focus as you look at it from further away?  If so, add contrast. You may need to deepen shadows and add brighter highlights.

Remember to save your white for last. If you use it too early, it can muddy your colors, and blend in with other light sections of your painting. 

Framing Plain Air Artwork

If you are working on a Plein Air canvas panel, with no stretcher bars, framing your Plein Air artwork is a breeze. Simply purchase a plain air frame with a rabbit the same size as your work and drop in the artwork. 

The video from Jerry's Artarama Art Supplies goes over framing options.