October Plein Air

Enjoyed a warm day last week to paint outside. This is looking across our fields toward the Camden Hills. The weather is getting a bit chilly and plein air painting is almost over for me this year. Sigh.....

October in Maine, 9x12, oil.

This painting is available in my Ebay Store under Landscapes.

Thanks for visiting,
Celene

www.CeleneFarris.com

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A Simple Start

To answer a request from a former student...... "Please help, I've forgotten how to start a painting!"

For me, the start of a painting is very important. If my foundation is correct, the painting will go smoothly. If my foundation is not correct, it will be a battle all the way.

My goal is not to copy exactly what I see, but to create a painting that is well balanced and conveys my feelings about the scene.

Step 1 - The Value Pattern

Step 1 - Beginning with a thin wash of a neutral color on a toned canvas, I lay in my value pattern, breaking the scene into 4 values - dark, mid-dark, mid-light and light. Checking for compositional errors, I adjust shapes, adding, subtracting or moving elements as needed to create a strong composition.

Step 2 - The Foundation Colors

Step 2 - Following my established value pattern, I thinly lay in my foundation colors as correctly as possible and set my extremes - the darkest dark, lightest light, strongest edge and most intense color. These will be my guide points. Then I set the painting aside to dry a bit before working on the finishing steps.

Wilson Stream, 6x8, oil SOLD

Finishing Steps - Respecting what I have already done and using my extremes to guide me, I apply the finishing layers with thicker paint and cleaner colors. I make minor adjustments as needed.

By working carefully and correctly at each stage, you have a good chance for a successful painting.

Thanks for visiting and happy painting,

Celene

My Ebay Store - Home

www.CeleneFarris.com

The Philippines revisited.

My second painting for October's Virtual Paint Out - The Philippine Islands.

Sarangani, Philippines  9x12, oil

This painting is available in my Ebay Store under Virtual Paint Out.

Thank for visiting,
Celene

www.CeleneFarris.com

My Ebay Store - Home Page

October's Virtual Paint Out - The Philippine Islands

This month we are traveling to the Philippine Islands, an archipelago comprising more than 7000 islands in the western Pacific Ocean. 

Located between Taiwan, Vietnam and Malaysia, the Philippine Islands are located on the Pacific Ring of Fire and close to the equator making these tropical islands of mountains and rain-forests prone to earthquakes, active volcanoes and typhoons. 

The areas covered by Google Street Maps are limited, but I enjoyed reading a bit of the geography and history of the country before touring around and picking my scenes to paint. I was struck by the beauty and poverty of this region.

Plantation
Sarangani, Philippines  9x12, oil SOLD

To see all my paintings from our Virtual Paint-Out tours, please click here.

Thank for visiting,
Celene

www.CeleneFarris.com

My Ebay Store - Home Page

Almost October

Last night there was a heavy frost in the valley but not up here on the hill. Still it’s time to prepare for winter. Today I cleaned out the kitchen wood-stove and my husband went up on the roof to brush out the chimney. It’s a dirty, messy job that will be repeated a few times throughout the coming winter and spring. But we love wood heat and the comforting sounds of a crackling fire and simmering tea kettle. My husband has filled the woodshed and soon will be cutting trees for next year.

The vegetable garden is down to beets, squash, the last of the tomatoes and a few green beans. Frankly I’ll be glad to see the end of the green beans. My canning is finished, the pantry is full and the pressure canner is back in the closet until next year.

View from our garden.

Now I have to decide which houseplants come in and which ones I can live without.  

My Meyer's lemon tree will go in my husband's den for the winter. This summer it produced one lemon that my daughter-in-law made into lemon squares for us all to enjoy. This fall the tree has four lemons and we will be watching them grow all winter.

Meyer's lemon tree

New lemons this summer

Last summer's single lemon

I have always had an orange tree. My first one lived for about 20 years and the boys remember that it was their job to carry the tree outside in the spring and bring it back inside for the winter. Every year the tree was bigger and heavier - but then every year the boys were bigger and stronger. It is still a pleasant family memory that brings groans and laughter. After the tree died, they thought that was the end of it, but I bought another one in Florida and the tradition continues....

My orange tree

The days are sunny and cool, the leaves are just beginning to change. With the summer work done, we hope to spend time at camp this fall. There hasn't been much time for painting but I hope to remedy that soon. I’ll be packing my painting gear and my husband is looking forward to bird hunting. And Ginger is always looking for a new adventure.

 

Thanks for visiting with me.  
Celene

www.CeleneFarris.com 

Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah. Sept. Virtual Paint-Out

Bryce Canyon is spectacular. The colors and rock formations are surreal. I usually paint two views of our Virtual Painting Trip, but this month I had to paint three.

My initial lay-in using my Kindle photo as my reference source.

Bryce Canyon, Utah 8x10, oil

This painting is available in my Ebay Store.

Thanks for visiting,
Celene

To see all my paintings from our Virtual Paint-Out tours, please click here.

www.CeleneFarris.com 

Hilldale, Utah. September's Virtual Paint Out

This is day #12 of Leslie Saeta's 30/30 Challenge. I haven't painted as much as I wished because life is just too busy here in September. But I have enjoyed combining Leslie's Challenge with my Virtual Paint Out Group.  

Hilldale, Utah 9x12, oil

As you know, our Virtual Paint Out Group travels, via our computers and Google Street Maps to a different destination each month. I try to create two paintings of each new location. This month I might try for three. Utah is very interesting and I am fascinated by the rock formations. Bryce Canyon is spectacular. So we will see what happens this week.

I hope you are enjoying your September. We just finished with a very hot and humid week. Today is beautiful, with just a hint of fall in the air. The gardens are slowing down and the leaves are just beginning to turn here in Maine. Time for apple picking!

Thanks for visiting with me. This painting is available in my Ebay Store or on my website. I hope you've had a chance to check out my Store. I have over 80 items listed!

Ebay Store Link.

Thank you, 

Celene

www.CeleneFarris.com