This week, we dabbled in using negative space (painting around the element of interest). In the photo,the top line of birch trees were the last to be painted. I painted the background around them first.
I liked this, as it keeps the trees clean - but definitely needed to air/blow dry the painting as I went. In other birch paintings I have tried, I used a miskit liquid to cover up the white. This is hard to control and the lines around the miskit are abrupt - this could be because I am an amateur. At home - I added a few branches and then went on to Jackie's landscape with the white church. I painted all the negative space first, everything but the buildings, that is. I think, in retrospect, I probably should have left more white space in the buildings since it was there from the start and would have provided better contrast. That was a fun one. Last, we were supposed to paint the tree in a monochromatic color with 10 shades (values). I chose purple, and I am really not sure if all 10 shades showed up as things blended in on the wet paper. But I am satisfied with that one. This Thursday is the next class, and we will be using what we are learning with values and adding color within that. Looking forward to it!
Jackie Mangione is a great teacher - love watching her paint - learn so much from that alone :)
- Lauren
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