Did you hear that?

It’s not very loud. Just a faint scratch on paper, or a soft blerp or splat or splosh or slosh of paint, and perhaps an occasional sigh. The sounds of the art studio and work being made with pencil and paint.*

First the thumbnail sketches...

 Then the studies.

Eventually underpainting begins.

And at last the first color layer.

That's not the end of it. There is more to come, so stay tuned.

"Painting is silent poetry, and poetry is painting that speaks". Plutarch

*onomatopeia - a word, which imitates the natural sounds of a thing.

Three to Get Ready

Deukmajian Wilderness Trail Sketch 
©2016 Katherine Kean
graphite on paper 8 x 10 inches

 I read somewhere that just thinking about the future—not even the rewards, per se—can strengthen willpower.

During the last few days of 2015 an artist friend had a great idea to sit down on an evening with calendars ready and pencils in hand and create a plan for the coming year. We mapped out how many paintings we would paint, what sizes they will be. We decided which new skills and levels of accomplishment we will reach and what kind of study, classes, or workshops might be required to reach these improvements. We also counted in time for travel, family, friends, and fun, time to experiment and time to take risks. When we were finished we marveled and laughed at our ambitions and wondered if the year would be big enough to hold all that we planned to put into it.

Foothill Storm Clouds Sketch ©2016 Katherine Kean
graphite on paper 8 x 10 inches

“Time is short, my strength is limited, the office is a horror, the apartment is noisy, and if a pleasant, straightforward life is not possible then one must try to wriggle through by subtle maneuvers.” – Kafka

I’ve always been curious about how other artists structure their days. I know what works for me, the hours that are the most productive, how to get started, and how to avoid distractions - that is, as long as I'm choosing to be productive. Mason Currey has put together a book that gives a glimpse into the routines and work habits of well known artists, composers, and writers in Daily Rituals: How Artists Work.

Liquid Sun Splash Sketch ©2016 Katherine Kean
graphite on paper 8 x 10 inches

“I calculate that I must have spent nearly 20,000 hours in writing Ulysses.” – James Joyce

“Sooner or later, the great men turn out to be all alike. They never stop working. They never lose a minute. It is very depressing.” – V.S. Pritchett

So, with calendar, list of goals, and a calculator I added up my plan of paintings and divided by available studio hours to see if there is a possibility to make these studio dreams come true. Mathmatically at least, yes, seems that there is. Let's see how it goes...

Winter Wet Paint

The winter months, such as they are in Southern California, should be a perfect time for accomplishing some studio painting. Once the holidays are over, there are fewer distractions and the garden is less demanding. The number of daylight hours is growing again, but it's still cool enough to work through the day. The catch is this - drying time slows down - a lot. A small study or painted edge that might dry overnight at other times of year might take a week - or more. I've taken to placing smaller work in front of the fireplace to try to speed the drying up.

Storm and Eucalyptus Tree wip
©2016 Katherine Kean
oil on linen 30 x 40 inches

When I can, I paint working wet into wet. I find it more challenging than working in layers, allowing each to dry completely. Yet, working directly has certain advantages. The rules of fat over lean are less consequential in direct painting. 

Detail-Storm and Eucalyptus Tree wip 
©2016 Katherine Kean
oil on linen 30 x 40 inches

 Except for the underpainting layer, the painting above has been proceeding entirely with wet into wet technique, although I haven't decided yet whether to paint the tree into the wet paint, or allow it to dry first.

Underpainting - Storm and Eucalyptus Tree wip 
©2016 Katherine Kean
oil on linen 30 x 40 inches

In the meantime I've been keeping a drop of clove oil on the palette to keep the paint fresh overnight. The cool weather and the clove oil fumes are all it takes to keep the paint from drying, and it makes the studio smell amazing.

Training and Use of Visual Memory, Deborah Paris TRAC 2015

Morning Light Deborah Paris
24 x 30 inches

As mentioned, I learned much from Deborah Paris's presentation at TRAC earlier this month:

The Training and Use of Visual Memory for Representational Landscape Painters

In her presentation, Paris reminded us of how memory works and how memory training was once considered a significant part of training for artists. Her presentation reinforced the importance of memory in loosening the contemporary reliance on photography as a reference tool and showed how memory provides a bridge to working from imagination.

The memory training method described by Paris is a logical extension of training made known by Horace Lecoq de Boisbaudran along with new, contemporary techniques developed by Paris.

In a nutshell (and as I remember it), the basic steps in this training, when working from a master drawing for example, are as follows:

   The big stare - at least 10 minutes of focused observation

   Describe what is observed to another person (or yourself) and/or write about the observation

   Make an air drawing - trace the contours of the subject in the air with your pencil, brush, or finger. 

   Make a drawing based on the memory and compare it to the original. 

   Repeat the process to strengthen and develop observation and memory skills.

It may seem odd that writing about an observation or verbally describing it to someone would help, until you remember that memory works by association. The stronger the associations the more quickly and fully a memory can be retrieved. Associations can be formed from a variety of sensory and cerebral input. In training for a massage therapy license, a group of us had heard that scent aids recall. We agreed together to use peppermint, and so studied and memorized with peppermint oil and we all wore peppermint oil to our final exam.

George Innes

Other training methods include removing oneself further and further from the subject, in both time and space. A friend who long ago attended the School of Visual Arts recalls drawing classes where the model would be on one floor and the easels on another. One either sharpened memory skills or got more of a workout than bargained for.

Nocturne James Abbott McNeill Whistler

You can see how useful this training can be when you want to work from imagination, or consider the many subjects that do not easily lend themselves to a photographic reference, such as the magical hours of dawn and dusk or the constantly changing clouds and ocean, or the night sky, or stars, comets, lightning, and volcanoes.

I've just touched the surface of Deborah Paris's presentation, and the subject of memory training in general. Fortunately, I understand that her paper will be published at some point.

UPDATE: Deborah Paris's paper is now online. Here's the link: http://www.deborahparis.com/Asset.asp?AssetID=42291&AKey=LCEK6WCL

Keep your eye on Field Notes  - Paris's teaching blog.

A few more resources:

Horace Lecoq de Boisbaudran's book is available online here:
The Training of the Memory in Art and the Education of the Artist

Memory Drawing 2 Stapleton Kearns

The Tradition of Drawing From Memory Malcolm Armstrong

Memory Drawing Techniques  Carol Allison

Deborah Paris's offering of online classes and field and studio workshops can be found here:
Deborah Paris, The Landscape Atelier classes and workshops.

Keeping Stored Oil Paint Fresh for the Palette

Over the years I’ve tried many ways of preserving paint, using everything from closeable palette boxes; which only work in the short term – ultimately the paint hardens, or submerging blobs of paint in water overnight; works okay, but it’s a chore fishing the paint out of the water and getting it ready to work with, and there may also be problems with the water breaking down the binder. Overall, the best and easiest way I found was to put the whole palette in the freezer. However, as my palettes have grown larger this has become less convenient.

Recently I learned a new trick. I have smaller pieces of glass to hold the paint, like these from School Specialty. These are lightweight and have smooth beveled edges. I load them with individual colors and line them up around my regular palette. I take color from the smaller glass panes and mix it on the larger glass. The smaller glass stays clean and at the end of the day I put them in the freezer. The cold slows down oxidation so that the paint doesn’t dry out. They are small enough that they don’t take up too much room.

The panes are 4 x 6 inches; inexpensive and small enough to slide into a Tupperware container to prevent accidentally getting oil paint inside the freezer.

Why save paint? One – it’s economical to do so and two, I’m keeping in mind that some of these pigments are mined and once they’re gone - they’re gone. I prefer not to waste them. Three, I don’t want to add anything to landfills if I don't have to. Four, any leftover paint fragments need to be dry before tossing and it’s messy and space consuming to have smears of half used color scattered about drying.

I like to put out more than enough color on the palette when I start painting. Have you ever heard “paint like a millionaire?” It seems to me this makes the work looser and more confident, plus it seems a waste of time and stops the flow to stop in the middle of painting a passage to squeeze out more color.

Please feel free to share this post if you find it helpful!

Getting Back to Work

"Try to end a day's work on a picture knowing how to proceed the next day." Irwin Greenberg

Marsh House ©2013 Katherine Kean
oil on linen 6x6 inches

As much as I like the idea of having all things complete and squared away before a break, it seems there is wisdom in coming back to work on something already in progress, especially if it’s something that you know exactly how to proceed with. Then it’s as simple as picking up right where you left off without fuss or hesitation or over-thinking. It’s a way to keep the flow going between starts and stops. I find this helpful on a day to day basis as well as for longer breaks.

Sky, Rocks, Beach work in progress ©2013 Katherine Kean
oil on linen 30x40 inches

 
 Before I leave the studio for the day I know what I’m going to start on the next day, whether it’s new drawings, a fresh under-painting, additional glazes - or sanding down and re-painting.

The paintings above are at a mid point. I can see where they're going, yet they will still have surprises along the way.

Happy New Year

Cloud Billows Over Scotland Hill ©2012 Katherine Kean
oil on linen 6 x 6 inches Private Collection

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year and hoping that it is prosperous, successful, and fulfilling. I love hearing about everyone's New Year traditions and resolution routines, whether it's eating a plate of black eyed peas, or keeping an accomplishment jar.

 I've been thinking of trying out the jar idea; which is to write down each accomplishment on a slip of paper and add it to the jar throughout the year. As the year progresses you can see the jar fill up and at the end of the year open the jar and remind yourself of all the great things you've achieved. I like that this idea uses a jar, which is something physically very apparent, and not just a notebook somewhere. Notebooks to me are too easy to misplace.

 Last year on New Year's day I wrote down some things I wanted to accomplish during the year. I folded up that list and slipped it into an envelope that I tucked away so that now I can read it and see how I did. Unfortunately, I don't know where I put the envelope! It has somehow disappeared in the flurry of action. Maybe finding this lost item will be something I can add to the jar....

A Painting Moment: Video Interview

A Moment with Katherine Kean from Aaron Landman and Joe Gasparik on Vimeo 

This video interview was shot this summer when friends Aaron Landman and Joe Gasparik came to the studio in the September heat and set up their equipment; fitting camera, lights, and recording gear wherever they could between wet canvases , flat files, and easel. From sketching to painting, peeking over my shoulder and close up on the palette they went about capturing thoughts about my painting process along with a behind the scenes look inside my studio.

Bear was also on hand - mostly sleeping and otherwise on good behavior. You can catch a glimpse of him keeping watch in the background.

Have you ever wondered: who does the remembering?

Cape Cod Great Marsh Sketch/Marsh Labyrinth 2 Katherine Kean
graphite on paper 6 x 6 inches

Our physical bodies are entirely replaced by every seven to ten years - some parts sooner. Surface skin is replaced every two weeks or so, the stomach lining in 5 days, the liver 300 - 500 days and the skeleton in seven 

to ten years.

So, who remembers? What part of a person stores the memories of people, places, and things from youth? 

Cape Cod Great Marsh Sketch/Marsh Labyrinth 3 Katherine Kean
graphite on paper 6 x 6 inches

It has been suggested that when drawing and painting from memory that it may be better to observe intensely and then do the 'transcribing' back in the studio. A famous art teacher, Lecoq de Boisbaudran,  instructed his drawing students to visit the Louvre to carefully study a painting in order to reproduce it from memory later. This would develop observation and memory skills, as well as help the student to discover their own visual language.

Your body is younger than you think.

Where are old memories stored in the brain.

Home Stretch

Branches triptych work in progress ©2012 Katherine Kean

oil on linen 8 x 8 in. each panel

I'm looking forward to completing the triptych shown above soon. When I get a chance, I find it's helpful for me to step back and look at work as a photo. I see things - overall patterns and suggestions that I'm not as likely to see on the easel where I'm focused more on details. It's helpful to get a look before it's too late to incorporate what I can learn from this perspective.

It's been challenging to find painting time this summer - a hazard for me as soon as the weather turns nice! Plus, I've had so many other studio projects happening, everything from re-photographing my current inventory for high resolution display to adding prices to all the work on my website. It is all getting done and for that I can thank the latest heat wave that has made it too hot to be distracted by the garden.

And More Birds

Clouds, Birds 5 in progress

©2011 Katherine Kean

oil on linen 8 x 8"

There is an advantage to working on these paintings right now. Because of their small size they are easy to illuminate with artificial light. Another plus I've found to painting in winter is that the studio is so cold at night that any paints left out on the palette stay fresh. I can never get away with leaving paint out in the summer!

Something Old or Something New: Which to Exhibit in a Group Show?

Dreaming ©2007 Katherine Kean
oil on canvas 24 x 18"

In deciding what to put into a group exhibition, some of the decision making may already be done for you. Many times when one is invited to a group exhibition there is already a theme in place, which will limit your options. It could be as general as a small works show or as specific as work with the color red.  Also group shows tend to impose size restrictions such as nothing larger than 24 x 30".

There are often other rules - only work completed during the past 12 months, or two years, or three, or only works on paper.

Recently a friend was considering whether to exhibit an older piece that he already knew was a strong work, or something from a brand new series still forming. My advice:

There are pros and cons to both. I'd probably go with the new work as long as you have the strength of vision to not be put off if you don't like the feedback. I sometimes "protect" new work until I feel it's strong enough on it's own and my idea of the direction it's going is well established. I've had the experience of selling really new work that I actually would have benefited from keeping around in the studio while I worked on the rest of the series. While I was happy to have a sale, it felt like a little setback to not have it for a little longer to refer to.

On the other hand, positive support can energize you and exhibiting can be a good way to see if a piece stands on it's own, apart from the series. Also, if you're not going to be making more of your older work it probably won't help you much to create a big demand for it - unless you have plenty left over that you'd like to sell. But, take the venue into account - sometimes it feels better to show something that you already know is really strong.

What would you do in the same situation? Would you show something old or something new?

What Do you Listen to While You're Working?

What do you listen to while you're making artwork? Is it music, the TV, the radio, your pet snoring, or maybe silence? I've learned that for me it's often helpful to have something in the background to keep my left brain occupied.

I have a television in my studio. It's placed slightly behind me, not to watch, but to hear. Too often it's tuned to news channels. I find the news compelling during natural disasters, but close to unwatchable during election years. Too often it's too depressing to leave on for very long.

I've recently rediscovered audible books. I've had books on tape in the past and now get books from Audible.com to listen to on a Kindle. I'm currently listening to The Time Traveler's Wife. Even though I've seen the movie version it's fun to hear it read aloud by Fred Berman and Phoebe Strole. Having two voices reading from the two perspectives of the story keeps it fresh and makes it more entertaining. I find it interesting also to notice the words that are chosen; how the words that are describing scenes that I can see in my head as a result of the movie differs from the words that
I'd use - and how the images in my head change as a result of these other words, even though it is the same story. This process reminds me of how large a part choices play in all art forms and how often what is left out may be as important as what is included.

 

A Storm Building

Here is a painting's progression from drawing to almost complete.

I took advantage of under-painting as a time to simplify shapes.

With each additional layer I've refined the color, making the grays with blue/green over painting. It can be difficult to see from this small image, but there is still a lot of under-painting showing through at this stage.

Almost done - I'll still be going in to add the smallest details.

Gathering Point 24 x 30" oil on linen

©2010 Katherine Kean

Underpainting

In this post about ways to check your work, the artists responding to the poll were equally divided on two methods to check work. One method is looking at the work through a mirror and the other is looking at it through half closed eyes. I mentioned another method that I use to check and make corrections to work, and I can see from the comments that it is not uncommon to use a digital photograph as part of the process. In this underpainting that I've been developing for a Great Marsh painting I can illustrate how I've been checking and correcting work digitally.

This first image is the very first layer of underpainting.



So far so good. This painting is going to be as much about the clouds as it is about the marsh and I went in to add more detail and depth to the sky, while also adding detail and darks to the ground to balance.



I'm not unhappy with the results, but I can't help wondering if I might like it more with darker tones near the tree line and in the clouds. The surface is not dry enough to add a wash to it so instead I take a digital image and add the changes with Photoshop.



The changes are subtle, but it gives me the information I need and soothes my impatience at the same time.

I use this method frequently, finding that it's especially helpful and time saving on larger work.

Ways to Check Your Work

Point Lobos Path 10 x 8" oil on linen
© 2009 Katherine Kean - Available at TAG Gallery

The first method I ever learned for checking artwork is to squint your eyes. Look at your work through half closed eyes and the details drop away leaving the values and composition. Or use a Reducing Glass – I mentioned this before. A Reducing Glass is particularly helpful with large paintings. My favorite way to check for errors is to hold a painting up to a mirror – or for a large painting I bring the mirror to the painting. Right away weak areas stand out and if there is a drawing or perspective error it will show. Another method I use is to turn the work upside down – the composition is quickly revealed – strong and weak areas, value problems, and so on.

Jacqueline Gnott talks about how she checks her work in this post on her Contemporary Realism blog.

I have another, more complicated method for checking work – and for moving it along. I’ll post it soon.

How do you check your work? Answer in the poll to the right, or if you have a different way to check your work, let me know in the comments.

What do you wear when you’re working?

This question might be aimed more at oil and acrylic painters rather than watercolor painters. Do you have specific clothes set aside that you don’t mind getting paint on?

In years past when I tended to get paint on everything, I had specific old clothes set aside just for painting in. These old clothes would get covered with drips, spots, and splashes, which became stiff with dried paint – not so much fun to wear. I’m not as messy or drippy as I used to be. These days I tend to wear regular clothing that’s comfortable, although not anything new or expensive just in case something spills or drips. Sometimes I remember to put an oversized old shirt on top Certainly I don’t look as dapper as Monet or Picasso do in these old photographs.

What do you wear when you’re working? Do you wear old clothes? Do you wear a protective layer like a smock or coveralls?

5 Ways to Avoid Toxicity When Using and Buying Art Materials

Lightfall IV 40 x 18" oil on linen
© 2006 Katherine Kean

This topic has been on my mind a lot lately and came to the forefront again with my recent solvent concerns during the direct heat termite treatment. I have gradually stopped using some of the most dangerous substances, like turpentine. Here are some more things that I do to avoid exposure:

1. Use gloves

2. Don’t keep any open containers. I mix my mediums with any thinner in a squirt bottle that stays capped when not being used.

3. Gamsol instead of OMS. More expensive yes, but has a higher flashpoint and lower evaporation rate which means there are a lot fewer fumes in the air to breathe in.

4. All leftover solvents, mediums, and brush cleaners are taken to the hazardous material disposal facility. Nothing goes down the drain to end up in the ocean or fresh groundwater through the sewer system or by seeping through the soil.

5. Any leftover paint is allowed to dry before disposal, also to prevent contaminating water supplies through seepage. Oil paint is expensive so I don’t allow much waste. I put out tiny amounts on the palette. If there is any left when I am done painting I mix it all together to get a good gray to paint the edges with.

In addition certain manufacturing companies are known to handle materials responsibly. Among them are Gamblin and M. Graham.

Here is an article with more safety tips for artists.

Here is Gamblin on Studio Safety and Solvents.

Related Posts:

If You Took All the Pigments...

Brush Cleaning With Safflower Oil

Honoring Studio Time

I like to paint during the week, during daylight hours. One of the reasons for this seems fairly simple and obvious: that’s when there’s light. I still rely on artificial light to some extent (that’s another post), but all said and done nothing is as good as natural light.

There is another reason that it works for me to be in the studio 9-5 Monday through Friday; that’s when most other people are working and it’s easier to go with that flow: the whole community tends to have more of a professional vibe. There are less likely to be entertaining distractions scheduled: not too many concerts, plays, dinner parties, etc happening during these hours. So it becomes pretty simple to establish these as my studio hours and show up regularly in my studio at these times.

I find a great benefit to sticking to this routine – it becomes a habit and it is a part of the process of artistic incubation. When it is my habit to work and create at these times, there is no hesitation, no struggle. I already know that I am committed to spending this time when I wake up in the morning and the work from the previous day carries creative momentum into the next. And I found that a magical thing starts to happen when this habit is formed: inspiration becomes automatically available because of the space that has been created for it

One challenge to keeping this commitment is the demand on time made by other people. People generally tend to think that since studio time is not what they think of as a regular day job, because I am my own boss and I set my own hours, that my time is available or flexible. They think of my schedule in the same light as their own when on holiday or on weekends, that it is possible to shift things around and then seem disappointed when I refuse and stick to my plan. On the other hand, I am extremely grateful to my friends who respect my process.

A couple of articles on the subject that I found helpful:

Mary Baker on Time For Art

Caroline Roberts on How Can I Find Time to Create

Do Artists Need Solitude to Work?

Path Katherine Kean
watercolor on paper

I happen to think so, although it may depend on the artist and what type of work they do.

Time alone in the studio (except for the dog, of course) is an opportunity to relax into a flow of consciousness. To let words and linear thoughts drift away. This state feels freer – nobody is watching – nobody is judging – it’s an anything might happen place to be.

Solitude helps me to get into the creative flow. Like falling asleep – they say that falling asleep takes about 7 minutes - I find it takes a certain period of time without interruption. An interruption means the whole process must start over again. For me settling down to work is preceded by a period of puttering around. I used to view this time as procrastinating, but I’ve learned that it is an essential part of getting to work. I flit about the house fiddling with this and that, putting things away, but gradually thinking less and less about what I’m doing while my mind is pulled toward what I’m going to work on. I end up finally in front of the easel, setting up the palette, mixing a color, these are the final acts of tinkering – I’m already almost oblivious to the world around me and on the way to becoming fully absorbed in interaction with paint and the surface.

Oddly I often find it helpful to have the TV on, tuned to something I don’t feel compelled to pay attention to – usually a talk show. This seems to serve to keep the literal part of my brain occupied; it’s like sending a talkative child off to play, leaving me free to work. .

And getting that time to work, undistracted and focused, requires saying no. Saying no to distractions, interruptions, and disturbances. Email must be ignored, the phone left unanswered – just for the time being.

“The primary distinction of the artist is that he must actively cultivate that state which most men, necessarily, must avoid: the state of being alone." James Baldwin

Robert Genn has a whole page of quotes about solitude and art.