When the Underpainting Chooses the Subject

'A Moment of Silence'         9x12       pastel        ©Karen Margulis
sold

Never waste a good piece of paper is my motto. So as I cleaned and organized the studio after my Sky workshop I needed to decide what to do with my scrap demo papers. I had a few pieces of Uart that I used to demonstrate various points about painting blue skies and clouds. Good paper covered in blue pastel!  I don't usually work on a blue toned surface but why not give it a try!

A stiff brush and some turpenoid allowed me to quickly spread the blue pastel and tone the sanded paper. It dried quickly and I was ready to paint.  But I had no idea what I would paint on the blue paper!

Art paper toned blue reminds me of my grandmother's bedroom when I was a child

Most of the time I have a subject and concept for a painting and then I decide on the paper type and underpainting technique. This approach allows me to choose the technique and colors that would help me to express my ideas. For example I love to do an oil stain underpainting for a field or meadow because the unusual drips help promote the illusion of grasses and weeds.

But now I was working backwards....I had the paper but I needed the right subject for the blue paper.  I skimmed through my basket of my reference photos that I recently printed (more on this soon) and one image spoke to me! I love when that happens. It was a photo I took last summer while in Normandy with Stan Sperlak's Painters passport group. We had stopped in a big field overlooking the sea for a photo op and of course I was drawn to the wildflowers. The setting  was special and I was filled with emotion. It was cool and very quiet and very blue. The perfect scene to paint on my blue paper. The blue tone would loan a feeling of softness, quietness and peacefulness to the scene. 

reference photo....Normandy, France

The color Blue: I remember my grandmother's bedroom. I must have been 5 or 6 years old and I wandered into the bedroom. The curtains were open and a gentle breeze blew the curtains. They were blue sheer curtains. Everything in the room was a pale gentle blue and it was very quiet and peaceful. I remember standing there in awe. Was this what heaven was like? I'll never forget that feeling of calm.

Sneaking Up on an Underpainting

'Evening Walk in the Wheat Fields'        10 x 10     pastel         ©Karen Margulis
available $165

It was an old and dirty piece of paper. It had been mounted on foamcore sitting in a pile waiting for inspiration to strike. But it had gotten buried in the pile and now was covered in splotches of random color. I never waste paper so I decided to use it and wash in the colors with a wet underpainting.

My subject was a scene from my summer trip to France. Our home base in Normandy was surrounded by wheat fields. (technically they could have been barley but wheat seems more romantic somehow) Every evening after dinner we would go for a walk through the village and up into the fields. At the highest point you could see far into the distance and see the beach and water. It was an inspiring place and was especially inspiring one evening when the sun broke through the gray clouds of a rainy day.

Read on to see how I used the underpainting to help express what I remember of that evening.

I used two Derwent Inktense sticks to draw and block in the main shapes. I used a dark blue and dark purple. I used a stiff brush and water to create a wash with the ink. I was very happy to see how the water interacted with the inktense. It produced some interesting drips. I'm not sure what the yellow stain was but it was on my paper and seemed waxy. It resisted the ink and water. I liked it.

Because I really enjoyed what happened in the underpainting I wasn't sure how much pastel I wanted to use. I had to take baby steps and sneak up on the underpainting with pastel. I started with the most important thing first.....the yellow light on the wheat fields.  I very tentatively added light layers of gold and green to the field.

I slowly added more pastel....an even lighter yellow on the filed and more greens in the grass hill. I chose to leave the yellow sloth in the tree. Just because.

I wanted to add some green to the trees but I started with a purple to match the color and value of the underpainting. Then I began to develop the tree.

I saved the sky for last. This isn't the usual way I work But  since I liked the underpainting I wanted to let it do most of the work. The color and value of the sky were close to what I wanted so a decided to use a few warm and cool purples to lightly layer in the sky. I added a few pale yellow clouds to make a connection to the fields and the sky was finished.

All that was left to do was add the final marks....the spices. I chose a wonderful rich blue and made a few marks. Can you spot them? It was fun to work this way and allow myself to be guided by the underpainting.

Painting notes: 10x10 on Uart 500 grade with Terry Ludwig and Unison pastels

A Tour of my Pastel Palette

'Amber Waves'              7x11              pastel            ©Karen Margulis
click here to purchase painting $125

I like to keep things simple. My pastels may look messy and unorganized but I do have a system. Yesterday I did a quick demo on Periscope. (thanks to the great response! I'll try to do a new scope everyday so follow me @karenmargulis)  I got a great question from a reader that has prompted today's post. She asked for a tour of my palette....my favorite pastels, why I chose what I chose, etc. Thanks Charlotte for the question!

To answer the question I used the same palette from yesterday's painting on today's painting. This is always a good exercise to see how well a palette works. I like this palette. How did I choose the pastels for these paintings?

It begins with my big box. This is my studio box. It used to be organized by color and value. It never looked as good as Richard McKinley's box but it was neater than it is now! It really doesn't matter though because the pastels in this box are in a holding pen. I choose new and limited palette from this box for every painting. I never work out of this box directly.

My big box of pastels

The big box is a mix of all brands. I do keep my harder pastels such as Nupastels in their own box. I also keep a few special sets such as my Terry Ludwig greens in their original box. Otherwise the wrappers come off and in they go!

My palette after the painting is finished...not so organized!

When I first choose the palette for a new painting I arrange them neatly in a butcher tray. I choose them by value and color NOT by brand. If the color and value are correct I don't really have a preference to the brand. Keep in mind I only use my favorite brands...Terry Ludwig, Unison, great American, Girault, Diane Townsend, Sennelier, Mount Vision. 

I arrange the pastels in the try by section. Each element of the painting has it's own section....sky colors, cloud colors, grass colors, dirt colors etc.  As I use them in the painting I don't keep them organized. I tend to get in the zone and organization goes out the window! I often will make myself use the same palette for another painting. I keep them messy as a challenge!

Below I took the pastels I used and organized them by brand so you can get a better idea of what I used. Here are a few general observations:

•  Terry Ludwig pastels make up the majority. They are my favorite and I could paint only with them if I had to. They start out square but take on new shapes as they are worn down.

• I tend to use Diane Townsend soft form pastels for the lights...I love them for clouds.

• I don't have many Unison pastels but I do enjoy them. I like the hard edge I can get with the rounded top edge. I used them for grasses.

• I like the creaminess of Great American pastels. I chose these for the color and value though and not the feel.

• A couple of Giraults made it into this palette. I usually have these in my plein air box.

• I used a few NuPastels in this painting. I did the initial drawing with the blue pastel and used the others for the linear grass marks.

• Mystery pastels....sometimes they get so worn down that I can no longer be sure of the brand. I don't stress though. If it is a well loved color/value I do my best to find something close. I don't worry about color numbers or even brands.

 So that is a quick tour of the palette I used for two paintings. I will now put these pastels back into the big box and start fresh for the next painting.

How to Generate Painting Ideas

'Joyful'            5x7            pastel              ©Karen Margulis
sold

It is hard to get started. There always seems to be something else that needs to get done. Painting time often takes a back seat. Especially when you haven't even been home for much of the summer! I haven't even unpacked the boxes from the IAPS convention! They hold all of the demos I painted. I am anxious to see them and share them but the boxes are not my priority. Painting is my priority.

Yes I have a long list of things I need to do but it is important for me to make a little time in my day to paint. I don't need much time. Under 30 minutes is enough. I think of painting time like doing a workout...30 minutes helps keep me fluent and flexible.  All of my daily workouts add up and makes me a better painter.

Making time to paint is easier if you know in advance what you are going to paint.  Having a selection of reference photos or subjects already planned saves much time and energy. 

TIP: Spend some non painting time choosing reference photos and clipping them to the paper you will use. Put these painting ideas in a pile. When it is time to paint only choose from this pile. Feel free to add to the pile only during non-painting time. Generating a stockpile of painting ideas during downtime allows you to be more productive when it is time to paint.

'Happiness'        6x6        pastel          sold

Today's paintings took about 30 minutes. I was able to start painting as soon as I went down into the studio because I had a pile of photos and papers all ready. I was able to get into the zone quickly. I enjoyed the first painting(top) and wanted to do more!  I was inspired by the first painting to zoom in closer to the Hollyhocks and paint another version. 

Often the act of painting will generate ideas for other paintings. My first painting inspired several new ideas that I look forward to exploring.

It was easy to get started when I have so many painting ideas all ready and waiting. It was just a matter of making time and ignoring all distractions!  How do you generate painting ideas? Share in the comments!

My reference photo from Auvers-sur-Oise France

Food and Friends....Impressions of France part 8

'On the Way to Normandy'             6x8           pastel           ©Karen Margulis
purchase painting here $75

It was billed as a painting expedition. The artists who join a Painter's Passport trip can expect to make forever memories. Yes we paint and work on becoming better artists. But we also explore and get to know the country we visit. We live as locals do...shopping and cooking our own local foods.

In the end it probably won't be the paintings I did that I will most remember. It will be the friendships I made.  They will forever color my memories of my trip to France. We came together as strangers for the most part (some of us were alumni from other PP trips) but in 10 short days we left as good friends.

Bonds were made through art. We supported one another, painted together, learned together. Bonds were also formed over food. What would a French trip report be without mentioning food!

Our welcome to Normandy dinner

I enjoyed my meals in Paris though jet lag prevented me from fully indulging. When we arrived in Normandy, Stan had reserved a room in a wonderful little seaside restaurant. It was amazing. The food was delicious and it was truly fine art.

My selection was awesome!

Meals were taken together in our big house. It was often a group effort with some wonderful food prepared. I thoroughly enjoyed the plentiful baguettes and croissants! It is always fun to discover new and different foods.

Cory and Frances cook a big breakfast for the gang

Gathering around the table for lunch

We were lucky that the weather cooperated for the most part for the workshop part of the trip. We did have one rainy day and we painted inside but otherwise the weather was great for painting....not too hot or windy or buggy! If anything it was a little chilly at times. We enjoyed the area around our house so much that we decided to forgo a day trip to stay home and paint!  

Stan leads the group...learning how to see and become better painters

My turn...after lunch entertainment!

Food and friends. This is the stuff that make for the best memories. Our 10 days in France went by quickly but there were days where time seemed to stand still. These moments I savored. I was fully present and will always remember the sweetness.

Special friends

One in a million

Chocolat at Mont St Michel

The best pastry ever!

Canadian friends enjoying a Paris breakfast

I hope you have enjoyed my trip report of France. After 10 days we returned to Paris and the Charles de Gaulle airport. My adventure was not yet over though. I was on my way to Sweden! My report on Sweden will continue after a short beach break! Stay tuned!


Make time to paint this summer! Save 25% on my digital demo PDFs this week only. Paint along with me in these step by step demos. Available in my Etsy shop. See them all here.

The Beaches of Normandy ...Impressions of France part 7

'Peace'                8x10              pastel                ©Karen Margulis
available for purchase $150

We were in Normandy. The connection we have to this place was palpable.  From the US, Canadian and British flags flying alongside the French flag to the expressions of gratitude from the locals, it was hard not to be reminded of history....of D-Day. Even at the manor, a mile form the beach we imagined what it must have felt like to be in the village of Meuvaines during the invasion. Was the home used for the war effort?  We were reminded of history everyday. We felt it and it became real.

D-day was no longer just a movie or a book. The evidence was all around us. It was incredibly moving and emotional to stand on those beaches....now peaceful ... and imagine the bravery of those who fought.

'Normandy Beach Impressions I'            5x7         plein air    $75

 We took a day to visit the beaches of Normandy and pay our respects. We began with a stop at Juno beach. This was the Canadian beach and since there were four Canadians in our group it was important to visit.  Here in an excerpt from www.junobeach.info

"On D-Day, June 6, 1944, “Operation Overlord”, the long-awaited invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe, began with Allied armies from the U.S., Britain and Canada landing on the coast of Normandy. On D-Day, the 3rdCanadian Infantry Division landed on Juno Beach. The Canadian assault troops stormed ashore in the face of fierce opposition from German strongholds and mined beach obstacles. The soldiers raced across the wide-open beaches swept with machine gun fire, and stormed the gun positions. In fierce hand-to-hand fighting, they fought their way into the towns of Bernières, Courseulles and St. Aubin and then advanced inland, securing a critical bridgehead for the allied invasion. The victory was a turning point in World War II and led to the liberation of Europe and the defeat of Nazi Germany."

Juno Beach

Next we stopped at the American Cemetery memorial.  The cemetery sits high on a bluff overlooking Omaha Beach. I was surprised at how high the bluff was. It was hard to imagine what it must have been like on D-Day. Seeing it firsthand was sobering.  Hearing the bells toll and seeing the rows and rows of crosses and stars was difficult. It was not an easy visit but I am glad we did it.

The bluff overlooking Omaha Beach

"There are two kinds of people who are staying on this beach: 
those who are dead and those who are going to die. Now let’s get the hell out of here."
Colonel George A. Taylor - 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Division

For an interesting read about the beaches of Normandy and the D-Day invasion check out this article from the Smithsonian Magazine. Click here to read. 

The beaches of Normandy are now at peace. They are some of the most beautiful stretches of sand and sea that I have ever seen. Children now splash in the surf and play in the sand. Artists come to paint. I never really had Normandy on my bucket list but it now holds a special place in my heart and soul.

Make time to paint this summer! Save 25% on my digital demo PDFs this week only. Paint along with me in these step by step demos. Available in my Etsy shop. See them all here.

Dancing in the Wheat Fields...Impressions of France part 6

'Dancing at the Edge'               8x10               pastel            ©Karen Margulis
sold

 I wasn't really expecting wheat fields. I was hoping for poppies and flax and maybe even some canola fields. In the end the wheat fields won me over. Our home in Meuvaines France was right in the middle of rolling wheat fields that seemed to go on for miles.   Stepping outside the manor you could choose any direction and within a few steps you would be in the midst of the magic.

How can wheat be magical? Individually they are as interesting as any flower. But there is more to it as I discovered on my daily walk through these fields.

See for yourself. Have a look at this short video clip taken on one of my evening walks. Listen to the wind and watch the wheat dance.

It wasn't just the wheat that was magical. It was the setting and the light. Every time I set off down the dirt road leading up through the fields it was different. The light was special. Sometimes the wheat seemed to glow with the evening sun. It is interesting to note that the magic hour in June lasted for hours. The best light was in the evening after dinner. The best time for an evening walk was around 8:00pm. The sun didn't set until around 10:00! Our evening walks became something I looked forward to. 

Just outside our door

This is a tree with character!

Walking up the gentle hill we would pass a large area of Queen Anne's Lace dancing at the edge of the wheat. (the subject of today's painting) Then we passed a lone tree, a sentinel on the way to the top. I took many photos of this very interesting tree.

At the top of the hill the dirt road intersected with a paved road. Within a mile this road would take you to the beach. The view from the top was unexpected and breathtaking. Perched above the village and our cows we could see for miles. In the distance the sea beckoned. It was amazing!

The sea in the distance

Of course, being in the middle of this magic inspired us to paint the wheat fields. I set up at the edge of the field to paint several studies. This experience only clarified the experience. I was officially in love with wheat!

I did discover a few lingering poppies. My poppy fields would come later in my journey.

Painting notes: Today's painting is on Uart 400 with an alcohol wash underpainting. 

The Cows Next Door ....Impressions of France part 5

'The Cow Next Door'           5x7         pastel             ©Karen Margulis
available for purchase here $95

***Note...if you got an earlier post with an ad or link don't click on it! I was hacked! I apologize!**

There was a certain fascination with the cows. They were exceptionally pretty cattle and very photogenic. But more than that I think it was the magical setting that made them so appealing. We all fell in love with the French cows of Meuvaines. 

We were surrounded by pastures and wheat fields. It was the ultimate fairytale bucolic setting. Old stone and stucco farmhouses on quiet dirt lanes that led past the meadows filled with fat and happy cows. No matter what road you chose you would see them and hear their moos and bellows and snorts and grunts. Cow sounds along with the buzzing of bees made up the soundtrack for our week in the country.

We didn't want to leave our cows. Like them, we were quite content staying near the Manoir St. Paul.

They posed for us!

'The Cow Next Door II'             5x7         pastel          $95

Kathryn makes friends in the back pasture

Curious Cows

After observing them for a few days and taking many many photos, I was compelled to paint them. Painting cattle en plein air can be a challenge. They don't often stay still long enough. It becomes a matter of capturing their gesture. I worked quickly and blocked in the large shapes with a dark value. I then quickly moved to a middle value and finally the lights. I painted the background last.

It was simply my impression of the cows in the meadow. I could have painted them all week long!

'The Cows of Meuvaines'   5x7   plein air pastel    $95

sold

Not all of the cattle were sweet and gentle. There were several pastures that were home to some very large (in every way) bulls. Several of the artists in the group had some close encounters with one bull in particular. His pasture was next to the church. It was the ideal location for painting the church but the bull made that a dangerous proposition.

Watch out Stan! This bull means business!

 I probably took over 100 photos of our cows. Yes there was a fascination with them but they added the spice in a very peaceful and beautiful landscape. They will certainly be the subject of many more paintings.

Early morning frisky cows

Beautiful 

 Today's paintings are 5x7 on Sennelier LaCarte paper with a mix of pastels, mostly Terry Ludwigs. Visit my Facebook page on Thursday to see step by step photos of the paintings. Be sure to 'like' the page while you are there!