Category Archives: Technique

techniques, mishaps, successes

Magnolia blossoms -Catherine

April 25, 2015Catherine, Plein Air, Technique, Uncategorizedbrrrcatherinebergson

It’s hard to believe that at 6:30 a.m., the temperature is 39º this late in April! Being an optimist, I thought to myself, “if it were early March, I’d be thinking it was a pretty nice day!” The good news is that the blooms on the magnolia tree are a sign that spring is here!

After toning my 12 x 12 canvas panel, I decided to start painting the negative space with some sky color in the distance.

trying for better results with a toned canvas

I’m only going to work with a few colors and hope I get a nice feeling.

I wanted to paint a group of blossoms with only a scattering showing details.

Toning my canvas is something I don’t always do. I did today and I like the way I could map out the light and dark areas for my composition.

magnolia -Catherine 24apr15 — ready to add some blossoms -Catherine

I did have a mishap this morning… It was windy, and I didn’t take the time to weigh down my easel (you know where this is going!). After I picked up my stuff, and brushed off the sand and grass, it was time to pack up. The blossoms with have to be added another day. But, this was a great morning!

Foreground and distance -Catherine

March 17, 2015Catherine, Inspiration, Off Cape, Technique, UncategorizedNew Hampshirecatherinebergson

This is a view of Mount Whiteface in Waterville Valley, N.H., from The N.H. Lakes Region. I new this would be a painting lesson in pushing the mountain back into the distance, far away from the trees in the snow covered foreground. It was a clear day, and the clouds were casting dark shadows on the mountain range. Not having my painting equipment with me, I snapped this photo and worked on this painting in the studio.

Mount Whiteface NH — I blocked in the darks, lights, and the cloud shadows

I used the white birches and snow to show foreground, and muted colors in the mountain range to show distance.

Flower arrangement paintings -Catherine

March 8, 2015Catherine, Challenges, Inspiration, Technique, Uncategorizedstudiocatherinebergson

I like to remember flowers that are given to me by painting them. Here are two flower arrangements that Philip gave to me that I painted. Click here for link to Flowers by Mary.

White flowers -Catherine — White flowers – by Flowers by Mary, Orleans

White flowers and jug -Catherine — White flowers and jug Catherine

flowers and candle stick -Catherine — New Years – I love my starfish candle sticks!

Continue reading Flower arrangement paintings -Catherine →

“Patience” at Taylor-Bray Farm -Catherine

March 3, 2015Cape Cod, Catherine, Challenges, Plein Air, Technique, UncategorizedYarmouth Portcatherinebergson

Sheep, goats, and cattle enjoying a warm morning at Taylor-Bray Farm in Yarmouth Port.

My mind was set on painting the sheep grazing in this pasture. Then I noticed the sunlight highlighting the foliage on the trees.

I went to work on the the foliage. (This is were I only needed to make color notes on my canvas of the foliage so I could get back to painting the sheep).

The light changed quickly, and the sheep moved to the back of the pasture, ugh! I didn’t take the time to block in a few of the sheep that made up my composition. It was time to stop… WIPE IT OUT! Yes, it’s o.k., it is my painting and there will be others… Continue reading “Patience” at Taylor-Bray Farm -Catherine →

Mill Pond – flat bottom boat – plein air – Catherine

February 12, 2015Cape Cod, Catherine, Challenges, Plein Air, Technique, Uncategorizedboats, Orleanscatherinebergson

Flat boat Mill Pond Landing

Flat boat Apr2014 Catherine

I liked this flat bottom boat at Mill Pond Landing. Click here for link to Mill Pond Landing. The angle of the boat resting on the hill and the tree trunks made strong shadows. I was hoping to capture these shadows to give the impression that the boat was resting on a hill in my painting. I didn’t bother putting in the leaves. I am learning that there are times I just want to work on one aspect of a painting.

You don’t have to put everything that you see in front of you in your painting. My husband, Philip, always encourages me to “keep it simple!” This way I don’t put pressure on myself to complete a painting in one attempt. I can focus my attention on one or two challenges that day. -Catherine

Taking my time at Taylor Bray farm, Cape Cod – Britt

February 11, 2015Britt, Cape Cod, Plein Air, Techniquecolor, light sourcecatherinebergson

BM2014 Taylor-Bray Farm — Taylor-Bray Farm October 2014

Sooo, as I attempted to explain in my previous posts, I am working on a specific technique that I have either been reading about or someone has explained to me — last time I was concentrating on not just hurrying and almost panicking to get paint on the canvas and tried to block in the darks and the lights that I saw. This day we were painting at the Taylor Bray Farm and I wanted to add one more layer to my study.

That layer is to think about where the light source is, where it is coming from, and what color is it.

View from Taylor Brae Farm — Scene from a distance

I really don’t get yet how to determine the color of the light — I think I am getting there, but this study is about continuing to take my time to block out the color AND to think carefully about the light.

Painting Taylor Bray — I actually was brave enough to give this to my daughter, Ashley

BM Taylor-Bray Farm — Britt at Taylor-Bray Farm

Late April – Mill Pond

February 11, 2015Britt, Technique, UncategorizedBritt Magneson

As you can tell from these photos of this painting excursion, I have a long way to go with color.

This is a photograph of what I was trying to capture.

Photo of Mill Pond - Late April — Photo of Mill Pond

The colors that i put on the canvas in the photos below are much too vibrant and bold and as you can see with the initial blocking of color – the undertones were too bright for this day. Soooo much to learn and to practice.

Trying to follow the rules for blocking in shapes

Mill Pond - Late April — After a couple of hours of painting – so much to learn about color

Scoop from the coop! – painting my chickens – Catherine

February 10, 2015Catherine, Challenges, Plein Air, Technique, Uncategorizedchickenscatherinebergson

Not only do I look forward to finding an egg in the nesting box, I am enjoying learning how to paint my chickens. Anyone who has chickens for the pleasure of having fresh eggs understands how quickly they become fun, family pets. What I am practicing, is trying to capture the softness of their feathers and personality in their movements.

We have a beautiful hen, named Mona Lisa. Her feathers are a shiny, black iridescence in color. Molly is our country hen, with her spotted feathers. Sadly, we recently lost our Fiona, the colors of her feathers were similar to a pheasant. We’ve all seen white and brown eggs, but Fiona laid a robin’s blue colored egg: Enough about my chickens– back to painting them.

I painted the nasturtiums and coop plein air. The chickens were added back in the studio. Catherine

Continue reading Scoop from the coop! – painting my chickens – Catherine →

Starting out – plein air on Cape Cod – Britt

February 9, 2015Britt, Cape Cod, Plein Air, Techniqueday one, Skaket BeachBritt Magneson

This is a photo of my very first attempt at oil painting last March. What I hope that it conveys is the theme of this blog. To be specific that theme is to have patience in yourself and to allow your personal journey in this world to be exactly what it is supposed to be. For a while, and I really, don’t know why actually, I wanted to put paint on a canvas in a sort of bold ish way. so without study, classes, or much knowledge at all, I just did it. For me, the patience is being ok with, or comfortable with the knowledge that just getting out there and doing it, is a good thing. The practice then is to continue to show up to paint, or to run, or to swim, and to hopefully reach another level.

Skaket Beach photo Mar2014 — Skaket Beach photo

First Day by Britt — First day plein air painting at Skaket Beach, Orleans, MA

I did take a picture of the beach that morning and printed the photo back home. I painted this, the first picture, from that photo.

It might be worth considering if you are a bit nervous of just setting up your easel outside in front of the whole world:) that you start slowly and have patience with yourself.