Let's paint oils from life!
- Thread starter Grotius
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Dm7
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- 143
Thank you everyone! I appreciate it very much. Limited palette can be fun to work with. Try it sometimes. 
Here’s my two pieces - it’s up to you guys to break my spam streak.
“Pierrefontaine-les-Varans Village” 2 hours oil on 30x20cm canvas panel - it’s the same spot I painted last summer. Did I improve or not? I don’t know, but I feel like I can do more complicated details, so that’s a good start. I started with a brush and ended up doing knife painting the rest because it was faster and simpler. Not sure if I like the look of knife painting though. Limited palette - Winsor red, cadmium lemon, and Prussian blue.
"Pierrefontaine-les-Varans Forest" plein air adventure. Today I felt like getting a little lost and see where it leads me to. Found a spot and started painting. I was pressed against time because my husband needed internet at 4pm and I still had to walk back. Lol that was still a good practice. 2 hours oil on 30x20cm canvas panel. Limited palette, same as above.
Have a great summer and hope to see some of you doing this too?
Here’s my two pieces - it’s up to you guys to break my spam streak.
“Pierrefontaine-les-Varans Village” 2 hours oil on 30x20cm canvas panel - it’s the same spot I painted last summer. Did I improve or not? I don’t know, but I feel like I can do more complicated details, so that’s a good start. I started with a brush and ended up doing knife painting the rest because it was faster and simpler. Not sure if I like the look of knife painting though. Limited palette - Winsor red, cadmium lemon, and Prussian blue.
"Pierrefontaine-les-Varans Forest" plein air adventure. Today I felt like getting a little lost and see where it leads me to. Found a spot and started painting. I was pressed against time because my husband needed internet at 4pm and I still had to walk back. Lol that was still a good practice. 2 hours oil on 30x20cm canvas panel. Limited palette, same as above.
Have a great summer and hope to see some of you doing this too?
Donna T
Contributing Member
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- 3,066
These are both so nice! I like the look you got with the knife; it seems like it would prevent too much fussing. Beautiful light in the forest! It must have been wonderful to be there. I wish I could contribute to this thread but for now I'll just admire the work of those of you who can get out to paint!
Dm7
Well-known member
- Messages
- 143
Aw thank you @Donna T and @laika - maybe one day you can contribute.. until then, stay cool! Drink a lot of water!
Here’s my next one: "Bell Peppers in France" - a combination of still life and plein air season. 2 hours oil on 24x18cm canvas panel. Tried a new approach without using solvent by using walnut oil with alkyd as a medium and to clean my brushes. At the end of season, I clean them well with a brush soap. I think it was successful so that means I can paint in winter without having to open the windows!
Here’s my next one: "Bell Peppers in France" - a combination of still life and plein air season. 2 hours oil on 24x18cm canvas panel. Tried a new approach without using solvent by using walnut oil with alkyd as a medium and to clean my brushes. At the end of season, I clean them well with a brush soap. I think it was successful so that means I can paint in winter without having to open the windows!
Dm7
Well-known member
- Messages
- 143
Thank you @Artyczar - I still am not sure if I like the look of it haha. *shrug* but many people like it.
@Donna T Thank you! That’s why I paint from still life and plein air so I can learn about it and use that for digital illustrations. There’s the magical depth that camera can’t even reach.
"The Rural of Pierrefontaine-les-Varans" 2 hours oil on 30x20 cm canvas panel. I expanded my limited palette to include another blue and earth colors to make it easier to mix without having to desaturate every time. It helps me to focus more in painting itself so I think I'll keep it like that. I stood under a tree s shadow calculating that I would have 2 hours of shade before the sun touched me, but it moved faster than I expected so I believe I got 30 minutes dose of afternoon sun. Free vitamin D I guess.
@Donna T Thank you! That’s why I paint from still life and plein air so I can learn about it and use that for digital illustrations. There’s the magical depth that camera can’t even reach.
"The Rural of Pierrefontaine-les-Varans" 2 hours oil on 30x20 cm canvas panel. I expanded my limited palette to include another blue and earth colors to make it easier to mix without having to desaturate every time. It helps me to focus more in painting itself so I think I'll keep it like that. I stood under a tree s shadow calculating that I would have 2 hours of shade before the sun touched me, but it moved faster than I expected so I believe I got 30 minutes dose of afternoon sun. Free vitamin D I guess.
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Andy_in_Vienna
Well-known member
- Messages
- 82
excellent work ... amazing!!!! I rarely ever paint outside, I just looooove to re-think and re-do everything in the studio. but when I see your work I am just in awe....!!!! keep up the good work!!!! AndyThank you everyone! I appreciate it very much. Limited palette can be fun to work with. Try it sometimes.
Here’s my two pieces - it’s up to you guys to break my spam streak.
“Pierrefontaine-les-Varans Village” 2 hours oil on 30x20cm canvas panel - it’s the same spot I painted last summer. Did I improve or not? I don’t know, but I feel like I can do more complicated details, so that’s a good start. I started with a brush and ended up doing knife painting the rest because it was faster and simpler. Not sure if I like the look of knife painting though. Limited palette - Winsor red, cadmium lemon, and Prussian blue.
"Pierrefontaine-les-Varans Forest" plein air adventure. Today I felt like getting a little lost and see where it leads me to. Found a spot and started painting. I was pressed against time because my husband needed internet at 4pm and I still had to walk back. Lol that was still a good practice. 2 hours oil on 30x20cm canvas panel. Limited palette, same as above.
Have a great summer and hope to see some of you doing this too?
Andy_in_Vienna
Well-known member
- Messages
- 82
great work ... a very good idea to leave the solvents behind .. I always fear that my paintings won't dry quick enough when I use only linseed oil, then again they have enough time to dry anyway. thanks for sharing!!!Aw thank you @Donna T and @laika - maybe one day you can contribute.. until then, stay cool! Drink a lot of water!
Here’s my next one: "Bell Peppers in France" - a combination of still life and plein air season. 2 hours oil on 24x18cm canvas panel. Tried a new approach without using solvent by using walnut oil with alkyd as a medium and to clean my brushes. At the end of season, I clean them well with a brush soap. I think it was successful so that means I can paint in winter without having to open the windows!
Kyle Martin
Well-known member
- Messages
- 114
Hey Donna, you can also check out "Biobased Artist Solvent" from Art treehouse in Madison , Wisconsin as a brush cleaner during the painting session. You can also use their spike lavendar for thinning the paint during the painting process. I'm solvent free and these products are pretty cool
Non-Toxic Paint Thinners -- Made With 100% Lavender Spike Oil - MetaEfficient
Lavender or spike oil is a healthier alternative to traditional solvents, such as turpentine and mineral spirits.
metaefficient.com
If you are using those, you are not solvent free.
You say you are solvent free, and yet recommend that and Biobased Artist Solvent to others. Hmmmm.
Dave Woody
Well-known member
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- 2,420
Wonderful images.
2023 
