Painting the Breaking Wave A workshop in oil with West Coast artist Byron Pickering

Transcription

1 Painting the Breaking Wave A workshop in oil with West Coast artist Byron Pickering Thank you for sharing this lesson in painting the sea. I hope you find it rewarding and inspirational. Keep your expectations high, but please remember, this is a learning experience. Painting the sea is like any other worthwhile goal. It takes observation, practice, and determination to achieve success. Before beginning the painting, read through the entire lesson. Review each page as you progress. They are an important part of the lesson. Published by Pickering Studio Otis, Oregon Copyright 2003, Byron Pickering, all rights reserved.

2 Index Page 3..About the artist Page 4..Supplies Page 5..Painting grounds Page 6..Sketching the painting Page 7..Composition Page 8..Making a comparison Page 9..Color Mixing Page 10 Wave Dynamics Page 11 Getting Started Page 12 Blending the transparency Page 13 Painting the sky and the headlands Page 14 Underpainting the foreground Page Painting the break Page Adding the background Page 19 Foam patterns Page 20 More about foam patterns Page 21 Finishing the foamburst Page 22 Painting the surge over rocks Page 23 Rocks Page 24 Painting the left rock and rolling foam Page 25 Reflections Page 26 Painting the foreground foam patterns Page Finishing the painting Page Brush techniques 2

3 About the artist The path to the beach was well worn in l971 when Byron Pickering made his home on the Oregon Coast. It seemed ordained that he would meet with this rugged coastline and its ever-changing surf. As a child growing up among the lakes of Wisconsin, he found it was the water and the rocky shores of Lake Superior that enticed his childhood artistry - along with portraits of local friends. It was only after completing study at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology and Design and a stint in this fast-paced industry that he made his way to Oregon as a ministerial student. A short move to the coast came naturally. The combination of being near the ocean and in an artists' community renewed the Cascade College Class urge to paint. Byron watched the surf daily, His easel became a permanent fixture in the corner of the living room. His understanding of surf action is the result of this time of observation, and is the resource from which he paints. After a year of intense practice, Byron was given his first showing in a coastal gallery. Many sold out shows followed. Painting for the gallery and an annual series of workshops occupied the following 13 years. Among Byron's credits: His work was displayed at the 1976 "Americans in Paris Bicentennial Exhibition." The Oregon Coast Association commissioned a 4' x 6' oil to hang in Oregon's Pavilion at the 1986 World's Fair in Vancouver, B.C. A feature article appeared in a 1977 Southwest Art Magazine. The Center for Marine Conservation used one of his paintings as the cover of its 1990 annual report. In September 2000, Byron was honored as a recipient of one of the ten prestigious awards given at the Salon d'automne International Art competition in Montreal, Canada. In 2001, he was commissioned by the Lower Flathead Valley Foundation to create an image of the Mission Valley as it might have appeared 15,000 years ago when Glacial Lake Missoula covered the western area of Montana. A reproduction of this painting is on a permanent outdoor display at the Glacial Overlook at the National Bison Range. 3

4 Supplies Recommended supplies include: a paper palette, a container and paint thinner (odorless if possible,) Liquin*, #1 and #6 (or #8) filbert brushes, #6 and #14 square sable brushes (or soft imitations,) and a #1 liner brush. A 1.5 tapered sash brush works well for blending; however, any soft blender will do. A palette knife for mixing colors, paper towels, and soft cloths are indispensable. When possible, use the supplies you already have on hand. Brushes should be in good condition. It will be difficult to produce the techniques used in this painting with worn or "fuzzed out" brush tips. *Liquin is a durable, non-yellowing medium made by Winsor & Newton for thinning and speeding the drying time of oil colors. Excellent for glazing. 4

5 Painting grounds A wide range of pre-stretched canvas and panels is available at art supply shops. This demonstration was painted on a 12 x 16 fine-weave, smooth cotton canvas, which is recommended. Problems with canvas quality that can make painting difficult are: "slickness" (the ground will not hold the paint properly,) rough texture (the canvas weave is too coarse to allow painting of fine detail,) and absorbency (the coating on the canvas is thin and allows the paint to soak into the fabric.) Select your painting ground carefully. More information about painting grounds If your painting is to be bold and heavy-textured, choose a canvas with a coarse weave to better hold the paint as it is applied. For finer applications and glazing techniques, choose a smoother ground. Numerous fine cottons and linens are available. Other grounds include Masonite, wood, or even parachute silk. If you are preparing a panel from Masonite or wood, apply gesso* to both sides of the material to keep it from warping. Beginning artists can purchase a canvas tablet for those first experimental brush strokes. *Gesso is a water base acrylic coating designed to improve the permanence of oil or acrylic paintings. 5

6 Sketching the Painting Using very light pencil lines, block out a 12 x 16 canvas in two-inch squares. With the liner brush and any light blue color, sketch the outline of the painting as shown. Use the squares as a guide. It is important to be as accurate as possible with this step to assure the best results. If time permits, allow the sketch to dry before continuing with the next step. Mixing a small amount of paint thinner with the color will hasten the drying time. You can then gently erase the pencil lines. 6

7 Composition Balance: Placement of the various elements of the painting is always a challenge. Center of interest, balance, light, and shadow - all must be taken into consideration. The transparency in the wave should be the focal point of the painting. Notice that it s slightly higher and to the right of the middle of the canvas. Composition of the painting should draw attention to the center of interest. The rocks and swells in the lower part of the painting lead the eye toward the transparency. Color: Changes in the time of day and atmospheric conditions will alter the mood of the painting. I've chosen to portray an overcast day with the afternoon sun breaking through the mists. To give greater depth to the painting, color values will be grayed and less intense in the background. They are brighter and deeper in the foreground, enhancing the illusion of distance. Light: Always consider the light source in the painting. The arrow at the upper right corner points in the direction from which the light is coming. Avoid bright highlights in areas of the painting that are shadowed. Now let s compare the sketch to the finished work. Comparing them will help clarify the results of careful planning. Minor changes have occurred, but the overall image has retained the accuracy of the original sketch. Making major changes in the middle of the painting process can be problematic. It is best to have a clear direction for the piece firmly in mind before laying a brush to the canvas. 7

8 Making a comparison 8

9 Color mixing Here is a list of oil paints and mixtures used in this painting. Most of them are common to every artist's palette. Colors are: Winsor Blue (any tint,) Indian Yellow, Lemon Yellow, Burnt Sienna, Emerald Green, Ultramarine Blue (any tint,) Viridian, & Alizarin Crimson. Mix the colors in small quantities until the correct balance is achieved. Alizarin Crimson and Winsor Blue are more penetrating colors and require only minute amounts in mixtures. White, Lemon Yellow, and Emerald Green Viridian and Alizarin Crimson with color #4 White, Indian Yellow, and Burnt Sienna. Emerald Green and White. Viridian, Alizarin Crimson, and Burnt Sienna, and white. White, Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Sienna, and Alizarin. White, Ultramarine Blue, and Burnt Sienna. White, Ultramarine blue, Winsor Blue, and Burnt Sienna. White, Viridian, Alizarin Crimson, and Winsor Blue. White, Winsor Blue, and Emerald Green. White, Viridian, Alizarin Crimson. Winsor Blue, Burnt Sienna, and color #4. White, Ultramarine Blue, and Burnt Sienna. White, Winsor Blue, and Burnt Sienna. Color #12 and color #4. White, Winsor Blue, and Burnt Sienna. White, Winsor Blue, and Burnt Sienna. 9

10 Dynamics of the breaking wave Ocean waves are disturbances of energy caused by movement of wind across the surface. Blowing on a dish filled with water will demonstrate the process. The traveling hump, or ridge of energy, gives the appearance of water movement. In an ocean wave, energy is moving at the speed of the wave, but water is not. Observe this by watching a piece of flotsam as it rises and falls with the passing waves, but remains in place. As the energy moves toward the shore, wave height increases. This occurs because the water gets too shallow for the energy to complete its circular motion. waves break numerous times. While the bottom of the wave is slowed, the top moves forward unhindered. The process forces the wave upward until gravity pulls the crest over and the wave "breaks." The place where this happens is known as "surf" or the "breaker zone." Between the breaker zone and the shore, Refer to the disk for an action sequence of the above images. 10

11 Getting started Although there are many ways to begin a painting, I usually start with the center of interest. Establishing a strong color "identity" here prevents other areas of the painting from becoming distractions. With your palette knife, mix touches of Emerald Green and Lemon Yellow with a small amount of white (color #1.) Using the small sable brush, lay on a thin band of color at the top of the wave. This is for the lightest area of transparency. You may want to lighten the tint even more at the crest, where the wave is thin and translucent. Add more Emerald Green to the mixture as shown in color #2 and paint another color band across the center of the wave. Color #3 is more difficult to achieve. Using Viridian as the base color, add a touch of Alizarin as a complement to gray the hue. Alizarin is a much stronger color and will rapidly dominate the mixture. Mix it in, a little at a time, until the color is a balanced greengray, as shown. If the color appears too dark you may want to add trace amounts of white to dull the intensity. This is an important color, so mix enough to cover most of the foreground of the painting. Fill in the area shown in the image with color #3.The next section will deal with blending the colors. 11

12 Blending the colors Use the #14 sable brush for blending the color bands. Lay the brush tip against the canvas as shown in the inset. Lightly brush back and forth across the canvas as if you were painting a board. As you paint, move the brush up or down slightly to bring the colors together. Leave pure light color at the top of the wave. Continue the process until the color bands have been blended evenly. Controlling the pressure of the brush on the canvas is important. A heavy pressure will pick up too much paint on the brush tip and cut the color back to the canvas. A lighter pressure will allow the color to blend evenly. Keep the brush clean and dry. After you have made several blending strokes, wipe the brush tip gently on a dry cloth. If you find it necessary to use paint thinner to clean you brush, dry it thoroughly with the cloth before continuing. 12

13 Painting the sky and the headlands Because it is not a focal point of the painting, the sky is softened and left without detail. Wet the liner brush with thinner and dip it into color #5. Mark out the areas where there will be darker clouds, as shown in the top image. Paint in the lightest areas of the sky using color #5, mixing a touch of Burnt Sienna as you move away from the light source. There is a small amount of the same color laid across the top of the left cloud, just above the seamount. With color #8, paint the remainder of the sky at the top and bottom of the cloud lines. Using the #14 sable, blend the colors evenly from the lightest area at the right, to the pure sky blue nearest to the headland. Don't worry if some of your color drifts into the headlands. You still have the outline as a guide and a soft cloth touched with thinner can clean up the area before the rock color is applied. Add white to the horizon area to capture the mists that rise from the high surf. Carry some of the mist color across the base of the headlands. With the small filbert brush, mix color #5 and #6 and scrub it into the top of the cloud areas that were marked out at the beginning. Brush a small cloud into the upper center of the sky with the same mixture. Clean your brush and add color #9 in a thin layer to the bottom of the clouds. Soften the sky with the large blending brush. Using color #4, paint in the headlands and blend them into the mist at the horizon. 13

14 Underpainting the foreground Using the colors of the major wave, paint in color bands in the foreground waves, carrying the dark color to the bottom of the painting. Notice that the lighter bands are much smaller. The size of the transparency depends on the depth and pitch (or steepness) of the wave. Brush the color bands together, blending them evenly. 14

15 Painting the Break Mix color #10 for shadowed areas in the foamburst. If the color appears too bright, add a touch of Burnt Sienna to gray the mixture. With the small filbert, fill in the color at the base of the foamburst and around the rock, leaving areas of canvas for bright and secondary highlights to be added later. I have also added some color at the base of the spill, just above the foamburst. Paint in a thin band of color #2 at both sides of the spill. With the #14 sable brush, paint in the rest of the area with the darker color #3 and blend the three areas uniformly. Roll on a line of color #10 up the right edge of the spill and across the top of the transparency using the liner brush. 15

16 Painting the Break continued With the liner brush, roll in lines of color #10 from the bottom of the spill upwards to the top of the wave. Wipe the brush gently on a dry cloth to remove the residue and repeat the process. Observe that the lines curve as they reach toward the top of the wave, giving an appearance of roundness and depth. After you have completed several of the full lines, add shorter, broken strokes to break up the rigidity. You can also add tiny u-shaped crossstrokes on the lines to show the fall of the water. Soften the entire breakover and foamburst with the blending brush. To complete blocking in the underpainting, fill in the foreground rocks with color #12, leaving blank areas for the runoff. They will be painted in later. The blue arrows in the image at the left point to these areas. 16

17 Adding the background Using color #1, brush in a narrow band of color across the top of the secondary wave (see arrow.) Add some of color #8 to color #3. You may have to experiment several times to get the hue and value balanced. Using the mixture, paint a second band of color across the wave, leaving about one quarter inch of open canvas at the bottom. Fill in this area above the major wave with the light blue and blend the colors together. Next, mix color #8 with the headland color (#4) and form the distant waves near the horizon, again using the light blue at the bottom of each wave. The color loses intensity and disappears as it nears the horizon line. 17

18 Adding the background continued With the liner brush, paint in the foam patterns as shown in the finished image above. Although it is important not to "overwork" the background detail, an occasional wave that has broken into rolling foam helps bring reality to the image. Touch the top of the waves with a broken line of white for highlight. In areas where the wave-top is still flattened, let the brush strokes flow downward and to the right. This gives the wave top a feeling of flatness or body in places where it has not completely crested. Soften the background with the blending brush. 18

19 Painting the foam patterns Water below the foam patterns is roiling from the disturbance of the surge that has passed. As the patterns boil, the surface appears almost white from the aeration. When the water has quieted behind the passing wave, the foam begins to break apart and dissipate. To better understand the shapes of the patterns on the breaking wave, observe the examples below. The first view is the edge of the circle seen at eye level. No center color is visible. Likewise, openings in the foam at the base of the wave are not visible because they are less broken and we are viewing them at eye level. Next, the circle turns vertically and some of the color comes into view. The pattern has now become an elipse as the wave face lifts it up and it begins to stretch and break apart. As the circle turns into full view, the pattern would be on the vertical face of the wave. If the wave is breaking, as in the painting, the pattern image reverses and becomes even more broken as it moves up and under the curl. Perspective is also a consideration in shaping the patterns. In this painting the wave is breaking at a slight angle to the left, allowing us to view the "curl" or "pipeline" under the break. The foam patterns will be stretched vertically to mirror that perspective. Using the liner brush, form the patterns on the face of the wave with color #10. 19

20 More about foam patterns The shapes of the patterns used on the breaking wave occur on more complex wave structures as well. Moving swells, crosscurrents, backwash, water breaking over rocks...all have their own dynamics and beauty. The small images demonstrate some of these dynamics. The shapes of the patterns show the water movement and enhance the depth of he image. The first shows foam patterns on quiet water. The second image shows deep water off rocky shores. Because of backwash and obstructions, the water is in constant turmoil. In the third image the surf has broken against the headlands and is surging back against an incoming wave. Here, the water is compelled by many opposing forces. Try to visualize the action of the water as you work. Use the patterns to show direction and movement of the surf in your painting. 20

21 Finishing the foamburst Lay out a small amount of white on your palette and tinge it with Indian Yellow. The resulting bright off-white color will be the highlight color for the foamburst and tops of the waves. Loading the size 6 filbert brush, scrub in the areas along the top of the foamburst that still show the background canvas. The side of the brush with the most paint should face the light source. The highlight extends downward and across the foamburst in front of the spill. Color #11 is used to accent and give depth to the shadowed areas of the foam. With the small filbert brush, lay some of the color into the foamburst as shown in the image. If your painting has dried, "wet" the shadowed foam areas with color #10 to make blending easier. To warm the transition between the highlight and the shadowed foam, use color #13. To accent the top of the wave one side of the brush tip the white highlight mixture. Turn the loaded side of the brush down and hold it at the wave crest. Raise the handle to nearly a right angle to the canvas. Draw the brush horizontally across the canvas, leaving a heavier ridge of paint across the top of the wave. Repeat the process on the foreground transparent swell. Use the blending brush to soften the completed foamburst. The small break at the right side of the wave is formed in much the same way. Here, the top of the wave is just beginning to break and is still very light and translucent. Mix colors #2 and #10 and paint in the spill area. Paint in the shadowed area and add a few foam lines in the spill with color #10. Add the bright highlight. 21

22 Painting the surge over rocks As the wave rolls over the rocks, the water becomes extremely turbulent. Heavier lines of foam erupt as the water flows from the higher surfaces into the receding surge. Motion in the water can be shown by curving the lines of highlighted foam in the direction of the surge. Using the small filbert, load the tip with the highlight mixture. Roll it in a circular motion across the top of the surge and downward. This gives the illusion of movement. Leave the heavier ridges of paint intact. They will enhance the effect of light and shadow. Repeat the motion to create more lines of foam. After applying a few bold strokes with the filbert, use the liner brush to form joining lines in the patterns. With colors #11 and #13, shape the shadowed foam to give depth and show the fall of the water. The entire lower right corner is brushed softly in shadow so the focus will remain on the center of interest. 22

23 Rocks The rock at the right of the painting is in the mists left by the passing surge and can be painted with a suggestion of detail. Leaving it without bright highlights will also keep it from detracting from the center of interest. The gray highlights used to shape the rock are reflections of sky and foam on the wet surfaces of the rock. If the undercolor is dry, it may be good to repaint the rock. Lighten color #15 slightly with color #16 and mix it with Liquin. Using the sable brush, apply a very thin coat to the rock surface. The rock has been broken into several distinct parts. Each of these sections shows vertical and horizontal plains. Load the brush tip with color #16 and draw it across the top of the rock. Reload and repeat the stroke, changing the angle slightly. As you can see, the top of the rock has been shaped by changing the direction of the brush strokes. Vary the pressure on the brush tip to form different color values in the shadowed areas. To paint the vertical plains of the rock use color #17. With the flat edge of the #14 sable brush, form the vertical plains of the rock. Try to achieve the effect with as few strokes as possible. With the liner brush and color #16, paint in the foam trails. In the painting, the water has instantaneously receded into the crevices, leaving the top of the rock exposed. As noted earlier, only the sky reflections remain behind on the wet surface. The smaller foreground rock is nearly buried in the mists and is lightened and left without detail. 23

24 Painting the left rock Paint in the rock at the left of the painting. Since this is not an important area, avoid sharp detail and use less contrast in the color values. Add a touch of Burnt Sienna to color #5 for the light on the top of the rock. Blend the color slightly into the basecoat. Dull the color even more as the surface becomes shadowed by the foamburst. Blend the rock and foam together to form the mists and spray. If the foam colors have dried, use the filbert brush to wet the areas again before blending. Blend color #15 into the water at the base of the rock. Rolling foam Using the same techniques as in the "surge" lesson, finish the rolling foam on the left side of the painting. With either the small filbert or sable brush, roll the highlight at the top of the foam. Fill in the smaller lines with the liner brush, curving them in the direction of the wave movement. Soften the foreground surge with the blending brush Move it lightly and quickly in a forward motion on the highlights. Be careful to not dig into the heavy highlight color with the brush tip! 24

25 Reflections To better understand reflections, place a small hand mirror on a flat surface. Change your position and watch the changing reflections in the mirror. Like the mirror, water has many complex reflections, which result from the surroundings and the angle of your observation. In the painting, the flat areas of the water are reflecting the sky. I have used color #17 to paint in the reflections. But first, to smooth the flow of color from the brush, wet the underpainting with a very thin coat of color #3. Next, load one side of the large sable brushwith color #17. Turn the loaded side down and, beginning at the bottom of the painting, draw the tip of the brush upwards toward the rolling foam. Repeat the process, cleaning the tip of your brush on a soft cloth after each stroke. The lines follow the gentle rise of the swell, merging as the water flattens. If the underpainting is too thick or if the tip of the brush is not clean, the reflections will muddy and lose their sharpness. Using the blending brush, soften the edges of the lines. Allow the painting to dry for at least 24 hours before the next step. 25

26 Painting the foreground foam patterns With the liner brush, paint in the patterns on the foreground swell using color #10. Remember, the patterns will follow and define the shape of the wave. Keep your brush tip clean and dry, using fresh color as you paint. Because the underpainting is not completely dry, some of the darker color will blend with the patterns. When you have finished this step, allow the painting to dry for at least 5 days in preparation for the final touches. 26

27 Finishing the painting Glazing may be used to give depth to color, soften harsh areas of color, change a hue, or even create a different mood in the painting. Glazing is the application of trace amounts of color pigments in a transparent medium. In this lesson we are using the glazing process to refine the foreground and areas of foam. Liquin is a good glazing medium. white as you brush it into the lower left corner of the painting. Touch the tip of the large sable brush into color #3. Mix it with enough Liquin to make the color transparent. Work until you get a glaze that is easily smoothed over the dark foreground and sky reflections, allowing the underpainting to show through. To give the appearance of spray, lighten the glaze with Adding traces of pure colors such as Winsor Blue, Viridian, Alizarin, or Burnt Sienna will give the glaze even more color. Experiment with combinations of these colors for different effects. The next step is a practice in freedom of your brushstrokes. Use white and Liquin in varying amounts as your glaze. In the areas behind the wave crests and especially around the top of the foam burst, brush in some of the glaze. Loose, free strokes help to give the illusion of movement. Notice that the white has been blended to create the mists left behind the breaking wave, while the burst has sharper strokes left unblended. When you are satisfied with the results, gently and lightly sweep the large blending brush over the glaze several times. Finally, using a bluegray glaze similar to color #16, soften the bottom of the rock areas. Repeat the process along the face of the foamburst where it breaks against the rock. Cutting some of the glaze back to the undercolor can be an effective way of forming ripples in the water. Dip the tip of the 27

28 large sable brush into thinner and touch it lightly to a soft cloth. Using the edge of the brush draw it upwards and across the foreground foam patterns. Notice the color variations that occur. Repeat the process until you are satisfied with the appearance. If all this sounds difficult, remember, you can gently wipe the glaze away to the undercolor and try again. And that's it! Congratulations! You have worked very hard. 28

29 Brush Techniques Loading one side of the brush Use this technique for sharp lines of color. Load the tip of your brush with color on ONE SIDE ONLY, as is shown in the inset. Holding the brush about half way up the handle and at a right angle to the canvas, turn the loaded side down. Pull the brush across the canvas. The more pressure you apply moving the brush, the heavier the line will be. For best results the brush must have a sharpened, unworn tip. Practice on another canvas before you use the technique on your painting. Using the filbert brush Use this technique to apply a thin coat of color to larger areas. Hold the brush midway up the handle and dip the tip into the chosen color. Lay your hand almost against the canvas. Squiggle the brush on the canvas and pull it toward you in one smooth motion, allowing the color to trail off the end of the brush. To protect the brush, do not move the brush against the bristles. It will cause them to break. When the area is covered, go over it lightly with the blending brush. Another technique is to load only one side of the brush with color. Turn the brush so the side with color faces the area you want to be brightest. Pushing the color in one direction while pulling the brush toward you leaves a heavier ridge of color, useful especially for highlights or colors reflecting from a secondary source. 29

30 Using the blending brush Although almost any larger brush will work for blending, a soft-bristle, tapered 1.5" sash brush can be very effective. Holding the brush slightly above the canvas, move it quickly over the area to be blended, allowing the bristles to touch only the highest ridges of color. Repeat the action in other directions. A very light touch is the key to achieving movement and softness. Rolling on heavier color Using either the small filbert or sable, load the brush tip with color. Hold the brush above the ferrule, laying your hand nearly flat against the canvas. Rolling and pulling the brush away from the tip will leave a ridge of heavier color. Reload the brush and repeat the action as needed. If you are working wet into wet, wipe the tip of your brush on a soft cloth before reloading. This prevents loading of the undercolor on the brush, keeping the color pure. 30