Painting in the Studio

I prefer to paint in my studio.

I've done some painting en plein air but I much prefer working in controlled conditions indoors.

Especially living here in Northland New Zealand. The locals love to joke about having four seasons in one day but the fact is that it's pretty close to the truth. The weather here goes from sunny to rainy very quickly all the time.

 "Clearing Storm" (8x10) by M Francis McCarthy

Especially living here in Northland, New Zealand. The locals love to joke about having four seasons in one day but the fact is that it's pretty close to the truth. The weather here goes from sunny to rainy very quickly all the time.

That's not to say painting outdoors cannot be done here or that those that like painting outdoors are wrong in anyway. I'm only speaking of my feelings, preferences and experience on this blog. 

That said, I love to just get down to painting in my studio. No hiking. No sand flies. No onlookers asking questions or even worse regarding me suspiciously as I survey their environs. Just the joy of painting.

So, what are the downsides? 

For starters I rely more on photography. That can be a dangerous place to be as a painter because of photography's inherent limitations as well as the inherent desire many artists share with myself to faithfully copy the reference we are using for inspiration.

I've written a lot about this in my blog already. The antidote to this trap in my view, is to access the nature within and free it by use of imagination with the guidance of intuition.

One of the greatest differences between the tonalist approach to painting and the impressionist approach is that most tonalists prefered working indoors and pursuing a spiritual vision of the landscape on canvas.

In the impressionist mode the painter is often more concerned with representing certain light effects present in nature. This is definitely easier to do outdoors and is also a wonderful approach and attainment, when it's pulled of well.

I am more in alignment with the poetic vision of tonalism. I try to realise that vision in contemporary terms that are informed by the masters of the past. 

If you've not tried outdoor painting I recommend that you do. I can honestly say that working outdoors improved my painting and approach to color in my art.  

After a taste you might like it or like myself you may take the lessons outdoor painting has to offer and then decide to make your studio the place you primarily work.

Cheers, 

A bit about "Clearing Storm". Revised twice, this painting is based on a scene here in New Zealand. I've done enough posts about my revision process so I'll spare that for now. 

I am quite happy with the finished painting. I use this compositional motif a lot with different variations. Trees on one side, trees on the other, light in the middle streaming on a distant field, a colorful sky full of clouds above. 

I love it... and I paint this motif a lot. Trees bigger on one side or smaller on the other and so on. It works well for the feeling I'm after in my painting.