My newest paintings from the Joan Parker monthly workshop

These are the most recent paintings done in the workshop held at my Blue Springs, Missouri studio and conducted by Joan Parker,a wonderful Kansas artist. This weeks paintings were done in the Manet style(he did flower paintings in his studio due to his age and failing eyesight). The first painting is of a green pitcher filled with sunflowers and the second is a study in how to paint glass.

The class is held the last Friday of each month at the studio located at 501 NW 5th Street, Suite 500, Blue Springs, Mo. 64014. If you are interested in attending, please contact me and I'll be happy to sign you up.

Next months class we'll be doing studies of boots, wine bottles and sea shells. Each has it's own characteristic which will present a challenge. All paintings are done from life. The workshop is from 9am to 4pm.

Happy painting,

Jennylynne

Tired of the heat! Here's a snow painting for you.

This painting is mostly pastel but again with an oil underwash. We were on our way to the Grand Cayon(south rim) and traveled thru this valley brimming with new fallen snow. We stopped to take photos and do color studies(they are hard to do with frozen hands). The shadows from the trees were incredible with light bouncing off the snow like a cat and mouse game being played between the sun and the trees.

Painting this really refreshed my outlook on life that day and renewed my senses with memories that came flooding back. We had a grand day all around!
Happy Painting,
Jennylynne

This painting can be purchased via my website at www.jennylynnegragg.com

River Mirror, The demo is completed

This is the completed painting from the oil underpainting demo that I shared the other day. I really enjoyed completing this one. It brought back lots of memories of our trip out west and the wonderfully colorful scenery that was all around us. The painting is done from photos and color studies that I made there on location. I have found that when traveling, I don't always have time to pull over and complete a painting but I always seem to squeeze enough time in for color studies and photos.

If you take the photos yourself and do color studies to remind you of the day and place, you can use them back in the studio to refresh your memory and paint with confidence.

Try it next time you are traveling and don't have time to pull over and paint.

Happy Painting,

Jennylynne

Lessons-Pastel with underpainting in Oil

I have been asked by students and some fellow artists to show my process of underpainting with oils for pastels. So here is the start-

The first image is the underpainting itself. I thin the oils down with Gamsol and fill in where I want to with the colors I've chosen. In this case I wanted to pump up the blues and oranges which will be in the final painting.

Image 2 is done after the oil underpainting has dried. This only takes a few minutes especially when painting in plein air. I am starting to lay in my darks.

Image 3 is adding the colors that I will work with to the end of the painting. I have decided to leave the sky pretty much as the underpainting with just a few touches of pastel to enhance what is already there.

Image 4 is pretty much the final but I still may go back and add more color to the trees or perhaps define them more. At this stage, I usually let the painting sit with it's back to me for a couple of days and then take a look to see if there is something I want to add or change.

I'll post the final when it gets to that stage.

Feel free to email me or call me if you have any questions,
Happy painting,
Jennylynne

Three paintings accepted into the Juried Art Show at Got Art Gallery on Third in Lee's Summit, Mo.

They are (top) Autumn Celebration in oil

(middle) Mexican Girl in oil

(bottom) Rio Grande at Rio Hondo in pastel

The group show starts September 7th-30th, 2010. The opening reception is September 9th from 5pm-9pm. The gallery is located at 18 SW Third St., Lee's Summit, Mo. 64063.

Come on out and meet the artists and have fun during the Uptown Downtown, a ladies night out with wine tasting business event, hosted by Good Times.

See you there,

Jennylynne

Revamping paintings to success

Sometimes,for whatever reason, a painting just doen't work when plein aire painting. I have decided to revamp a few of these paintings. Now that I have new skills in oils, I want to push these little studies to new heights.

Every artist goes thru these spells and learning curves. Instead of just giving it up to the trash pile, see if you can raise it from the dead zone instead. It might not work on all your junk pile but remember one person's trash is another's treasure. If the composition works and the main focus or center of interest is working, why not give it a shot!

So, look at your junk and go change it into treasure!
Happy Painting,
Jennylynne

this painting will be up on my website and for sale in the New and Recent Works category-so if you've fallen in love go check it out and it could be coming to your home soon.

Painting the "New" Masters

The blog this week is on copying the Masters. This process was done religiously among the Impressionists and even artists that came before them. They flocked to the museums, private collections and the many schools that taught traditional art techniques. What they learned was invaluable.

My students are exploring this old technique for learning, but we are copying the "new" masters. Those artists that they greatly admire and whose work is very recognized in today's world. They can also chose to copy the older artist like Cassatt, Van Gogh, Monet, etc. It's their choice and then after they copy a work, they need to chose one of their own photos to work from in that artist's style.

This affords them a way to test out different styles and techniques that can learn to incorporate in their own work or decide it's not for them.

The painting above is Chrissy's take on Albert Handell's style. Mr. Handell is a wonderful painter whose use of light, value and shapes are not only unique but wonderfully easy on the eye. I have had the honor of working side by side with him at several mentoring workshops and feel that this has enhanced my own art in many ways.

Any chance you get to paint alongside a master should be jumped on as you will learn so much from the experience. If you can not do this because of time, distance or finances then get books or go to museums where you can study their work up close and personal.

Now go Paint!!!

Jennylynne

PS: No work you copy can be sold. This is just for your own use and learning process.