Jolie Guillebeau

Play.

With 100 paintings in 100 days, I did a watercolor every Sunday, but this time I’m not painting on Sundays. So this time, Friday is going to be the day for improvising. Some Fridays I may paint a watercolor, but today I thought I’d show you something new.

I’ve been playing with encaustic (the process of painting with hot wax) for a few months now, and I’ve eventually created a some paintings that I really love. It’s fun to take the principles of painting with oil and apply them to a new medium. Landscapes work beautifully for this.

I worked this in several layers. First a layer of clear wax, then gradually building up to the lighter colors right on top, which is exactly what I do with oil.  I love it! The wax has a softer filtered quality that seems to add depth somehow.

I was inspired by this photo, which I took with my instant film camera on our vacation. And I wanted to explore the idea of playing with string in the wax, so I thought of the string as waves and added several extra layers of wax.

Once again, here’s a photo of the side, so you can see the process. The layers are much more obvious from this angle.

6×8 Beeswax on Birch Panel, $65

Want it? Email me here.

Remember last week when I mentioned my conversation in paint with Suzie? She’s posted her response, and it’s lovely.

You’re here!! I’m thrilled!

After many months, and wrapping my brain around things I never knew existed, I’m happy to announce the all new version of jolieguillebeau.com!

You can browse through the galleries, look at prints, or read three years of blog posts all in one handy place.

Since this was the cumulation of so much effort– I thought we’d celebrate a couple of ways. First, some paintings are still available, so if you request one between now and Monday morning, you’ll get 10% off.

AND… if you tell your Facebook or Twitter friends, or especially your real-life friends about my new site, then you’ll get Free Shipping on anything through the month of June. Because I’m excited about this and want as many people to see it as possible!

Now go look around! What do you think?

P.S. Many thanks to the lovely Tsilli and the amazing Reese for all the help, advice, and kindness.

Layers.

Today’s painting is once again brought to you by the volcano in my neighborhood.

This was actually my first painting of the day, before the clouds rolled in and made it harder to work. I was facing west toward downtown Portland and I could see the Western Hills and a few buidings between the trees. I really liked the dark blue of the hills against the sky, and seeing the green gradually get brighter as I looked at the trees closer to me.

I worked this painting in layers, starting with the background and moving forward. It was surprisingly difficult, because the bright green in the front is such an important part of the painting and I usually like to have important elements of a painting nailed first, before I move to the details. But I held off, and I’m glad I did.

6×6 Oil on Masonite Block. Ready to hang, no framing required! $65.

Want it? Email me here.

Tomorrow: Big happenings here. Just wait and see. I’m excited.

Hills.

One afternoon last week, I put my easel on my back, hung my painting bag on the handlebars and began to pedal my way towards the volcano in my neighborhood.

Mt. Tabor is lovely, and I appreciated the view especially after schlepping 15 extra pounds of easel and paint. But it was a tricky day to work. The light kept changing as the clouds began to move in. Finally, as the sun got lower, I got my chance.

It took a while, but it was worth climbing that hill.

8×10 Oil on Masonite Block. Ready to hang, no framing required! $85.

Want it? Email me here.

Breaking the Rules (and a Tutorial)

There are very few rules in painting, really. You can do almost anything. But when I follow the rules, I generally have happier results.

One of the most important rules when painting outside is time of day. The best shadows fall between 3-6pm, so that’s the best time to paint. (Technically, the same rule applies to 8-10 am, as well. But I don’t function well enough to paint that early in the morning. I’m awake, but not at my best.)

Of course, sometimes it’s fun to break the rules. Like here.

This was well after 6pm, but I couldn’t resist.

8×10 Oil on Masonite Block. Ready to hang, no framing required! $85.

Want it? Email me here.

June 12, 2010

A lot of you have asked about my process for painting, and I love telling stories, so with this project I’m going to update the blog on Saturdays with bonuses. That way, I can tell more stories and include more details than I would in a normal post.

I won’t send these out as a newsletter, but you can find them here every Saturday.

I thought I’d start with an explanation of my plein air process and materials.

First the list.

I keep this card with my painting supplies. And I check it obsessively when I’m preparing to paint outside. There are few things more frustrating than schlepping all your supplies on the bus to the perfect location, finding the perfect angle with the perfect light and then discovering that you’ve left your brushes at home. (It’s happened. And I wept.)

So this list is divided in to necessary and convenient. Anything that is necessary has a red dot next to it. We’ll start there.

Paint. Obviously. I tend to bring my full palette, because I’m happier with the results when I have every option available, but I’ve limited myself to four colors and created marvelous paintings too.

Palette colors deserve a post all to themselves. Perhaps several posts, but for now these four colors mixed will give you almost any color you’d need for painting in the Northwest. Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Sienna, Cadmium Yellow Light,  and White. Really. That’s all you need.

For example, this painting was one of the first I painted with only these 4 colors.

Panels. Working en plein air, you have a limited amount of time before the light changes, so I work small, to make sure I have time to finish a painting. I use masonite blocks, because they travel well and they’re durable. 8×10 or smaller. I generally buy several at once so I can sand and gesso them all in one afternoon. (Painting prep… that deserves a post of its own, too.)

Brushes. Since I’m working small, I really only need three brushes. A larger filbert, a smaller filbert, and a round brush with a good point for edges or details. Honestly, I’d probably add a bright, especially if I’m painting any kind of building, but really that’s it.

Mineral spirits + jar. I have to keep those brushes clean if I’ve only got four. So I must bring mineral spirits. For a long time, I used a baby food jar, but recently I got a fancy brush washer, and I love it. My brushes are cleaner and I don’t have to worry about leaks.

Baby Wipes.

It’s inevitable. I’m going to get paint on my hands, or face, or jeans, or behind my ear. I once walked around downtown Seattle for three hours with a large streak of Cadmium Red across my forehead. It’s paint. It travels. And it tends to travel most when I’m farthest from a sink and soap. Baby wipes are almost as important as brushes. Many oil paints are toxic, so this isn’t just vanity.

Next Saturday, we’ll talk about the other stuff on the list. The stuff that makes painting easier, or at least more comfortable. I need all the help I can get.

Variety is the spice of life, right?

You know I can’t just do one thing, right? I like to experiment and improvise. We here at Chez Guillebeau have eaten many a dinner that didn’t turn out so well, because of my tendency to experiment.

With 100 paintings in 100 days, I did a watercolor every Sunday, but this time I’m not painting on Sundays. So Friday is going to be the day for improvising. Some Fridays I may paint a watercolor, but today I thought I’d show you something new.

I’ve been playing with encaustic (the process of painting with hot wax) for a few months now, and I’ve finally created a painting that I really love. It’s fun to take the principles of painting with oil and apply them to a new medium. Landscapes work beautifully for this.

I worked this in several layers. First a layer of clear wax, then gradually building up to the lighter colors right on top, which is exactly what I do with oil.  I love it! The wax has a softer filtered quality that seems to add depth somehow.

And here’s a shot from the side, so you can get more of an idea of the process.

4×4 Oil on Birch Block. Ready to hang, no framing required! $50.

Want it? Email me here.

Sky.

I have a dilemma. It’s a difficult choice almost every time I fly.

Window or Aisle?

There are advantages and disadvantages.

Aisle: I have more space; I don’t have to worry about elbowing someone with my knitting; I can get up without disturbing two other people; I’m less likely to be trapped by a “talker” in the middle seat… it’s better all around.

Window: I can look at the sky.

It’s a tough choice. Jaded traveler that I am, I generally choose Aisle. It’s a safer bet, because I’m more comfortable and the odds are I can still see out the window occasionally.

But sometimes I look out at clouds like these, and wonder if I’ve been making the right choice.

What does your sky look like today?

5×7 Oil on Masonite Block. Ready to hang, no framing required! $65.

Want it? Email me here.

*A few weeks ago, I met another artist who was visiting from Alaska. We chatted while I was painting at Muse for Artist-A-Day in April. Since then, Suzie and I have emailed back and forth a bit, and we’ve decided to have a short conversation in paint. Today’s painting is the first in that conversation! And next Thursday, when Suzie replies, I’ve give you a link to her painting too.

Shadows.

One of the goals on my list for this summer is to capture a typical Portland scene in paint. Pale grey sky, muted colors, sunlight filtered through the layer of clouds.

But the problem with that scene is that there are no strong shadows. And strong shadows make the best paintings. That’s what this painting was about– the long shadow of the tree on the left.

By the way, this painting was painted from the same spot as Monday’s painting, just looking in the opposite direction.

6×6 Oil on Masonite Block. Ready to hang, no framing required! $75.

Email me here.

What if it rains?

I’ll paint anyway. Last week, as I worried about all the rain, there was a sudden break in the clouds. But, I had just put something in the oven, so I was hesitant to leave the house.

So I set up on my balcony. Because I’m determined like that.

I was nearly finished when the sky clouded back over and it began to drip. But oil paint isn’t affected by water, so I kept going.

Here’s the result.

This painting was about that little space of sky between those trees across the street. Once I finished, I realized how much it reminded me of this painting.

5×7 Oil on Masonite Block. Ready to hang, no framing required! $75.

Email me here.