Just finished this painting. There is an old mining museum about five miles north of Colorado Springs. This old barn is one of several. I took several photos of the progress on this one. I have always enjoyed seeing the way other artists work.

Getting a feel for shapes and composition. Yellow ochre, raw sienna, Cadmium red medium and Cad yellow. Here I wanted to start getting the window established and values.
I worked out from the window, adjusting as I go. Using fast drying acrylic allows multiple layers quickly. Dry brushing and using a hair spray bottle to keep paints from drying out on my pallet, the details in the grass and rough sawn lumber in the barn is indicated. I love the ragged rotted bottom with ochres. The deep blacks and summer grass/ wild flowers are nice over the deep green underpainting in the foreground.



Gratefully,
Greg
 

"Guffey Grass" There are some way cool places on this earth!! I usually don't get too far away to paint. It seems there are so many 'paintings' around every corner. This lush spot is near Guffey CO caught my attention. I of course took liberties. Moved the truck from across the field and altered other elements to 'enhance' the story. I won't soon forget this day, between biting flies, road grader, rain, and a rogue wind that blew my supplies and bag about a quarter mile down the road. With a pallet of paint full of dirt I persevered until the real rain came. That's OK! nothing ventured right? 

I found these hardy little guys last fall at Grand Lake Colorado in a small planter. The nights were freezing, and yet here they were!

Greg Clibon Art.: How do you choose a subject for your next painting...

Greg Clibon Art.: How do you choose a subject for your next painting...: How do you choose a subject for your next painting? Maybe you have spent most of your time looking for the 'right' place instead o...

How do you choose a subject for your next painting? Maybe you have spent most of your time looking for the 'right' place instead of painting. If not careful, I can get a 'yeah but I wonder what's over there' mentality. Instead of wandering all over, I try to pay attention to a scene that catch my initial interest. Then instead of overlooking and continuing on, I try to see the potential. For example, this landscape has elements I enjoy. The contrast in values and warm and cool colors have a nice feel. The challenge now is to capture what attracted me while having fun with composition and setting it up.  This painting "Cool Spot" I needed to get the values right and pay attention to the foreground. Both the cool blue of snow and red bushes seem to demand attention, I didn't want one to diminish the other.

"Discovered"

Is Less More?

Richard Schmid once stated that it takes two people to do a painting, one to paint and the other to rap you on the knuckles when its time to stop.

 As Humans, we have this wonderful ability to finish a visual story from 'hints'. It seems that the more finished the less interest for the mind. I did this painting a couple of years ago. I came across some pictures I took of the progress from white canvas to finished. This helps me try to get a sense of transformation. Its easy to think that if I keep tightening and stating that I am improving. Sometimes it works, but usually something is lost. I like the aspens and background in the finished painting, but looking back I enjoy the 'feeling' of the first picture with the painting somewhere in the middle. There is a softness and nice light that I managed to compromise. If only someone was there with a ruler. Looking back (I'm glad I took pics) I would work the background like the finished painting and left the foreground and deer looser.