Monday, January 8, 2007

Inaugural 2007 Plein Air Painting


'Somewhere Near Chinatown'........oil on canvas panel........7x9"
William Wray and I found this gritty, nonrural location just minutes from Chinatown. I was drawn to the variety of textures and the stark contrast of the foreground buildings with the distant Los Angeles city scape. My first attempt was a disaster, but I persevered and had another go at it. The overwhelming paint fumes renedered me silly and light-headed but fortunately I made it through without passing out. Oh, the joys of plein air painting!

27 comments:

william wray said...

I love the complementary green on the red building and the solid drawing thru out. The drawing on mine is so bad I wish I had scraped it down and started again. It's looks like I was drunk... can I blame it on the fumes?

Jennifer McChristian said...

Thanks William,

I always blame everything on the fumes when things go amiss for me (sometimes the Bailey's Irish Cream)
Don't be so hard on yourself. Your version was splendid!

William K. Moore said...

Red foreground buildings really create interest for me and set nicely with the cool blue background bldgs. White truck on the rt gives great depth. This is a style all your own Jennifer and what style! And stop you're both right ... it's the fumes!

Nick said...

I found you through WK's links, and think you're one smokin' painter. You guys are going to put LA plein aire on the map, if it ain't already.
I'd like to comment on all pieces, but I have another life, heh. Here you managed a tremendous array of color without the dreaded lollipop effect. Using brush? knife? both?
Nick
(runnin' on fumes)

Ryan Evans said...

Really nice work again- nice vibrant colours. I like the sunlight hitting the side of the van as WK Moore pointed out.

Cooper Dragonette said...

Another great one Jennifer! Hey, two questions for you; a.)Do you use a tinted gesso/primer? b.) How did you set up so you automatically know when others have posted to your blog?
(Please answer in complete sentences and remember spelling counts.)
Thanks

Jennifer McChristian said...

Thanks Bill!
I'm glad you're back in town. Let's paint.....with or without fumes (maybe Baileys?) ;-)

Jennifer McChristian said...

Hey Nic,

Thanks for the compliments.
I use both brush and knife. Sometimes I'll use the knife to lay in a broad section of color or just use it like a trowel and lay in a thick passage of paint. Will Wray showed me how to use the knife to lay in delicate fine, lines. Thanks Will!

Jennifer McChristian said...

Thanks Ryan!

Jennifer McChristian said...

Thanks Cooper.

I generally gesso my boards with 'ArtStore' professional grade gesso. Then I stain it with a very thin wash of either indian yellow, thalo red rose or yellow ochre.
The blog does not have a feature that automatically alerts me when someone posts to my blog. I just check in on a regualar basis.
Hope that helps.
J

Leslie Sealey said...

This is beautiful; I love the warm/cool contrasts you have going, and the white truck is perfectly placed.

rob ijbema said...

can i have some of those fumes,they seem to work!

the color of the foreground building on top of the underpainting
looks like old weathered paint.
the truck is my fav bit,just painted some myself and their square shapes are very simple but very rewarding.

Chris Ousley said...

Blue violet shadow...yum. That light on that truck really pops. Good work!

Jennifer McChristian said...

Thanks Leslie,

Fortunately no one drove off in the truck while I was in the middle of painting it! (It's happened before)
:-)

Jennifer McChristian said...

Rob,
I guess hazardous vapors can be good for some things! ;-)

Jennifer McChristian said...

Thanks C.!

Michael Pieczonka said...

daddy like!! The colour integreation in this one looks fab.. like knit pastels almost to my eye. Really nice almost shimmering quality about it. It's a treat seeing the way you and Bill have both solved the subject in different ways.

painterjoy said...

Where was this location? Do you remember the address? I love it.
This painting is my new favorite! Are you going painting next weekend?

Unknown said...

Great distance in this one. I love the work on the red foreground building, but the white truck makes the painting!

tonypetersart said...

Hi Jennifer. Can you believe it's already time for the LA Art Show again? It's been a year!

Love the blue on those buildings in the background, great palette.

Hattermad said...

b/t your's and wray's blogs I am tempted to take up this fangled pein air thingy...

Jennifer McChristian said...

Thanks Michael!
The shimmering quality you speak of is most likely a direct result of the clear and smogless air we had when I painted this one (which is unusual for Los Angeles)

Jennifer McChristian said...

Hi Joy,
I'm not quite sure the of the exact street. It's close to Broadway though. I'll take you there sometime.

Jennifer McChristian said...

Thanks Liz,
I agree, the truck does balance things out nicely.

Jennifer McChristian said...

Thanks Tony!
I totally look forward to the LA Art Show.!!! It gets better every year.

Jennifer McChristian said...

Hattermad,
Try it once and you'll be hooked. ;-)

Jennifer McChristian said...

Miles,

So glad you visited!
By the way, thank you :-)

J
xo