Lecture Notes: Outdoor Painting Secrets with Brian Blood

Introduction

• Presenter: Streamline Publishing
  • Publishers of Fine Art Connoisseur, Plein Air Magazine
  • Offers over 400 art instruction tutorials & high-quality videos
  • Special video discounts available
• Speaker: Eric Rhodes
  • Founder of Fine Art Connoisseur and Plein Air Magazines
  • Introduces Brian Blood's tutorial "Outdoor Painting Secrets"

About Brian Blood

• Location: Pacific Grove, California
• Focus: Outdoor painting techniques
• Background: Transitioned to professional artist in 1990
  • Initially a house painter before transitioning

Key Concepts in Outdoor Painting

• Design and Composition
  • Look for strong, overlapping shapes
  • Use interesting color nuances
  • Lead the viewer into the picture
• Equipment
  • Lightweight materials for ease of travel
  • Preferred tools: Gitzo carbon fiber tripod, Openbox M field box
  • Importance of a compact and efficient setup
• Materials
  • Custom-made panels using birch veneer plywood
  • Use of pre-primed canvas sheets

Painting Techniques

• Palette Setup
  • Organize palette consistently
  • Use titanium white, cadmium yellows, alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, and various greens
  • Adjust color choices based on the weather
• Brushes
  • Prefers flats and rounds, hog bristle brushes
• Process
  • Focus on gathering information, not creating epic paintings
  • Capture relationships: color, composition
  • Use your eye as the best tool, better than a camera

Practical Tips

• Lighting
  • Consistent lighting between canvas and palette is crucial
  • Avoid mixed lighting that affects color perception
• Blocking In
  • Use burnt umber for initial sketch
  • Block in large shapes and refine as necessary
  • Experiment with color swatches under current lighting conditions
• Perspective
  • Use atmospheric and linear perspective
  • Simplify distant objects, increase detail closer up

The Business of Art

• Transitioning to Full-Time Artist
  • Requires motivation and business skills
  • Networking and self-promotion are essential
• Managing a Business
  • Artists must wear many hats: creator, promoter, business manager
  • Importance of confidence and communication with galleries

Personal Insights

• Challenges and Perseverance
  • Not every painting is successful; learn from mistakes
  • Importance of enjoyment and relaxation in painting
• Advice for Aspiring Artists
  • Stay motivated, be disciplined
  • Experiment with different techniques and materials

Conclusion

• Video Offer
  • "Outdoor Painting Secrets" available at a discount
  • Encourages viewers to explore and improve their plein air skills