Work in the port
Harbor Work, Pastel, 30×30 cm, 2011
© Astrid Volquardsen
In order to reach their final destination the big ships depend on the help of taoboats. It’s always an interesting play of values and shapes.
Plein Air insights
Never ever let the tape fall into dry seaweed.
Keep everything in order or how to overcome chaos
Richard is a very organized person. We kind of joked about it, how orderly his pastel assortment is set up. Mine would stay exactly like this for 10 minutes after the painting process had begun. I know where to find my sticks (kind of), but still Richard beats us all.
His tidiness doesn’t stop with his box. Even in his car trunk everything has its place and its order. If you looked in our car trunk it’s more like chaos, organized chaos, but still chaos. ( We knew where to find our stuff, but maybe it took us a bit longer.)
A couple of times I watched Richard coming to a spot and within minutes he had set up his equipment and was with the underpainting done, when the rest of us had barely even started. I guess, even though I will never be as organized as Richard, I have to think over how to organize my plein air stuff. Richard was always ready to start, when he needed to capture the light and didn’t lose any time with fussing around. Very impressive.
Have a look at Richards last Blog entry »being plein air prepared« in his Pastel Pointers Blog.
Feature in the Pastel Journal
»Home at Sea«, Pastel Journal 08/2011
(c) The Pastel Journal
I am very happy to let you know that my work is featured in the current issue of the Pastel Journal (August 2011). The interviews with the diverse pastel artists and their various techniques have always been a great inspiration to me over the years.
I was very surprised and happy when the Pastel Journal asked for an interview. Sarah Strikley and her team have done a terrific job and I am very proud to be part of this issue. Those who are interested to purchase the Pastel Journal please visit their website: www.pasteljournal.com
Résumé
Where to begin? Where to end? I have experienced so much on this trip and all can’t possibly be told.
For me personally the reason for this trip was to step out of my comfort zone and to learn a pastel technique which was unfamiliar to me. That was a real challenge, because the Uart paper is completely different to the La Carte and blending is hardly possible or at least not the way I am used to. But Richard McKinley has proved himself to be a very good teacher who can pass on his knowledge in theory and praxis.
Even though I knew I wouldn’t be able to reach the quality in my painting as I am used to reach in my studio, there where points where I would have liked to skip out back to my old ways. But staying in the game with the new approach has payed off. I didn’t paint the pretty picture (a workshop is never about a pretty picture, I know), but I know now where my journey as an artist will improve.
At the Slough, 15×15 cm, Pastel on underpainting,
(c) 2011, Astrid Volquardsen
The paintings I did I will not show on the blog, because they have to stay in a safe place without additional comments, so I can get a clearer picture.
But I will report about some things that went on during this fabulous time I had there. Those of you who are interested in the techniques of Richard: really, everything is in his book Pastel Pointers or on his Dvds.
Asperaccoli
Today in the supermarket I thought I would suffere again under my jetlag and didn’t read correctly. But there was no misunderstanding. Actually, there’s a new vegie on the market and if you would translate it sounds like: »Asperaccoli« (no kidding).
Sketchbook, 19×26 cm, 2011
© Astrid Volquardsen
It probably is just a matter of time when »Tomarabi« (or »Tomappage«) will hit the market.
The three Ps of Plein Air Painting
I am back now and my mail box shows me that some of you are impatiently waiting.
During a demonstration in class Richard mentioned the three ps of Plein Air Painting.
1.Where to paint?
2. Where to park?
3. Where to pee?
A lady in the front row whispered: »For me it’s just reverse…«
My personal list needs the additional point:
4. What and how much to eat?
Shortly I will give an insight, what we had to put up with during our field trips…