The Value of Color Studies

I first began to create color studies on a regular basis after a workshop given by Jill Carver in Texas in 2015. I'd done them before, but never in the lightning-quick manner Jill had us doing them, and never as my primary means of gathering information outdoors. Jill opened an entirely new practice to me that week, and I owe her a debt of gratitude. Because I often sell my 6 x 8 studies on this blog, I'd always felt decent pressure to make even my studies excellent. Attempting perfection, needless to say, isn't the most productive way to "study."

Above are some studies I completed this morning in my studio using sketches I did outdoors and photo references I took while on site. Notice they're all on one board, which was divided into four sections with painter's tape while I painted (the color difference under the tape is due to the panel I used being an old one that was half-toned). This way I can't sell them--the pressure is gone. (It's certainly possible that I could cut them apart later if one is so amazing I just have to post it for sale).  :)

Below are some quick (like stream-of consciousness-quick) thoughts on the value of doing these studies. Color studies are:

*A natural bridge between a thumbnail sketch and starting a refined, finished painting

*A great way to gather lots of information outdoors in a short time (perfect for times when you're painting outside and the light or weather is changing rapidly)

*Practice for mixing the colors you'll eventually use in the larger painting

*A simple, fast way to get accurate color notes when painting en plein air

*An efficient way to "brainstorm" in paint time-wise and space-wise. Set time limits on yourself (no more than 30 minutes to an hour on each). Also, you can easily get four or six on one panel.

*A way to affirm that you're being productive when all else fails!

*A tool for trying various compositions if you can't decide based on thumbnail sketches

*A good way to stay loose and produce the painterly look that you might want to use in your larger painting

*A great exercise in painting quickly if you're trying to get faster

*Perfect for painting a scene you're in love with but only had time for a sketch and a quick photo (like the amazing scene you discovered after you packed up and were heading to your car, or the one you got a photo of while with your family and had only your phone and sketchbook in hand).

*Freedom to relax--you're not aiming for a finished painting, but the bonus is that sometimes you get one!

Color studies work out the kinks, let you know if your idea has the potential to translate into a successful painting, and keep you at ease while accomplishing both. 

-julie davis

Hill Country Cold Front

untitled

12 x 16 in., oil on panel

available

Picking up where I left off...:) As I mentioned a post or two back, I've been building my more daily presence on Instagram (@juliedavisstudio) rather than here on my blog, but going forward I'll continue to post small works (6 x 8 and under) for sale here. I may post some larger ones, but those will end up for sale in galleries or shows, and like this one, will not be for sale online. 

2016 held a ton of changes for me personally, and I won't get into all of them, but a high school graduation, a move, and a remodel are just a few. So I put on my mom/wife/house manager hat for a while, and haven't been able to paint as consistently as I would like. I believe I'm finally getting a crack at consistency as of this week (!!), so look for posts several times a month here, and several times a week on Instagram.

This piece I worked up in the studio from a plein air study I did in November at Wenmoh's Ranch near Austin. A cold front blew in just as we drove up--the beautiful blue skies gave way to gray, and temps dropped instantly--but it was welcomed cold weather in this unseasonably warm winter!

-julie

@juliedavisstudio

Catwalks

Catwalks, 8 x 16 in., oil on panel

*juried into 2016 American Women Artist's National Juried Exhibition,

Bennington Center for the Arts, Bennington, Vermont

available, $850

It's been far too long since I managed to write a blog post. I've honestly found Instagram to be a much more efficient way to share what I'm up to on a daily/weekly basis, and you can find me there at instagram.com/juliedavisstudio/. I'm still committed to selling my small studies here on my blog, I just haven't had that many lately, as I've been working on a bigger series with these silos. I do intend to be back with more soon, so stay tuned!

I've loved working on these, and I've been able to use my palette knife a good bit more than I would in landscapes due to all of the man-made and cast shadow lines that come into play with the silos. This piece is pretty detailed so you might give it a click to see it better.

-julie davis

Study - cattle

Cow Study

9 x 12 in., oil on panel

nfs

This is a quick study I did from some photos I took out in Center Point, Texas. Though cattle are slow, they aren't ideal models because they tend to move around a bit more quickly than I can manage to paint them. I never thought I'd be studying the anatomy of cattle, but life is full of surprises. I actually enjoyed a new type of figure and a deviation from trees for a minute.

-julie davis