No, I don't do the squinting, but that can help, and it shouldn't hurt your eyes at all. The other thing you can do is, if you are using actual paper photos, photocopy them in black and white first. Or if you are working from a computer screen, put the photo into a photo editor and change it to to black and white.
So fascinating- I love reading about your process- and it amazes me that you can do a painting and immediately put it up for sale on your site! I would think it would add some mental pressure to make it look a certain way
Thanks for writing freely about your process. I really am happy to have found you here on Substack and realized quickly that we are close. Port Hope being just 40 mins away… so your images are very familiar.
Thanks for the “chitchats” option as Canada Post is still on strike!
Very cool! I love Port Hope. I was there every day for 26 years…I taught art at Trinity College School. Yes, Chitchats is great. There is a drop off for parcels in Peterboro, which is the one I use, and there’s also an office in Oshawa at Bloor and Ritson.
I live in the Southwest USA filled with the sere vast expanses of desert with buttes and mesas, punctuated by endless sky. I have 27,000 photos in my Cloud which I use as reference material for how light plays on cliffs and the hue of the shadows on the red rocks. When I attempt painting a scene of the beauty around me I’m so overwhelmed that it’s usually not to my liking. But the process of playing with the color, light and shadow carries me on to the next one and the next one and…
Hello Harry, Thank you so much for this entry. This is such useful information, especially for those who persistently have that cell phone in hand. I would love to share this post with my landscape painting students with your permission.
“When I am in the landscape, I first have to be moved or affected by a motif I see.”
This ^ feels like the most important point. If you’re not moved or affected by what you witness or observe, who else is going to *feel* that? That’s part of any artist endeavor, from my perspective, is getting the audience to *see*something, *feel*something or *experience* something. Otherwise, what’s the point.
I wish you still taught classes, Harry. But, I understand why you might be tired of it. Would you ever consider offering a workshop here? Maybe you have in the past?
Anyways, I appreciate what you share here. I’m relatively new to Substack. I feel a little all over the place. So many place to lose myself. But also, so many interesting people and things to learn. Your Substack profile is one I keep returning to every week because I know there’s an inner artist in me somewhere. I just need to find a way to connect with that part of me. That’s going to be one of my primary goals next year.
I have a pile of art materials that I never use. I think getting out into nature with a sketch pad and the right kind of pencil might be a start. My memory is poor so I’d need to use a photograph.
That’s another challenge. I could use my iPhone. But, isn’t better to work with something that’s printed out? Uggh. The hurdles, the challenges, the obstacles… I’m just getting in the way of myself!
Thanks, Anna! I never print any photos...I have a desktop computer in front of me with a largish moniter. The best teacher of art is to just enjoying making your own kind of mess. Look at artists you love and every so often you might say to yourself, I'll try to make a mess something like that. And...keep your messes on continual display somewhere, preferably a wall or two dedicated to that. My teaching days might be over, but one never knows... :)
Thank you so much! I need to get in touch with my inner child and give myself permission to make a mess! My daughter was visiting for a Thanksgiving and we made wreaths together. It was so much fun! I told her we could make a mess — throw all the excessive pine materials all over the floor when we were pruning. Same goes with my floral arrangements. There’s always a big mess to clean up! I need to apply that concept to art. Art is messy. Art is fun. I’d just need to get myself in right state of mind.
Thanks for the article. I like how you are using the camera, as a tool to sharpen your painting skills and not simply something to copy. I set my camera to black and white for the same reason, to train my eye to become better at spotting interesting value and compositions. Thanks again!
No, I don't do the squinting, but that can help, and it shouldn't hurt your eyes at all. The other thing you can do is, if you are using actual paper photos, photocopy them in black and white first. Or if you are working from a computer screen, put the photo into a photo editor and change it to to black and white.
So fascinating- I love reading about your process- and it amazes me that you can do a painting and immediately put it up for sale on your site! I would think it would add some mental pressure to make it look a certain way
Nope…zero pressure….I paint them and put them out there. All the work is already done so there is no pressure at all! :)
Thank you. This is so helpful to read.
Thanks, Karin!
This is beautiful!
Thank you, Yehuda!
I get really hung up on the photo reference when I use it so this article is a good help for me on how to use it better.
Do you do much squinting to see values and shadows? They told us to do it often when I was in school but I feel it’s not great for the eyes.
Oh, and your work is really great! (Meant to add that too)
Thanks for writing freely about your process. I really am happy to have found you here on Substack and realized quickly that we are close. Port Hope being just 40 mins away… so your images are very familiar.
Thanks for the “chitchats” option as Canada Post is still on strike!
Very cool! I love Port Hope. I was there every day for 26 years…I taught art at Trinity College School. Yes, Chitchats is great. There is a drop off for parcels in Peterboro, which is the one I use, and there’s also an office in Oshawa at Bloor and Ritson.
I live in the Southwest USA filled with the sere vast expanses of desert with buttes and mesas, punctuated by endless sky. I have 27,000 photos in my Cloud which I use as reference material for how light plays on cliffs and the hue of the shadows on the red rocks. When I attempt painting a scene of the beauty around me I’m so overwhelmed that it’s usually not to my liking. But the process of playing with the color, light and shadow carries me on to the next one and the next one and…
Thank you for helping me think about this.
Hello Harry, Thank you so much for this entry. This is such useful information, especially for those who persistently have that cell phone in hand. I would love to share this post with my landscape painting students with your permission.
Hi Suzanne...yes, go for it!
“When I am in the landscape, I first have to be moved or affected by a motif I see.”
This ^ feels like the most important point. If you’re not moved or affected by what you witness or observe, who else is going to *feel* that? That’s part of any artist endeavor, from my perspective, is getting the audience to *see*something, *feel*something or *experience* something. Otherwise, what’s the point.
I wish you still taught classes, Harry. But, I understand why you might be tired of it. Would you ever consider offering a workshop here? Maybe you have in the past?
Anyways, I appreciate what you share here. I’m relatively new to Substack. I feel a little all over the place. So many place to lose myself. But also, so many interesting people and things to learn. Your Substack profile is one I keep returning to every week because I know there’s an inner artist in me somewhere. I just need to find a way to connect with that part of me. That’s going to be one of my primary goals next year.
I have a pile of art materials that I never use. I think getting out into nature with a sketch pad and the right kind of pencil might be a start. My memory is poor so I’d need to use a photograph.
That’s another challenge. I could use my iPhone. But, isn’t better to work with something that’s printed out? Uggh. The hurdles, the challenges, the obstacles… I’m just getting in the way of myself!
Thanks, Anna! I never print any photos...I have a desktop computer in front of me with a largish moniter. The best teacher of art is to just enjoying making your own kind of mess. Look at artists you love and every so often you might say to yourself, I'll try to make a mess something like that. And...keep your messes on continual display somewhere, preferably a wall or two dedicated to that. My teaching days might be over, but one never knows... :)
Thank you so much! I need to get in touch with my inner child and give myself permission to make a mess! My daughter was visiting for a Thanksgiving and we made wreaths together. It was so much fun! I told her we could make a mess — throw all the excessive pine materials all over the floor when we were pruning. Same goes with my floral arrangements. There’s always a big mess to clean up! I need to apply that concept to art. Art is messy. Art is fun. I’d just need to get myself in right state of mind.
If a person is really interested in something, the best way is to dive into the thing completely. Go whole hog! :)
Thanks for the encouragement. x
It is so helpful to hear about your process. Thank you for taking the time to share! I always look forward to your posts.
Thank you, Hanna!
Thanks for sharing your process. I am going to try out your deliberative analysis of mood and the features that create it.
Thank you, Ann!
Thanks for the article. I like how you are using the camera, as a tool to sharpen your painting skills and not simply something to copy. I set my camera to black and white for the same reason, to train my eye to become better at spotting interesting value and compositions. Thanks again!
Thank you, Michael!
I really appreciate the tips you note here. I’m trying to loosen up and I think these ideas are so helpful.
Thank you, Colleen!
Thank you, I so appreciate it. I will report on feedback.
Thanks for this great articulation of something so difficult for me to articulate! Love your posts!