HartNews Vol 03, Issue 3

J a n    H a r t 's

HartNews©

Volume 03, Issue 3

December, 2003

Welcome to HartNews, Volume 03, Issue 3 - and Happy Holidays!

So...What is HartNews? HartNews is my attempt to write about life and watercolor from where I see it. As a teacher, I enjoy passing on some of the things I think about or do in watercolor. As a fellow human, I wish to pass on some of the things that inspire me - or make me laugh!. I've included you in this issue - you who are painters, friends, former guests and/or family - some of you without your expressed permission. So…please reply and ask to be removed from this mailing list if you'd rather not get HartNews editions - or just delete me! Originally, I intended to make HartNews a monthly event. Now, more realistically, I see it as a quarterly or bi-annual event. It seems that I've been a bit negligent, lately - and am putting Hart News right up front on my resolution list for 2004. If you have something you'd like add or say, just email me! and please feel free to pass this on to your friends.... If you'd like to see the back issues - just check the Archives above..

In this Issue:

"Last Light", 20" x 15"

This is one of my favorite paintings, now owned by a dear friend and collector. It is featured in an article I wrote for Daniel Smith and will be published soon. In the article I describe all the various pigment mixes I used.

Jan Hart

Quote of the Month
Jan's Demo, Painting Rock Cliffs in Light
News with Jan at the Ranchito
On the Horizon - Workshops, etc.

"Only when he no longer knows what he is doing does the painter do good things." ~ Edgar Degas

Jan's Demo - painting rock cliffs in light

My regular students as well as those at Ghost Ranch workshops want to learn to paint rocks. I can only show how I do it. My personal opinion is if you can paint a convincing rock/cliff in light,- you can paint anything. It is superficially all about shapes, color and glazing. It is deeply all about SEEING and understanding the rock and light. I'll leave my detailed information about light to my upcoming workshops - at Ghost Ranch and here at Ranchito San Pedro. Here's a short demo...

The bright sun is lighting the left side of the main rock formation, washing away most of the rock coloration. The right side of this formation is in shade and is picking up some bounced reflected light from nearby - and appearing to glow. It is in the shade that we can see that the upper sandstone layers of rock are yellowish; the middle - whitish and the lower layers - reddish though there are some gouges in the rock that appear reddish in the "white" area. The cast shadow appears connected to the shade, darker and cooler. .To help myself understand the rock, I do a value-composition study and deliberately simplify..

As is my habit, I name and date the sketch, squint to see the shapes as separate values and change some of the shapes to those I like better for the overall composition as I draw in my sketchbook. My sketch is small (3" x 4") and I like to use a black Prismacolor colored pencil so that it doesn't smear. And I like to spend only about 5 min. on the sketch!

Next, I'll prepare my 140# Lanaquarelle paper by taping it down to a board, lightly sketching the shapes onto the paper and applying an underwash of Aureolin Yellow - for the New Mexico sun.

And begin......

Value / Composition Sketch

See the shapes? A value scale can help here.

I begin by painting the "ribbons" of sandstone layering that predates the eroded forms. In each layer I can use any pigment of that general color but I deliberately go for sedimentary & keep them light - to represent the washed out colors of the rock in sunlight. I use cobalt violet & Lunar Earth (D.S.)to increase sedimentation in some of the washes - as well as Rose Madder Gen., Nickel Azo, Burnt sienna. I am sure to paint horizontally, following the ribbon undulations and leaving some whites between... I take care to vary the ribbon "lines" for interest and variety. Knowing where the shade will be, I can add in some darker, brighter tones in quinacridones or some other brighter, darker pigments..

Now I can add in the shaded areas of the rock. I begin by mixing up a puddle of my transparent non-staining pigments, Rose Madder Gen.,. Cobalt Blue and Aureolin Yellow to create a neutral.. I push the puddle towards blue and yellow. respectively, for the shaded part of the white layer; towards pink for the shaded area of the reddish ribbons. I take special care to make sure the painted shade shape is varied and interesting. The shade mix noted above can also serve as a great wetting agent for some fun additions of pigments as you like..

Time for the cast shadow! I mix up my puddle of cobalt blue because it is so very transparent, like the shadow, itself - and add Rose Madder Genuine to it as needed - i.e. when glazing over yellow, I add RMG so that I won't achieve an awful green. I use the Shadow Mix (Cobalt Blue + RMG) to "sculpt" the yellowish rock and design the shapes of the cast shadows as needed. I studied the photo to find out how to connect the cast shadow to the shade - and lifted along the rock erosion channel. I also go back into some of the shade so that it is more connected. To increase the illusion of transparency in the cast shadow, I add some pigment to the ribbon striations that cross the shadow edge. Voila! I also do the tree, beginning with yellow on the left and adding in a mix of Burnt Sienna and Ultramarine Turquoise (DS).

Now for the finishing touches!

This is a good time to put the reference picture away and let the painting talk to you. Even though you may thinl there are 587 cracks and crevices to put in - keep it to 1 or 2, and remember to place them where they can do the most good for the overall composition - for connection and clarification. Remember the Profile Shadow - the darker area that shows up at the junction between the lighted side and the shaded side of a curved object. I use several finishing techniques:

Tucking.
Lifting
Softening an edge
Adding a bright color note
Adding a divet
Connecting the shapes
Adding darks
Using the 4"x4" square...(best seen in demo)

Now you can stand back and see how you like it. Or better yet - put it up for critique at my Ghost Ranch workshop where we come face to face with these incredible rock formations! If you do this demo and can send me a jpeg, do so and I'll be happy to give you a critique!

News with Jan at the Ranchito

All is well here!

The Ranchito San Pedro Artist/Vacation cabins are a success for 2003. Who knew that my home built website could get the word out to so many great people and their dogs? The year began slowly, with a 10-20% occupancy rate in January and February. But then the reservations started coming in and coming in until there was nearly 100% occupancy for the summer and early fall! Thank you all for your business and enthusiasm. A good half of the folks who visited this year are artists - painters, dancers, sculptors, furniture designers, writers and photographers! We hosted six separate watercolor painting groups who enjoyed the use of my painting studio and the incredible plein aire painting sites all around. A total of 141 people came and brought with them a total of 33 wonderful dogs that included a toy Poodle named "Peaches" and a Westie named "Zippy" to a Chocolate Lab named "Murphy" and a Catahoula Leopard Spaniel mix named "Gumbeaux". And I think we'll never forget the Rhodesian Ridgeback pup that actually tired out our Livvie, the normally tireless dog hostess. Nor will we ever forget Jenna, Alex and her blind sister, Amy, Malcomb and.........all the others! We're slowly and steadily making improvments which will add to the cabins' personalities and comfort. People are already booking for 2004! Check the cabins out here! Remember - only the humans pay - the dogs come FREE!

Two new critters and a classy Cooper! Sage, a 9 month old African Grey parrot and Periwinckle, a 2 year old Blue Headed Pionus (owned by Carol) joined the Ranchito pets and will likely show up at a workshop in the future. Sage is mischievous, curious and learning to talk. "Winkie", always scanning the skies for strange birds, is sweet, affectionate and patient. Both enjoyed a recent trip to Bosque del Apache Bird Refuge - and both refused to get out of the safety of the car with all those big birds flying around! Meanwhile, Carol fulfilled a lifelong dream of acquisition - a 1977 classic Mini-Cooper! Our next adventure could be racing in Albuquerque. NOT.

Carol's New Website! Carol has her own website with lots of her wonderful paintings. Check it out! www.caroltaschek.com

And the Book goes on..... Yes, I'm still at work on my book. I've written and pretty much finished the two hardest chapters - Color and Pigments and Light, Shade Shadow and Reflected Light. I'll keep you posted....... I am enjoying the process immensely but need to find more time....

Guest, Julie with the new Carol built enclosure outside Cabin #2 (above) and Livvie and her two dog guest pals, Ben and Mia. That's Livvie in the center! What a happy dog!

On the Horizon....Workshops, Etc.

Ranchito San Pedro Workshop Schedule for 2004

The schedule is more or less SET! You can see it all on my website or by clicking here. This year I'm planning just three workshops here at Ranchito San Pedro.

Winter - Light, Shade and Shadow Intensive - (2 or 3 days) Saturday and Sunday, January 24 and 25. Using instructor provided photos or your own, we'll uncover all the secrets to painting ellusive light, including cool winter light with warm shadows - and the mysteries of painting night.

$250/person plus tax.

Includes 2 nights cabin accommodations at Ranchito San Pedro, all instruction, continental breakfasts, some materials and open use of Jan's teaching studio and library. Each cabin accommodates 3 people comfortably. $50 depsit insures your place on a first come basis.

Note: Optional additional full day in the studio with extra night, Monday, January 26 for $75.00 plus tax. Includes late afternoon critique/consultation with Jan.

Spring - Color & Pigment Intensive - (2 or 3 days) Sat. and Sun., March 20 & 21. We'll welcome Spring with Color! Join Jan to learn about watercolor pigments and color relationships in your choice of subject matter - florals, landscape, figurative. Plus - some special pigments that are sure to enhance your paintings@

$250/person plus tax.

Includes 2 nights cabin accommodations at Ranchito San Pedro, all instruction, continental breakfasts, some materials, workbook, and open use of Jan's teaching studio and library. Each cabin accommodates 3 people comfortably. $50 deposit insures your place on a first come basis.

Note: Optional additional full day in the studio with extra night, Monday, March 22 for $75.00 plus tax. Includes late afternoon critique/consultation with Jan.

Fall - Painting the Colors of Fall - (3 or 4 days) Fri., Sat., and Sun. Oct. 29, 30, 31. Join Jan for this very popular 3 or 4 day workshop in the height of New Mexico's cottonwood colors. We'll explore some special sites along the Chama river and around Ghost Ranch. We'll take in the autumn air and photograph the colors so that we can express our visions in the studio. Some special pigments are included so that we can master the cottonwood in full color.

$395/person plus tax.

Includes 3 nights cabin accommodations at Ranchito San Pedro, all instruction, continental breakfasts, some materials, workbook, digital photos from our outing, and open use of Jan's teaching studio and library. Each cabin accommodates 3 people comfortably. $50 deposit insures your place on a first come basis.

Note: Optional additional full day in the studio with extra night, Monday, April 1 for $75.00 plus tax. Includes late afternoon critique/consultation with Jan.

It's time to begin thinking about reserving your space for Spring or Fall! Last year Fall sold out by early summer. Check out the details and get all your questions answered by clicking here.

And - here is what some of my students have to say about their experiences.

"Farolitos at El Sanctuario", 20"x 15"

"Spring Bouquet", 15" x 20"

"Ghost House Cottonwood", 20"x 15"

On the Trail of O'Keeffe @ Ghost Ranch

Spring Session: May 21 - 28, 2004

Fall Session: Sept. 17 - 24, 2004

May you and your loved ones enjoy a peaceful and miraculous holiday season!