Pure Plein Air-
How to Improve Your Observational Skills
with Nancy Tankersley
March 20-23 , 2023 | 9:30AM-4PM
204 S Austin St Rockport, TX
$600 for Members, $700 for Nonmembers.
Workshop Description
This is a four day workshop which will focus on the methods and materials used by plein air painters. Starting off with a lecture covering the special material needs for working successfully en plein air, instructor will cover editing and massing the essentials of the scene to be painted. Frequent demos will be offered and emphasis will be on “painting the light” and avoiding unnecessary detail, especially in a scene ( such as a marina) where detail can be overwhelming! Designing for impact, color mixing using a limited palette, introducing figures into your painting and the use of palette knives and other tools to add interesting marks to your painting will be explored. The workshop will be conducted outside. In the event of inclement weather, we will work from photos. Suitable for all mediums with an emphasis on oil. Artists should have some familiarity with their medium.
Supplies
Paint:
•Cadmium yellow light, Hansa yellow or Lemon yellow (or any cool yellow)
•Cadmium yellow medium or Indian yellow (or any warm yellow)
•Cadmium red light or naphthol red (warm red)
•Alizarin crimson permanent
•Ultramarine blue
•Prussian blue or Cerulean blue
•Burnt sienna
•Titanium white (large tubes)
Any professional quality brand may be used, avoid the student grade. They don’t have enough pigment, make it harder to mix color and may end up being more expensive in the long run. I use mostly Gamblin. The most important thing is to have both a warm (moving toward orange on the color wheel) or cool (moving towards blue) version of each of the primary colors red, blue and yellow.
You may use traditional oils, water-based oil or acrylic paints.
One tube of acrylic paint for quickly toning your canvas and initial massing of shapes. I recommend Burnt sienna.
Panels
Canvas panels. I don’t recommend stretched canvases outdoors because the sun can shine through the canvas from certain angles and make it hard to see values.
At least two panels for each day from 8 x 10 up to 11 x 14
Brushes - what you prefer is fine but here is what I recommend as basic: #12 white hog bristle filbert
#8 white hog bristle filbert
#6 hog bristle flat
#2 red sable ( can be synthetic) round
One medium flexible palette knife for both painting and scraping the palette. Or you may buy one for each purpose. I like the long diamond shaped best.
Mineral Spirits ( for traditional oils) I use Gamsol because it is the best odorless product - but outdoors you can go with less expensive brands. Water miscible oils and acrylics only require water.
Medium - fast drying types such as Gamblin Galkyd Light or Gamblin Solvent free gel for traditional oils. Cobra makes some nice mediums for water based oils and I especially like their #93 quick drying medium. (Available from Jerry;s Artarama. There are many different mediums for acrylics which can slow the drying time outdoors. Check with the manufacturer to see what they offer.
• Paper towels
• mineral spirits holder and water holder ( can be as simple as a glass jar with lid) • Baby wipes
• Plastic trash bags for dirty paper towels
• Portable easel
Supply List for Outdoor Oil Painting
• a chair if you like to sit when painting • Sun visor
• sun screen
• bug repellent
OPTIONAL:
1 or two potters ribs. Thin flexible tools that are a fun way to make interesting marks different from brushes. I will demonstrate their use .I got mine from Amazon but there are many sources on the web. Make sure they are rubber, not wood or metal.
An old expired credit card also makes a nice tool.
Questions? Email me at tankersleyart@gmail.com
Cancellation Policy
In order to receive a refund, cancellation notice must be given at least 4 weeks prior to the start of the workshop. If given the required 4 weeks notice you will receive a refund of your tuition minus a cancellation fee of $50.00. Cancellations made within 4 weeks of the start of the workshop will result in a full forfeiture.
Please contact kathleen@rockportartcenter.com if a payment plan is needed.
About the Instructor
Nancy Tankersley began her career as a portraitist but entered the gallery scene with figurative paintings of people at work and at leisure. Although the artist enjoys painting all subjects including still life and landscape, figurative paintings in natural poses remain a favorite. “ A quick glimpse will tell much about a person, and I enjoy the narrative that goes along with figurative subjects”.
Active in the current plein air movement, and a founder of Plein Air Easton, she travels worldwide participating in competitions, judging and teaching. Most recently, she was the Featured Artist at the 49th Annual Waterfowl Exhibit and Festival. The working watermen of the Chesapeake Bay provide a perfect of blend of humans at work in a gorgeous landscape, and have provided the artist with rich subject matter for the past decade.
In 2016 and 2017 she was invited to exhibit at the prestigious Masters Exhibition at the Salmagundi Club in NYC. As a Signature Member of the American Society of Marine Artists, this year her work was included in the first international online exhibit of Marine Artists. Recent awards include Best Painting by a Maryland Artist at Plein Air Easton 2021, Award for Excellence at the American Impressionist Society Annual Exhibit in 2018, Best of Show at the Lighthouse Plein Air Festival 2017 and the Dickinson Award for Best Painting by a Signature Member of the American Impressionist Society 2016 Annual Juried Exhibit.
REGISTER FOR CLASS
4-Day Workshop
March 20-23, 2023
9:30AM-4PM, 1 Hour for Lunch
$600 members | $700 non-members