16 February 2018

Chaos of Light And Shadow – Painting En Plein Air In Mexico

Home » Chaos of Light And Shadow – Painting En Plein Air In Mexico

In this post, I want to share with you a piece I did where I tried to sort out the chaos of light and shadow.

I’ve been in Mexico for two weeks. One of my projects was to paint en plein air as preparation for my painting holiday workshop in Spain at the beginning of May. (Easier to paint outside here than in the rain and cold of home in Victoria BC at the moment!) To that end, for the first time when coming to La Manzanilla, I brought my easel. Usually I have a small box of pastels and board and paper so as you can imagine, way more than I usually bring! Still it’s been a treat to stand at an easel rather than have a rock, a log, a chair if I’m lucky, or flat on the ground if I’m not, dictate the scene I’m going to paint. Now it was only the need for shade that I looked for. The light is bright here, the colours vibrant, the shadows defined and dark.

The day I painted this it was scorching so rather than venture far, I decided to paint the two chairs and table on our wee verandah. In truth, because of the tiny space, my easel was too close to the subject but I decided to worry more about describing the chaos of light and shadow than creating an accurate drawing.

So let’s have a look!

Chaos of Light And Shadow: 1. Thumbnail. As always, I did a quick small sketch to place the subject in the 9 x 12 format and to simplify it into three values. It’s pretty sketchy I know but it gave me the opportunity to 'look' then 'see'. I became more familiar with the shapes, the surprises, and of course the values. This sketch defines where I want the lights and shadows. Remember, the sun never stops moving and by the time I am finished, much will have changed! — 1. Thumbnail. As always, I did a quick small sketch to place the subject in the 9 x 12 format and to simplify it into three values. It’s pretty sketchy I know but it gave me the opportunity to ‘look’ then ‘see’. I became more familiar with the shapes, the surprises, and of course the values. This sketch defines where I want the lights and shadows. Remember, the sun never stops moving and by the time I am finished, much will have changed!

Chaos of Light And Shadow: 2. A quick placement of the main items of table and chairs, trying to get at least some correctness of perspective. Vine charcoal on UART 400. — 2. A quick placement of the main items of table and chairs, trying to get at least some correctness of perspective. Vine charcoal on UART 400.

Chaos of Light And Shadow: 3. Three value shapes. I used a dark red, an orange and a yellow - all warm colours as much of this painting was sitting in the shade and so I would layer over cooler colours as I went. — 3. Three value shapes. I used a dark red, an orange and a yellow – all warm colours as much of this painting was sitting in the shade and so I would layer over cooler colours as I went.

Chaos of Light And Shadow: 4. I used pipe insulation to rub the colours into more defined shapes to create an underpainting. As you can see, the areas of three values are much more defined! — 4. I used pipe insulation to rub the colours into more defined shapes to create an underpainting. As you can see, the areas of three values are much more defined!

Chaos of Light And Shadow: 5. I start to add a second layer. I’m feeling my way along, trying to see the colours and read the areas of value. — 5. I start to add a second layer. I’m feeling my way along, trying to see the colours and read the areas of value.

Chaos of Light And Shadow: 6. Putting in the dense dark of the plant life behind the chairs and table began to situate them in terms of value relationships to each other and the background. — 6. Putting in the dense dark of the plant life behind the chairs and table began to situate them in terms of value relationships to each other and the background.

Chaos of Light And Shadow: 7. A quick check-in with overall values. (I like to do this one in awhile as I work. I also squint to do this but taking a photo in black and white (mono) is useful!) — 7. A quick check-in with overall values. (I like to do this one in awhile as I work. I also squint to do this but taking a photo in black and white – mono – is useful!)

Chaos of Light And Shadow: 8. I now concentrate on creating areas of light - on the chairs, the table, the patio, and the area behind the plants. — 8. I now concentrate on creating areas of light – on the chairs, the table, the patio, and the area behind the plants.

Chaos of Light And Shadow: 9. Tweaked and finished. Gail Sibley, “Gone to the Beach!,” Unison pastels on UART 400, 9 x 12 in — 9. Tweaked and finished. Gail Sibley, “Gone to the Beach!,” Unison pastels on UART 400, 9 x 12 in

Chaos of Light And Shadow: 10. Easel showing the piece and the subject. Because of the extreme light difference, the painting looks too dark, while the scene is completely washed out! — 10. Easel showing the piece and the subject. Because of the extreme light difference, the painting looks too dark, while the scene is completely washed out!

Chaos of Light And Shadow: 11. The 17 Unison Colour pastels I used. — 11. The 17 Unison Colour pastels I used.

Chaos of Light And Shadow: 12. The scene — 12. The scene

The chaos of light and shadow made this piece challenging! It was difficult to see all the shifts and changes and I had to continually remind myself to squint so as to simplify what I was looking at. It was also tricky reading all the various colours in the shadows but I continually compared one to the next and in that way could see that that was cooler and that was warmer. This was a good exercise in colour comparison and relationships!

One of the things I found working with an easel and larger selection of pastels than what I’m used to when travelling is that I sometimes found the selection of pastels a bit overwhelming to choose from and really I don’t even have that many!

I hope this progression of pictures helped you see how I coped with the chaos of light and shadow in the scene. Please feel free to ask any questions. And please leave a comment about what you learned or a comment about anything at all!

Until next time,

~ Gail

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Creating Art Is Hard Work!!

Using black paper: Gail Sibley, "We Three," Unison Colour pastels on UART black 400, 12 x 9 in - detail of shoes

Using Black Paper For Pastel Painting

Backyard plein air painting: Gail Sibley, "Backyard Hollyhock," mostly Unison pastels on UART 400 grade paper, 12 x 9 in.

Backyard Plein Air Painting – Hollyhocks

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16 thoughts on “Chaos of Light And Shadow – Painting En Plein Air In Mexico”

Sasha Wolfe
Saturday, 17 February 2018 at 3:19 am

Awesome painting!

Thank you for sharing, Gail.

I love seeing the progression.

Enjoy the day,
Sasha

Reply
1. Gail Sibley
  Saturday, 17 February 2018 at 10:56 am
  
  Thanks so much Sasha! I liked the way it turned out but did find it stressful trying to simplify and organise all the light and dark areas and make everything hang together!
  
  Reply
Marsha Schauer
Saturday, 17 February 2018 at 3:22 am

As always, I love seeing what you can create with a handful of pastels.

Reply
1. Gail Sibley
  Saturday, 17 February 2018 at 10:57 am
  
  Thanks Marsha! Sometimes it’s a surprise to me too 😬
  
  Reply
Merlene
Saturday, 17 February 2018 at 5:08 am

I really liked seeing the progression of your painting. Very helpful to aspiring artists like myself. Thank you.

Reply
1. Gail Sibley
  Saturday, 17 February 2018 at 11:00 am
  
  Merlene that’s wonderful to hear!! I wish I remembered to take more progression photos. What happens is I just get into doing the piece and forget the photographing part. I need to set a timer!
  
  Reply
Ruth Greenslade
Saturday, 17 February 2018 at 5:59 am

Another generous helping of HOW-TO. Thank you, Gail!

I examine each step in the progression. I study what you’ve written and really think about it I look, look, look, and squint. But how can I train my eyes to SEE?

Reply
1. Gail Sibley
  Monday, 19 February 2018 at 2:01 pm
  
  Gosh you are welcome Ruth!! And great question. I think seeing takes a couple of things:
  1) the continued experience of doing it
  2) spending time looking
  The second leads to the first of course. I think we are often in too much of a rush to put pastel to paper. Take time to look and sit with a subject. Doing a few thumbnails helps get into the eyes of seeing. It’s as if you are sinking in the artist world of seeing! Shift your eyes back and forth to compare values, temperature, colours. Using a viewfinder can help you see too. I LOVE the view catcher! Use the wee hole to see relationships.
  
  Reply
Susan Klinger
Saturday, 17 February 2018 at 3:54 pm

I just love how you pushed so much color into this scene! Thanks so much for sharing the in-progress shots.

Reply
1. Gail Sibley
  Saturday, 17 February 2018 at 10:42 pm
  
  Yay glad you liked it Susan!! I am always amazed to look back on the journey of a piece!
  
  Reply
Ruth Burley
Sunday, 18 February 2018 at 3:59 am

Your impression of color is amazing to me! Thanks so much for the progression. That helps me so much in my own art journey… I love your description “Chaos of Light and Shadow,” and yet you’ve brought it out of chaos into a phantasm of beauty. Thanks. Enjoy the beach!! 🙂

Reply
1. Gail Sibley
  Monday, 19 February 2018 at 1:59 pm
  
  Wow thanks Ruth! So glad to hear this post and progression are helpful for your own journey.
  And yes, I DID enjoy the beach!!
  
  Reply
Val
Tuesday, 20 February 2018 at 6:06 am

After seeing a few of your videos I can just imagine you sketching like a fiend on hyper-drive! lol

I found this especially helpful as I will be spending a month in Ajijic, Mexico soon. I am new to pastel and have only done a few paintings at this point. You have given me great courage and inspiration to push the colour and values in order to capture the scene. Central America is a feast of colour for the senses.
Many thanks.
Cheers, Val

Reply
1. Gail Sibley
  Tuesday, 20 February 2018 at 10:23 pm
  
  Hah hah Val! I wish I really did work that fast!
  
  Lucky you going for a month. I haven’t been to Ajijic but I hear it’s lovely. Efren Gonzalez, a popular painter and teacher in La Manzanilla lives there I believe.
  
  I’m so glad this post has given you the courage to push colours and value. Just let go and surrender to all the colour and vibrant life there!! And let it all come out in your pastel work. Oh yes!!
  
  Reply
  1. Val
    Friday, 9 March 2018 at 5:49 pm
    
    Thank you Gail, yes Efren does live in Ajijic. I am looking forward to seeing some of his murals he has painted there.
    I am so excited about your new pastel course coming out…… can’t wait, sign me up! lol
    
    Cheers, Val
    
    Reply
    1. Gail Sibley
      Monday, 12 March 2018 at 2:51 pm
      
      I’d love to see those murals too Val!
      Pastels 101, coming sooooo soon!

Gail Sibley

Artist. Blogger. Teacher.

My love of pastel and the enjoyment I receive from teaching about pastel inspired the creation of this blog. It has tips, reviews, some opinions:), and all manner of information regarding their use through the years – old and new. Please enjoy!