Workshops

John Budicin
www.johnbudicin.com
Plein Air Landscape Painting on South Whidbey Island
June 21 - 25, 2010
$600
all levels

I have always found painting outdoors to be exhilarating. Mother Nature is the best teacher, and if you make a commitment to be out there day after day, she will "speak" to you. During the painting process, many changes take place before you. Perhaps a beam of light will illuminate a particular area, or a cloud pattern will form. The foreground may go into shadow, making the composition more dramatic. If you pay attention to these changes and incorporate them into your work, it will be more in Working small -- mostly 8" X 10" and 9" X 12", but sometimes larger--gives me more time to observe (since I am not trying to cover a large area with paint) and relate to the scene before me. I particularly like late afternoon and evening light. To capture this, I must work very quickly, before the fleeting light is gone. I'm a firm believer in painting on the scene as opposed to using photographs. I feel that photography can't take the place of time spent with your subject--but it can serve a purpose. In my case, I may complete a field study before the light changes too drastically, and then paint a larger version of the scene back in the studio.

One quick brushstroke in a small painting can become a large mass in a bigger one, so you need more information to fill it in. I am careful not to rely on the photo too much; for example, I don't want to be swayed by the color in the photo. I turn to my study for color and value, and try to relive that scene in my mind. I recall my emotions by closing my eyes for a few moments and imagining myself there. Feeling the breeze, the sun, I try to recapture my feelings at that time.

When I want to paint, I head out the door to find a scene that will spark my interest. This may take hours, or it may take minutes. What tends to catch my eye is the light-- the pattern and contrast created on the subject, or the warm glow of a late afternoon bathing a particular landscape. I'll sometimes drive around, searching everywhere for the right spot, or it may be right in front of me, waiting to be painted. Either way, I'll generally spend some time getting acquainted with the scene, working out in my mind the design and distinguishing light and dark patterns.

Then I ask myself, What's important here? What do I want to say about the scene? Is it the warm light of a late afternoon, or am I drawn to a particular effect, such as one ray of sunlight illuminating the valley on a cloudy day? Perhaps it's a city scene full of life. Or are the buildings the real story? Whatever it is that seems most important, that's what I try to hold on to from start to finish.

I will teach you all this, John

John Budicin

John Budicin was born in Rovigno, Italy. John was 12 years old when his family settled in Southern California. After working as a commercial artist for 19 years, John finally decided to make his true passion for art his lifetime profession. With many awards and honors, Budicin's work has been in museum exhibitions and featured in many art magazines, such as Southwest Arts, Pasadena magazine, and Art Business News. Recently, several of his paintings were selected and published in 200 Great Painting Ideas for Artists. Budicin is represented by the Long Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona, as well as other galleries in Pasadena, California; Laguna Beach, California; and Taos, New Mexico.