Black and white then color









Black allows the painter to study value shifting. The gray scale from 1 to 10 pure white to pure black and the graduated values in between can be an amazing self teaching tool.

 

Also converting images of a color painting to black and white in the computer provides the artist with lighting fast truth. If it doesn't work well in black and white you may need to reassess your value shifts. With out realizing, one can become dependent on color to do this critical work. Painting in the gray scale will sharpen your minds eye to see opportunity. Monochromatic; any (1) color and white is another great way to develop strong artistic language.

 

Below is a new Cosmic Light Series painting 48 inches x 48 inches recently completed in the studio using just black and white acrylic. The other two images were developed from that same painting adding color by means of colored lighting not pigment.

 

Black is perhaps the most misunderstood pigment. Why not experiment?



 

 



 



to see more Cosmic Light go to http://fineartamerica.com/art/all/cosmic+light/all

An alternative art supply source

Here in Boise artists, teachers and crafters are fortunate to have a large independent art supply warehouse. I much prefer to buy art supplies in person rather then on line. Plus there is no waiting or shipping costs. An often overlooked source for many items that artists use can be found at your local building supply business. For instance costly gesso a white primer used on canvases and panels can be replaced with indoor/outdoor flat or semi gloss acrylic latex at a fraction the cost. If you work in oil low odor turpentine found at the paint department is so similar to so called high priced odorless turpentine I can’t imagine why any one wouldn’t switch. Wile your browsing around the paint department I would advise checking out the faux supplies especially those of you who like to work outside the lines and experiment. Faux paints are acrylic based and mix well with artist acrylic and water paints. The pearls and metallics are especially cool and produce amazing results. One last product I would like to share is called water putty. It’s a dry powder when mixed with water hardens to an incredibly hard paintable surface. I like it for building up a paint surface and to create thick and thin areas prior to priming and painting my panels.

The example is oil on panel 41 x 25 which is still underway. The entire mountain was first rendered as a relief using water putty then primed with 4 coats of flat white acrylic latex indoor out door paint.

Oh I forgot 100% of the panel is made from materials bought at the building supply store and no brush was used to apply paint for the mountains just q-tips.

Happy painting,

Len sodenkamp
www.sodenkampart.com

The best painting I ever did will be the next one I do.

That afternoon I noticed the cloud formations were ideal for a fireworks sunset. I put my gear in the truck and grabbed two large panels. I already knew which one I would use. The place I had in mind would be about a one hour drive. I pulled up on top of the hill and wasted no time in setting up. I tied the easel to the truck so if there was wind my panel wouldn’t become a kite. I began mixing large piles of warm and cool oil on my glass palette because I knew when the time came I would have to apply lots of paint fast. I finished and figured I had about an hour before the real light show would begin. I started building my composition of foreground and middle ground shapes using a large flat brush and quickly punched in the impressions of the landscape as it lay out before me. I knew I needed to keep my values dark because I wanted to capture the light as it would play after the sun went down. But the sky would be my main focus for this painting. As soon as the sun dropped over that ridge I would only have minutes to capture those colors. When the sun started dropping over those worn down mountains I put down the brush and picked up a large palette knife and began mixing and applying lots of paint and the sky began moving across my panel. I brought some of those amazing sky colors down as highlights on to those beautiful ridges and plains below.

I step back a lot to look at the over all painting as it is unfolding and try to pick an area to either leave as it is or add to it. These actions are made consciously it would seem at the time but afterword looking at what minutes before was a blank panel it feels as though something beyond the self is at work. At that moment you become immersed in the present, combined with all you see and so very humbled by creation and your attempt to imply with pigment what Light has already stated before you even had a thought about how you might copy it.

I drove away that evening thinking I had come as close to capturing the essences of a sunset as I ever had. Then I remembered what a friend painter once said.

“The best painting I ever did will be the next one I do”.

Oil on panel plein air 24 x 48 (sold into a private collection 2004) artist: Len Sodenkamp

Food for thought

Plein air oil on framed panel 24 x 40 inches by Len Sodenkamp

The top image is a plein air study from a few weeks ago wile on location in the Saw Tooth Mountains of Idaho. Deeply influenced by my surrounding on a beautiful warm fall afternoon I was impressed to paint all that was before me. It was like a cornucopia of delicious foods and I wanted to eat every thing in sight. I thought by subordinating the foreground it might allow the viewer to move more easily into those amazing light filled peaks off in the distance. Was I successful?


The bottom image is a crop taken from the same painting removing the foreground information. Simplification of subject mater especially when painting plein air can sometimes produce powerful impressions. My point being; which painting makes the strongest statement?
Knowing how much information to depict and when to stop painting is always a big?

Happy painting,

Len Sodenkamp

Fall colors in mid day light

Fall color in mid day light,

For years I practiced not using color straight from the tube; that is to say no white or neutralizing. Needless to say you can find your self in unfamiliar territory using full strength pigment especially with a limited primary palette. Taking the path less traveled invites the possibility of becoming lost. Most of us can recall the feeling of being lost and how humbling it is. Life teaches us to avoid unpleasantness and to stay in our safe zone. So should one not stand metaphorically on the last rung of the ladder and reach out for once thought unreachable fruit?

Fall color in mid day light was painted on location 9-27-11 at Fisher Creek Saw Tooth Mountains of Idaho. Palette: cobalt blue, cad red, cad yellow light and medium.

Oil on framed panel 24 x 24 inches plein air (fall color in mid day light) by Len Sodenkamp www.sodenkampart.com

The Saw Tooth Mountains of Idaho

Visiting an old friend,

The Saw Tooth Mountains live up to their name sake and of all the mountain ranges I have gazed upon these are among my favorites. To make it even better they are only a wonderful three hours scenic drive from our front door.

The painting below was done in 2005 from a place we try to visit at least once a year. Like an old friend this particular view is waiting to pose another spectacular fall sun rise or sun set. I can recall painting from this spot at least a dozen times in the last 6 years and never tire of painting it again and again. Saw Tooth Sun Rise was acquired by close friends of our family; Idaho born folks who grew up playing in the amazing Stanley Basin wonderland.

The little western town of Stanley Idaho is nestled at the base of the majestic Saw Tooth’s on the beautiful pristine Salmon River. Log cabins are available with decks overlooking the water and my wife Elaine made our reservations. We are both looking forward to time away from the city and a peaceful respite. I plan to paint every day and she will keep me company wile catching up on some reading. The air will be crisp with fall colors and we do love aspens this time of year. I sound like a travel brochure but in defense of my ramblings one must be there to appreciate how modern times have not spoiled this wonderful place.

Happy fall,

Peace to you all,

Len Sodenkamp
www.sodenkampart.com



Oil on framed panel (Saw Tooth Sun Rise) 52 inches x 16 inches by artist Len Sodenkamp (sold)

Ten Years Ago Idaho

1966 at age eighteen just out of high school I made a bold move to beautiful but often soggy Seattle. Twenty one years later I was very happy to be living in shall I say somewhat dryer Idaho? Another twenty three years swiftly passed and today my love of painting Idaho can be found hanging on more then a few walls. I decided to take a nostalgic look back ten years and so selected this panoramic landscape of a spring morning painted in 2001. It typifies the volcanic formations of an amazing area appropriately named; The Magic Valley. In this region of Idaho the meandering Snake River flows through deep wide canyons and lush valleys. I often use the long narrow format because it helps accentuate vastness. From this vantage point a viewer might get the impression of looking at a desolate deserted land. Perhaps our best kept secrete.

I do find it helpful to look back at my older works as it provides insight for the creative journey forward. At times when feeling unmotivated a little reminiscing can be just the thing to rekindle a creative spark.

Happy reminiscing,

Len Sodenkamp
www.sodenkampart.com



Acrylic on panel 48 inches x 12 inches by Len Sodenkamp
(part of the artist’s private collection)