I love how there isn’t excessive detail in your paintings, it reminds me of what an old memory looks like - just enough detail but over time it generalises into something beautiful like one of your paintings.
Th blue car in the foreground is an absolute winner - half in shadow and half in the light. It sets the stage for the entire painting. Really nice work.
I was gifted a box of oil paints and you’ve been such a wealth of both knowledge and encouragement. You’re attitude and approach are inspirational and I appreciate you sharing so much of your process. Thank you, Mr. Chamberlain 🙌🏽
You looked a little nervous and under pressure and the result is a bit less than your usual plein-air. Yes that car saved the painting. And even though i really like to see you out there struggling at any situation. Well done my artist friend. You means much to lots of artists that watching you mostly doing Plein air and teaching them some lessons.
Boy that certainly was a challenging one. Your thoughts and transparency in your process is very helpful. How? It shows us we can doubt ourselves but, keep going and be surprised and pleased at the end. We can evaluate and learn from our mistakes and successes. Very encouraging. Just keep on painting and keep on painting. Thanks Michael, that was a good one.
I believe you're one of the best artists of our generation, you should take a vacation and come to Wisconsin, between our rugged great lake coasts, our old world small towns, and our huge pine and hard wood forrests, countless inland lakes and rivers, I believe you'd fall in love with the beauty and scenery of the great lakes states, just watch out for bears.....lol...
8:59 left, under the white building face, slender fem silhouette, Lady, her green longish dress, her hair, come towards you look on , about the corner sidewalk, “the umbrella shape and shadow silhouette holding it, feels as a , movement. The reflections through an air shadow , between the buildings and up the street, subtle reflection from the cars through shade. Cafe windows , ‘ near where you point, expressions in the windows but as though from within the cafe. All your city scape cafes so wonderful ❤️😎
You’ve inspired me to do a couple of cityscapes - from my photos - but look forward to getting out and doing one plein air. Love your San Francisco scenes.
Your process and method advice is really, really helpful. So grateful to you for all your time, commitment and encouragement in helping other artists to get out there and practise. Thank you.
It was fun watching you paint a street in Sant Francisco.Your city. What was happening around you was fun to watch too.Such as a cable car go past.I live in England and find it interesting seeing cities in America
Mike, I like how you talk about your process step by step. It refreshes it in my mind again. Your still my inspiration and I’m sure I speak for others how much we appreciate your sharing your knowledge and techniques. 🌴Tallahassee Florida 🌴
you mentioned 'painting vocabulary' at 12:54 ; such a cool way of describing how you learn as you paint! really informative short commentary at the end of the video, will perhaps try to pick up painting when my school exams are over, great video! :)
Have you ever thought of pre-painting the architecture/road shapes before going on site so you can spend more time on your color and light? Essentially just the initial tone and line drawing ahead of time. Might take some of the looseness away but it’d be a fun experiment? AND I just saw a guy who has a book out on limited palette; he painted exactly the same little painting 46 times only changing the 3 color palette used; the differences were amazing.
I tried pre-sketching when I first started painting cityscapes on location but I didn't like the results. I don't expect to go out and have a successful painting every time. I want to be challenged. It's the best way to grow. That book sounds interesting!
I sure wish I got all your fantastic advice and demonstrations long ago. I tried to paint in younger years. Bought everything. I know exactly what color you are talking about. It’s very difficult to teach art. I’m old and very shakey now but sure like watching. Thanks.
That was a great exercise in simplification. Obviously the painting has to be planned, but as you get into it, I'm sure things reveal themselves, and show you where to simplify. Beautiful piece. Nice light.
I thoroughly enjoyed this video, as I do practically all of your videos. And, your reconnaissance analyses are always interesting… I must say that I didn’t find the yellow building on the left at all awkward and think it nicely balances the vivid colors on the right. Great orange color there on the awning! Love your work and your inspiring talks. Thanks so much for creating these and sharing with us. ❤️
That’s my go to corner shop! 😊 Jen recommend me your channel! Thank you for the content and thought process. I have yet tried painting a city scape, will definitely keep your advice in mind when trying it. Thank you Michael!
Michael , even now , in what appears “simplistic”, look down the further corridor, of buildings, gaze above at adjacent roofs edge, “” behold see “” the Bust Image of a Grecian Demi - God “” , upon the right, , in the style and manner of which we can still see so many carvings of in existence today, not relics, but masterpieces, (even not looking , now, I can see it ) ❤️ at ten thirty three
With an element of danger; back to the traffic The jacket tells all the tales biographic Changing light and chasing shadows I hope it’s warm or else your toes froze Shapes big to small, colors dark to light Magical moments; turns out all right Patreon to “stay creative” The pull is gravitative 😁 I loved seeing the close ups of the mixed paint and the brush strokes. Fantastic work on the car and the shadows. I even like the areas you are not particularly pleased with at the moment. It is great life advice to trust the process and pay attention to what is working. Thanks for sharing! Peace and love..Suz What ☮️💚🌻
The painting looks really good so far! Always super interesting to hear your reasoning behind color choices and color mixing. One thing bugs me about the composition though: the straight line of cars in the middle, it feels as if the middle ground splits the scene in two halves. Or is that just me? :)
Thanks! I thought about that when composing, but I've done compositions with cars in the middle on several occasions and it doesn't bother me. Obviously if it bothers you that's ok! 😂👍 There is no right or wrong answer.
Totally agree about cityscapes being much more difficult because of the intense drawing required. i've been toying with the idea of either just doing straight drawings of city scenes to get better of that in the field, or also painting in black and white and just focusing on drawing and tone with plein air. A focussed practice like that isn't as alluring to me as using a full palette but every time i do a cityscape I always feel the difficulty of the drawing and as you said so many colors to figure out. I really liked your point about finding a spot in the painting that worked. I RARELY feel like an entire painting is totally good. usually there are spots that work and spots that dont. I think for us students of art, the more we identify and learn from those the better we become. Great video as always!
I really like that painting but I get stuck on whatever the light green vertical is - is that a sign or apart of the building? I love the composition and the loose way you painted the street and the cars - nice! I don’t know how you do these in such a short period of time!
Lovely video. AGAIN. Thumbs up here! Thanks for critiqueing your own work and mentioning what does and doesn't work. Very educational. Also that we shouldn't be too hard on ourselves, especially with such a complicated scene. You mention how you want to frame your work at the start of the vid but I don't really hear you voicing your focus of the painting. Which has me wondering: do you have the intent to focus on something specific when you start off or is it more an overall feel for the composition, possibly with a few details that you want in there?
Thanks Mike! My focus is on composition. I look for a pleasing arrangement of large shapes. Details are ok as long as they don't detract from the overall design. 😊👍
Great job, sir! I think it's a pretty good painting! I really like it. Amazing! Nice to see San Francisco, it has really cool architecture. Have a good one!
Ambitious. Very cool. You mentioned that you were going to paint that corner again. Would you go back and finish this painting or is that not practical? Likewise, would returning to finish this painting go against your goals as a painter right now (e.g. plain air painting in one sitting)? Great video.
All that information on the street..."but the steps are always the same"...no more truth than that. I like street scenes a lot, maybe you could make one in the coast one day and one in the city the following day and so on...just a thought.
I am turning into a big fan of yours, just after three videos... You are doing something right. :) Could you tell me what camera you use for your videos? I want to buy a new one for myself and need some orientation ...
A magnificent painting! You're a master of shadow, much like Edward Hopper! A quick question about sketching if I may....you do all your sketches in burnt sienna on a burnt sienna dulled canvas....all of which result in a beautiful end result. Is there any rhyme or reason to using this color, or will any color work equally as well?
I really love this work, do you sell your work? You’ve inspired me to be more free with my brush strokes I always find myself being shy with laying on the paint
I get your “process”. I get setting a time limit, not working too carefully… understand the big shapes and loosely refining those big shapes. but it’s the sketch that can’t be done that way for me. Or accuracy in details. Cannot do that loosely, just can’t without a mess. Cannot get accuracy with out carefulness. If you can enlighten on that, you would really be imparting some wisdom!
Most paintings are completed outdoors, with very minor touch ups later in the studio. If a painting doesn't work out the first time I'll go back and try again, instead of reworking it in the studio.
