A question from this subscriber asks what the next step after you complete the block in stage. Artist/art teacher Dianne Mize shows what to look for. www.diannemize.com
This was so incredibly helpful! I truly enjoy your instruction. Thank you. I look forward to perhaps seeing a quick tip to follow through with the detail. Thank you again, Ms. Mize. Be well!
The details are icing on the cake, done by honing in to first, shadow areas which rarely require any details at all, then the not-in-shadow areas. Usually, details are seen more clearly in the transition (terminator) areas where shadow meets light.
Great process. I have tested other block-in methods: monochrome, mid-ton, and I find your notan block-in in two values ( or three values max.) most practical and gives
Hi Dear Dianne, Thank you so much for this demonstration! Love painting trees, they have a special interest for me. There are many unfinished trees in my chamber🌳 Hope to improve them now!/Marie
Thank you, very informative. Would you please have your camera operator zoom in to the painting whenever you apply a brush stroke? Too often you are describing a technique or stroke but we can't see it clearly because we are not zoomed in. Thank you!
I saw two different approaches to the blocking step. The first one put almost everything in shadow and star working the lights and mid tones over it. The user of this process argue that in that way he can show deep on the painting, like in the branches that are farther away inside the tree. In the other process, the painter block his work in a mid tone value of the area of the painting he wants to represent, whether in shadow or in light an later he add the darker and lighter values. I would like your comments or evaluation of this approaches and how do you think the finished painting is affected as compared to the approach you just explained in the video. Thank You for sharing your knowledge and time.
It's a personal choice. If the painters know what they are doing, it will not be evident in the finished work which approach was used. The important thing is to have a sequence of application that works for you.
Thanks so much Dianne for this demo, as scene typical of English summer landscape here with stately oak tree and multiple greens. If painting whole tree, should initial dark block-in (3'41") extend up to the top, where the foliage reads very dark against the sky?
Yes, Elvira. Blocking in just sets the color and value structure, making it easier to add the details within that structure. By setting the value/color structure first, we can more easily create a well-composed painting.
Do you always make a value scale for the colors you are working with? It seems to be a very helpful tool, at least while you are still learning about painting lights and shadows.
When you are first learning, it is a good idea to aim for the color you are seeing, but once you learn how to mix color and how to control it, enhancing or editing what you see to make a different expression of it is something we enjoy doing.
Completey off topic, but I've recently switched over to water mixable oils - and I have to say, I'm doing rather well with them bar a few adjustments, of course. They're under the same family tree as Rembrandt so they're of decent quality, I just wonder if you've ever used them?
Hello Dianne, Not to change the subject but I have a question that is bugging me and probably has been asked many times. I am teaching myself to paint by viewing other artists, a lot of practice, repetition, and trial and error. Right now I am using acrylics. My biggest challenge appears to be blending colors and shades smoothly. Maybe in your opinion and also in the general artist community as a whole, do you think using oil provides the most versatility and in the end if you want to be a great artist you may want to consider moving to oil eventually? Not always, but seems like the most advanced painting I view, most artists are using oil. Thank you.
Taylor8492, it is not the medium that makes a great artist. It just happens that oils are getting a lot of attention, perhaps because a lot of plein air painters are using oils. What's important is that you relate to the medium you're working with, that you understand its potential and how to use it to express your work.
@@IntheStudioArtInstruction Thank you Dianne. I have a lot of acrylics so I will work with those and maybe try other mediums later. Your instruction has been invaluable to me. Painting was initially too stressful ( not good) because of just guessing and trial and error. Now I am having fun thanks to your instruction. It provides a strong foundation, thought process, and procedure. I am actually going back and fixing a lot of my older paintings. Your website is packed with tons of useful information, and yes, I will be joining on. Thanks again.
I'm still trying to block in, but this procedure doesn't seem natural to me at all. However, I try again and again (unsuccessfully), but I find that I don't even enjoy it this way. Could it be related to the fact that I prefer alla prima? Or should I keep trying, despite the resistance and getting worse results than if I don't use block in this way?
@@IntheStudioArtInstruction Thanks, I'm trying to learn the principles, because it seems I can't take over the technique completely. Unfortunately, this means discovering my own best way and it will probably take a long time and mean many failed attempts. But a lot of "little things", such as how to paint waves, clouds, leaves, grass, etc. is very helpful to me. Many thanks for learning! Before I discovered you and started watching your videos, I was a self-taught painter and I really appreciate it! Have a nice day! I also greet the cats, who sometimes meow cute during the videos.
@@petral8823 How you describe your situation sounds so much like my own. In my case, I found that I am dyslexic, with what I see switching both back and forth AND up and down. I was chatting with my doctor, describing my difficulties painting the way you have, and he suggested dyslexia. It’s taken many years of struggling and failing, and RU-vid’s like this one to create my own mindset, untangling what I think I see. Shapes are still a problem, painting bad over good is a problem as well. But now I know if this is happening, I’m likely tired, and I skipped the steps described in this video. Sometimes I have to take an almost “paint by numbers” approach to work past problems. Once I have a little good muscle memory I’m able to put my own spin on the image. I feel your pain - I hope you make whatever progress you’re seeking.
Entirely different. Watercolor techniques is so different from from oil techniques because of the degree of wetness we deal with, but the color theory is the same.
MAM , YOU VIDEOS ARE EXCELLENT AS YOU TELL ONE THING AT A TIME< COULD YOU MAKE SOME VIDEOS FOR DIFFERENT TREES AS PALM TREE , FIN TREE , FEW TREES WHICH ARE COMMONLY USED IN LANDSCAPE, HOPE YOU DO NOT MIND MY REQUEST.THANKS
Thank you, Farrukh. My videos also try to teach you how to look at your reference and how to see shapes and movement, values and colors. There are so many varieties of trees that to attempt to take them individually require multiple Quick Tips. But what I will do is to create Tip where the focus is on how to see these for yourself. Look for that Tip in late May or early June because we film the Tips weeks in advance.
You get that with the courses on our Academy. diannemizeacademy.com . Also, there is on our channel a free video called Notan: How and Why that takes the blockin to a rough finish.
The green is sap green made by the Daniel Smith Company. The color can be created using 3 parts Rembrandt Viridian and 1 part Rembrandt Transparent Red.
my dear granny i like when u gave us reply actually i dont get much time thats why i miss many of your videos,, granny whats the name of ur puppy? and i watched the plain air video and it was awesome. Can u plz make a vdo on how to draw waves for seascaping. Thank you :)
Thanks,, Arpan. My dog appearing in the intro of the hour-long tutorials was my Maggie. Sadly, she made her transition over the rainbow bridge a while back, but is still very much here in spirit. I will put your request on our schedule, but it probably will be April or May before it appears because we film several weeks in advance.
@@IntheStudioArtInstruction I am sorry to hear that but I believe she also loves you and always around you. Do you mind as I call you my granny? I never saw my grandmother but when i see your videos i dont know why i called u as granny. And of course I will wait for the tutorial but till then I can watch your other tutorials.. Take care my sweet granny..
@@arpankumardolui74 Hi Arpan. I too am reminded of my beloved Grandmother, even though I suspect Miss Diane and I are closer in age as sisters would be. Her voice and pronunciations are so similar to Grandmother’s and equally comforting. I’m sure your Grandmother would have been so for you as well.
