Out of my element with 27 inch long brushes and acrylic paint, en plein air. . .
30 minute acrylic sketch using an extended brush and three colors 10.5"x18"
Following Robert Burridge’s suggestion to tie brushes onto branches I created two 27 inch long brushes. Using acrylic rather than oil seemed like a good idea. I found two large containers for water. Having never painted en plein air with acrylic I decided to limit my palette to naples yellow, alizarin crimson and prussian blue with a glob of zinc white on the side. The sun was going down, leaving me little time to even think about how absurd I felt with one brush in each hand, dabbing onto the acrylic paint and trying to make marks on the panel fast enough to get back to the piles of paint on the palette before it dried. Painting three feet away from my easel wasn’t nearly as difficult as using the palette from three feet away. It’s an exercise well worth repeating.
long handled brushes
May 9, 2010 at 2:38 pm
Chris, Really fantastic! I like the feel of arms and hands drooping down. This exercise would help me loosen up. I should try it! Now!
May 8, 2010 at 3:24 pm
Fantastic image with the task you set for yourself, Chris. One of my instructors had my draw with a stick I dipped in ink. I still have that drawing and would not part with it. It took forever, constantly dipping. This reminds me of that.