painting on location
During my morning walks I have taken a sketch pad and sketched the large dead burned out cedars and other trees that catch my interest. Until recently I haven't painted on location nudemainly because most places are populated with clothed people. But I had my first experience painting outdoors while nude. The long uncut various shades of greengrass and bright yellowdandelions seen from our deckcaught my eye. So I set up a temporary outdoor studio on my back deck. I painted a 28''x40'' acrylic. It felt great to be painting outside naked with the sun on my body and gentle breezes keeping me cool.I must admit it this experience has left me wanting to paint outdoors on location more. I'll just have to find secluded locations with terrific views to inspire my muse.
Have other naturalist artists painted on location while naked? How did you go about finding a suitable place to work. What media did you use? How did it feel painting naturally?
I have continued painting nude outdoors. I have been painting the red poppies in my garden. I never realized before just how free it is to paint unclothed outdoors. There is no restriction in movement by clothing. No sleeves to roll up or get in the way, no pant legs to wipe paint off onto though. :)
Now every morning on my walks I take my sketch book and do 1-3 pen sketches on 11''x14'' paper. I have the thought now to try taking 12''x16'' water colour paper with a few watercolours and brush to do the pen sketches then add some colour. For now this would be the first step to taking a full painting kit to see if my arms are up to the extra strain. Important note, I have polymyalgia, an autoimmune disease that attacks the skeletal muscles making one weaker as it progresses. I am recovering slowly on the meds thus slowly building back up to carrying a full painting kit.
This morning I tried to see how my endurance for carrying my watercolour painting canvas bag filled with water, metal paint box/pallet, 11''x15'' watercolour paper, water cup, brushes and sketch pad would be. (I had emptied out everything else I usually take painting with me.)I was able to carry it for the full duration of my morning walk with two breaks, the first to do a pensketch and the second to do a 11''x15''pen and watercolour study. Boy did my arms hurt after that by the time I returned home. But I am getting stronger and my endurance is returning. I wish to build up to being able to carry my oil painting kit and a board. It has been a very hard 6 months fighting the Polymyalgia. But I will win over it and return to painting naturallyon location. Especially now I have found interesting subject matter in theforest.
September 8. Beautiful sunny day after all the rain we have been having. I woke at 6am feeling ready to try painting the huge stump. After the morning routine with the cats and a repeat feeding the dog early I loaded the car with my oil painting box and the 36''x40'' canvas. I put my clothing into my car along with my wallet and camera leaving at 7:40am. I drove the short distance out our drive to the end of our road and turned the car around to have the hatch back door facing the path. Pulling on my shorts and t shirt before I got out of the car I then took the oil painting box to the log at the end of the short path from the road to where it joins the main forest path. Then I returned to collect my canvas. I took the canvas to the new trail I made yesterday to the stump counting 113 steps as I walked there. After walking in and leaving my canvas on the log below the stump I decided to chance not meeting anyone and took my clothing off and hung them on a bush. I returned for my paint box then walking back over shot the path having to return to it. Walking in to where my canvas was I set up to paint. First I took out several sticks of charcoal to sketch in the composition and set to work. It was a little challenging not using an easel, keeping the canvas away from pointy branches tilted across the log and leaning against old roots. Once the sketch was completed I hit the charcoal off with a rag to push the charcoal into the canvas making it lighter and more permanent. Then I put the oils out on my circular plexi pallet. Once I had the colours I wanted to us I started painting starting with the stump using fairly opaque thicker paint. Once finished the stump, about 1.75 hours I started on the background. I started to paint the foreground in the same manner gradually making the paint thinner as I reached the bottom end of the canvas. For the back ground I used washes to create the illusion of forest and light. Then the sky was last using thicker paint. It took me three hours to complete. Once during that time a strong wind went through the trees sending branches and cones crashing to the ground along with a shower of needles. My wet canvas now was authentic with needles in the wet paint.Once finished I took a few pictures then cleaned up my pallet and brushes then took my paint box out to the path. Upon returning Idressed then picking up the canvas holding it by the centre brace with my right hand hoisted it upto carry over my head and to my left side with my left hand and proceed to walk out to the main trail and then along back towards the car. Just before the junction of the two paths I met our neighbour riding her horse. Good thin I hadn't chanced walking back to the car naked. We chatted for a bit and she let me go by as her horsewas most likely afraid of the canvas. She went on her way and I to the car. My arms were reminding me I still have Polymyalgia and were starting to hurt. I went back for my paint box and carried it back to the car. By the time I reach the car my arms were screaming in pain. I drove the short distance home and unloaded the car, my arms protesting greatly. Once the canvas was back on the studio easel I started removing the fir needles. By the time I finished I felt two things, very happy that I was able to accomplish after much planning this en plein air painting adventure in the forest. And in the nude as well.The other feeling though was now my arms had turned rubbery. I did push myself but it has been a few weeks since my arms have felt this particular symptom of the disseise.
That was my last nude painting on location for this year as the temperature has turned too cold to be outdoors naked comfortably. Still, over the winterI'll enjoy working naked in my studio on new projects.
I would love to meet and paint with other nudist artists. Were we moved to, a northern Gulf island on the BC, coast has many suitable private locations to paint while naked. The topography in combination with the ocean from the coastal areas are beautiful. There are also visual interesting places inland of this island. We moved here last June and I quickly found not only my new favorite place to walk naked the end point of the walk on the beach is very private except from the odd airplane and close passing boat there is no one around. The arrangement of logs, the large beach rocks and forest edge, passing cruise ships navel ships and barges became wonderful subject matter I sketched and painted enjoying the freedom of working in the nude.
It would be wonderful if other nudist artists came to my island for a summer holiday and we could have a great time painting on location together. As we downsized we no longer have a guest suite or extra bed but there are B&Bs and some really good camping grounds.
It is interesting and exciting that when I first started this group my painting on location while nude was very limited but now I cannot wait for summers return to be able to go back out into the field to paint in the nude once again.
Enjoy knowing about Your Painting Process and Product "On Location" - as I Love It Too !
And It is Fun to Have Company With These Outdoor Projects - making the Adventure All-The-More Interesting sharing the Creative Experience and Sharing Creative Tips and/or Insights about Environmental Influences.
Yes, Wish We Were "Neighbors"; so That I could Join You on a Good Painting Adventure - as It has been a Long While since I enjoyed a Painting-Day with A Creative-Brother & Fellow-Nudist !
TAKE CARE And ENJOY HAROLD - ArtistHLB in NC
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