On location with Charles Reid
Guiding Faculty member Charles Reid spends a good part of every year painting on location in many wonderful spots around the world, ranging from Tuscany to the English Cotswolds to the beaches of Australia. Painting in a sketchbook away from the studio taught him an important lesson.
Sketchbooks taught me about the importance of time (actually, the lack of it) needed to make a good drawing or painting while working on the spot. I learned that I didn’t have time for sketching with searching lines; I needed a single, carefully considered contour line to capture my subject or scene. Slowly my drawing improved. I started painting in sketchbooks in the late 1970s, using the same light drawing paper, and found that I couldn’t correct or use overwashes on fragile sketchbook paper. This changed my approach to all of my watercolor painting. Even when I paint with heavier watercolor paper, I strive for the correct tonal-value with my first try. I don’t always manage a finish with my first try but it’s always my goal.
When Charlie paints in picturesque places, he’s often surrounded by students who are doing their best to absorb his methods and approach. Details about his painting workshops can be found at www.charlesreidart.com
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