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Marc Hanson Workshop
Taylor's Falls, MN
August 11 -15, 2008

Loi and I enjoy taking workshops together. It's like going on a cruise for us.
Meet interesting people, learn new things, see new country...it's great!
This year we traveled east to Minnesota to attend Marc's five day workshop
at his home studio on Angel Hill in Taylor's Falls situated on the banks of the St. Croix.

Angel Hill is an historic area. All the houses were built in the 1850's and 60's.

This is typical of Angel Hill.

Day One: Values

Marc handed out a 42 page folder with the schedule and a lot of
his painting advice, tips and hints. Near the front he makes it clear
he has the same struggles, failures and frustrations as we do. He
cherishes his journey as a painter. Marc's goal for the workshop
is 'to teach you to see color and value relationships with as little
prejudice as is possible. And then to learn to use those relationships
in a painting in as personal a manner as is possible...The goal of art
is to say something about the world around you according to your view.'

It was a beautiful day so we gathered on the lawn as Marc discussed equipment,
painting surfaces, brushes...the nuts and bolts. Then he demonstrated the Four Panel Value Exercise.

On a 12x16" panel divided with tape into four areas starting in the upper left he used only
three values mixed with black and white paint to depict the scene. This forces one to
simplify, edit and group everything into one of the three values. Next he reproduced
that three value design in the upper right and added a slightly lighter and darker half tone
to each 'value family'. Now have a sketch with nine values of gray.

Marc

Finally repeat these two steps but this time each value has a color. This is Marc's demo.
The spot of warm color on the first step is where Marc tested a value for the full color version.
Sun was coming through the leaves here and there on to his panel.

This is my attempt.

Day Two: Composition

In the morning it rained. We gathered in the house and Marc showed us part of his library.
I especially liked the book by David Curtis, Capturing the Moment in Oils, and now own
a copy. Marc took the class to a covered bridge for a value study demo in black and white.
Simplification of values and compositional elements, the importance of shape and value pattern,
limiting the composition to 3 or 4 values at the start.

The bridge.

Marc's value study demo.

My first one and below the second.

Day Three: Color Day

Marc's demo of the concept of warm and cool color relationships. Understand and paint
the simplified patterns of value and color. As few values as needed using color and value
to create spatial distance.

My first attempt. I'm struggling. Needs to be more simplified.

This second one is better. The value of the tree truck seems too light. Not a good day for me.

Day Four: Visualization and Memory

We met at the boat launch on the river. We were asked to pick a subject and then set up to paint
facing the opposite direction. Marc timed five minutes as we soaked up the scene, no photos or
sketching allowed, just look. Then we turned around and painted for fifteen minutes, no peaking!
This was repeated twice for a total of one hour. Then we moved so we faced the subject normally
and painted for an hour. The first one was a stronger statement for each of us.

Marc's pastel demo prior to the exercise.

This one from memory.

This one looking freely.

A river boat came by.

Day Five: The Importance of Concept

Discussion and demonstration: the why's of what we're painting.
Paint a full blown painting, size of choice.

Here's my final full blown painting, 16x12". I simplified greatly to focus on the shadows.
About two hours. Below is the scene. Shoulda made my trees darker I think.

Bottom line: a great workshop. Working on the fundamentals is a good way to improve your paintings.
Most workshops you paint and watch demos which is fine. Marc's values exercise and starts make clear
how important a good value scheme is for a painting to read well. And the task is not just to reproduce
the values in the subject accurately, but to reduce the values to three or four 'value families' placing the actual values in
one or the other 'value family' so you have a stronger two dimensional design. I found the gray scale studies easier
than the color. In fact, I seem to have a real problem with values when color comes into the picture
in outdoor work. Time is limited to an hour or two usually. In the studio I have lots of time to think and plan,
correct and rework until it's right. So, I know what I need to work on.

A family of foxes visit the field across the road from Marc's house every evening.