"Red Barn" oil 8x10

How I start a Plein Air painting

When you arrive at the paint-out you are faced with a wide shot. Although we live in a 360-degree world, our intake is roughly 45-degrees, the average TV camera sees only 7-degrees of this world. Mentally you start choosing your own angle of visual acceptance:

You choose your own degree of "narrowness" according to your experience and taste.

You

are

not

a camera

nor a reporter of fact - no, you adjust your rendering of the scene so that it has a center of interest and some color surprise. You rule.

Start with a large brush, paint the main shapes of the scene - in this case simply paint the sky, the trees and the water. You're almost done in a matter of a few minutes this way. Change to smaller brushes, add the farm buildings and the yellow trees, include some water reeds...in other words, add TEXTURE to the large shapes.

Narrow your scene with your eyes (just zoom in mentally)

Now paint what works, change color if you like, delete clutter (water reeds), make that grey barn "saleable red," add a window, a doorway. That's YOUR center of interest.

This 8x10 took about an hour to paint. It's not what you paint, it's HOW you paint. The HOW leads to your own unique STYLE. Your brush work and color choices determine how tasteful and experienced you are as an artist. The HOW is what you should aim for. The WHY, the WHEN, and the WHERE are subordinate to your HOW.

That's how I do plein air, yet it's like golf or tennis - occasionally you play well but you CAN have an off day. Donna worree, then come back another day. Every new start teaches the artist something. Its the only game in town.

Three Bike Quiz

Name these three bikes. No prizes, only my praise for being right!

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"Gentle rain on Government House" oil 8x10

See more art at www.alfrescoes.com

And while you're here - press the collage for a bigger view

Goward House Portrait Painters "Stacee" acrylic

Stacee sat for the Portrait painters today. I chose acrylics cos' I need to challenge myself to paint in a medium that isn't my strongest suit. You heard me say before that working in another medium visits kindly on one's home medium.

Hit the image of Stacee or a bigger view.

From the past - San Juan Island Ferry Landing

When the Earth was young I painted this ferry landing in Friday Harbor, Washington State. I came across this blast from the past while skimming through my old watercolors today. I am surprised how good it is (said the artist, bragging).

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"Two Miniatures" acrylic 3 x 4.5 inches

Two minis in acrylic, "Canoe Hawaii" and "Island Cove" really quite small. Available, email me at kyknoord@outlook = offers greater than fifty dollars each. I'll advise you by email when you win.

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"Three Fish" herring - acrylic 6x6

Carol Marine crops, and now so do I. We all know that these are three fish on a plate, we don't have to see the entire objects.

I like thick impasto although it's not to everyone's taste. I find that most current artists also like juicy brush work.

Email me kyknoord@outlook.com if you like or want this one, it'll fit into a CD mailer.

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"Banfield Boat 2" acrylic 9x12, plein air

The weather gave us a grand window today as we worked on our paintings at Banfield Park. The sun came and went then came again. No problem, the main thing is that we were working outside, meeting Nature with appreciation and gusto.

You know you can email me if you like or want this one. kyknoord@outlook.com I want people to possess my work.

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"Tall Saguaro" acrylic 3 x 8 inches

I'm an errant boy for deserts - the Namib, Kalahari, Osoyoos, Mohave - I've been to them and more, 'have even slept in the sand with scorpions about...they're not so bad if you keep your distance but watch out for Kangaroo mice, they seek warmth at night and can invade your sleeping bag.

Anyhow we avoided rattlers in the Mohave, and we loved the stately saguaro cactus. What an icon for Westerners.

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My pastel portrait of Scott - 10 x 12

My friend Scott vowed to shave his beard for 2015, I persuaded him to keep it long enough (sic) for me to make this pastel portrait of him. Portraits are not always as accurate as photographs but this one came pretty close, I'm relieved to report. He and Carolyn liked it, and that's all that matters..

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"Peacock Chick" 5x7 oil

Impressionist painting requires some suggestion - using a brush and a knife I hint at what is real, a kinda shorthand which we viewers understand without the need for over explanation. Anyhow, I was drawn by this pair in a well-cultivated lavender field. They look sooo cute together. There was second chick around, probably lagging behind somewhere in the the rows of lavender....

$100 = SOLD December 20, 2014

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"Puppy Love" 5x7 oil

This is not meant to be a portrait of anyone - my inspiration came from a photograph I had taken at a friend's house a while back. I loved the connection between the girl and the dog. I purposely avoided a true likeness of the person and I purposely made the dog a wee bit smaller, accentuating the "puppiness."

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"Bree" BIG BRUSH tile strokes, oil 11x14

My aim was to paint in tile strokes - something I have seen the great artists do on Google. Using a BIG BRUSH AND LOTS OF PAINT I REALIZED MY AMBITION.....YAY.

But I didn't do Bree any justice, my approach aged her. Meantime she's a beautiful young lady as you can see by the photograph. I must thank her for sitting so well, she enabled me to adopt the BIG BRUSH style.

Thanks Bree, you're a star. Here's nicer painting of you which I did some time ago, May 2013:

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"Wetlands" 8x10 oil

Plein air painters are ready to move through muddy flats to reach scenes of great artistic merit. Such was the case today at Viaduct Wetlands in Greater Victoria.

Available kyknoord@outlook.com

Press the image for a bigger view (mind the mud)

"Ford at the Ledge" oil 8x10

The Ledge is the affectionate term that Victorians in BC call the legislature.

1934 Ford at the Legislature in Victoria BC. Available kyknoord@outlook.com

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"Erin" oil 11x14

Erin sat for the Goward House Portrait Painters today. She's a competitive swimmer and has sat for artists before.

I returned to my home medium today after several weeks of exploring other media such as pencil, pastel and acrylic - I find that working in another medium is not only challenging but the lessons learnt visit well on my home medium of oils. It was a great experience and I enjoyed crafting the portrait with almost no blending, opting for brush strokes of adjacent tone, much like Karin Jurick, John Cook or Carol Marine would have done. Super duperrrr...

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"Dallas Road Snow" 9x12 acrylic painting

It doesn't often snow here in Victoria BC yet here we are - they say we are in the banana belt of Canada. I'm not complaining!

This painting "Dallas Road Snow" is available, email me kyknoord@outlook.com

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"Jim" Conté Pencil

.

Jim sat for us at Goward House because the model didn't show -- then you as the arranger have to sit instead. I found him to be very patient and the dozen or so artists at Goward House Portrait painters did a good job of painting accurate likenesses.

"A Tale of Two Volksies"

Call them what you will - Bug, Beetle, VW, Volkswagen - in South Africa they are affectionately known as Volksies.

The blue VW was painted with acrylic, the red on in oils. (I note that my style remained much the same between the two media), I am a great admirer of Carol Marine and Colin Page as you can tell.

Press the images in turn for bigger views. Email kyknoord@outlook.com if you want them.

"Beautiful BC" 8x10 acrylic

Driving through BC a couple years ago I cannot remember whether it was the coast or a lake but the memory of this scene was etched in me and I painted it completely from recall...the sand, the clouds, the curve in the water. Oh my.

It's available to my Friends, send me an email, you know my address.

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My most viewed paintings

These are the most looked-at of my paintings by visitors on my Fine Art America site (link to the right).
I paint them but have no idea how well or not-so-well they are received. All I can do is report that "Palauea Beach" and "Nefertiti" are the second-most and third-most visited works - what about number one?
Well it's a pencil drawing of a bald eagle. See if you can find it on my FAA site. No prizes, only surprises....

I paint 'em, you rate 'em.

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"Cattle Point Splash" acrylic, knife work 11x14

Cattle Point is my favourite painting spot. I used a palette knife to convey the mish-mash of stone, cracks, seaweed and water with small and big islands in view. I get moody (good) just looking at it all......

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"Garry Oak Junior" acrylic 9x12

Plein Air on Mount Tolmie - this is the second time I have painted this teenage Garry oak, the first was many years ago and the work is in the offices of the Garry Oak Society in Victoria BC.

I am learning how to handle acrylic paint 'cos I'm an oil painter by habit.

The above painting is not for sale. Colleen owns it.

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"Leaden sky, buoyant boat" oil 5x7

Despite the ominous sky and the choppy sea, the boat remains buoyant. That's life I hope.

Email my new Microsoft address and make an offer kyknoord@outlook.com

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"Squalls a-comin' " oil 5x7

The weather changes at anytime where I live in the Pacific (!) Northwest.

Email kyknoord@outlook.com and make an offer. This is my new Microsoft email address that I've set up for your enquiry should you want this miniature painting.

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"Wee Rooster" miniature oil 3x5

The rooster may be small but he sure does make a big noise.

Email kyknoord@outlook on my new Microsoft email address and make me a wee offer.....

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"Jesi in pastel" 9x12

Goward House Portrait Painters are at it on a Tuesday afternoon. We have three hours to complete a portrait then the sitter (who poses for free) is able to take home the portrait of her/his choice.

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Tony Bounsall and Ron Wilson art collaboration

Tony Bounsall and I have collaborated on a piece - I did the oil painting and Tony supplied the graphic overlay thereby creating a new work. To see more of Tony's magic go to www.tonybounsall.com and if you want a reproduction of our colloration just email me, Ron, at my Microsoft email address kyknoord@outlook.com

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"Little Squirter" oil 5 x 7

Or it could be titled "Have Gun - will unravel!"

I spied this little person playing on the beach with Grammy. I suspect that Grandma got wet soon after this obliging pose.

Want it? Make an offer - I'll give you a clue, try anything between 100 and 200 and it's yours. I won't necessarily take the highest bid, only the most amusing one.....email me at kyknoord@outlook.com Microsoft's new email service.

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Sweet Retreat -- nostalgia

Forgive for this indulgence but this morning Colleen and I were wandering around Friday Harbor (very early morning) looking for a bite to eat. Then we came across Sweet Retreat -- I remembered creating a graphic for them a decade ago. Son Dave has bought the place established by his Mum 14 years ago and I was flattered to see that the family still uses my drawing emblazoned upon a variety of stuff, t-shirts, drinking glasses, advertisements and more.
I found it very touching. Not only that, Dave's breakfast burrito was yummy!

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"Crystal" oil 10x14

Crystal sat for the Portrait Group this week. I had prepared my canvas with a red-brown under-painting to help me find the various tones and values to follow. I figured that the darker base might show me the lights immediately, instead of starting with a white canvas, I like experimenting.

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"Pansy Posy" approx. 3x5 inches

After painting my "Pansies" 6x8 (a previous posting) I found that I had more than enough paint squeezed on my palette so I scraped the paint and applied it to a 3x5-inch piece of canvas board, using my imagination.
Want it? Going cheep-cheep - email me at kyknoord@outlook.com (Microsoft's new email carrier) and make an offer. Anything, don't be reticent......it's my experiment to see what's going and what's not.
It's got to dry first because it's thick and juicy, and it'll look great on one of those one-dollar mini wooden easels from the Dollar Shop placed in your kitchen or bathroom, or in a cabin I'm thinking.

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"Pansies" 6x6 oil

Colleen often picks little posies for her bathroom - she has a good eye. These pansies appealed to me too, so with palette knife and a big brush I painted this scene on a 6 x 8-inch canvas board.

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"Sun Ducks" oil 6x8

My camera couldn't cope with the contrast in this scene but my EYE made the value adjustment seem natural so I painted "Sun Ducks" exactly like it.

Want it? Put the title of the painting in the SUBJECT line and make an offer at kyknoord@outlook.com

< Press the image for a bigger view

Sidney Fine Arts - Oct 17, 18, 19 -- 2014

My two paintings on exhibition at Sidney Fine Arts October 16, 17 and 18 Mary Winspear Theatre in Sidney BC.

"Copper Kettle" and Museum of Man - Totem"

'Just learned that "Copper Kettle" was awarded an Honourable Mention at the show. We are thrilled.

Press the images to see bigger pictures, one at a time of course

Thanks, Ron

"Carolyn with great hair" oil 10x16

Such wonderful hair - I admire folk who allow themselves to grow grey naturally. Carolyn sat for the Goward House Portrait Painters today.

Following Sargent, I painted Carolyn's face without overt blending, gradually moving from value to value with definite brushstrokes of adjacent colour. He said, search for the semi-tones. I did.

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"Marianne" oil on paper 12 x 15

Marianne sat for the Goward House Portrait Painters today. I used oil paper and conventional oils find that they sank a lot into the paper, but is was a nice change from canvas - I responded by using as few colours as possible and tried to exploit the sinking paint. Anyways, Marianne liked the result! Press the image for a bigger view.

"Barry" pastel portrait 10 x 14

Barry sat for the Goward House Portrait painters today. He's retired but collects scrap metal of very kind. So far he has raised over six-thousand dollars for some camp for kids I think.

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"Saxe Point inlet" oil 8x10

You know this is an outdoors painting 'cos of the appearance of a tiny critter which flew onto my wet canvas and got stuck there, it's the badge of the plein air painter and just about every oil-painting artist gets 'em. If you form imaginary cross hairs from corner to corner of my painting it's just about in the center!

Want it? Put the title of the painting in the SUBJECT line and make an offer at kyknoord@outlook.com

< Click the painting for a bigger image

"Fall comes to the Marina" oil 6x8

Nature hits back at Fall by giving us a shower vibrant autumn leaves, soon it'll be cold but winter has it's own share of fun. Bring it on!

See it at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria Christmas Small Works exhibition.

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"Cadboro Bay Beach" oil 8x10 en plein air

Not wanting to place the legs of my aluminum tripod in the sand I looked around and found this inverted log, so I stuck my paint box on it - it happened to be situated in a good spot!

Then I looked for a centre of interest, and a lone sailor obligingly hauled his yellow boat up on the beach, just where I needed it!

Want it? Put the title of the painting in the SUBJECT line and make an offer at kyknoord@outlook.com

Press the images for bigger views - one at a time of course.

"Museum of Man Totem" acrylic 12x18

Believe me when I say that the original painting has subtleties that a JPG cannot express. Somehow it's softer and less brash if you know what I mean. Anyhow, here it is, a realistic rendering of which my family approves.

This painting was shown at Sidney Fine Arts 2014 and is now on view at the Greater Victoria Real Estate Board.

Want it? Make an offer at kyknoord@outlook.com

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