Expanding Your Artistic Horizons Series
Date: 06/19/2017
Subject: T. C. Steele Studio Barn
Medium: Watercolor
 |
View of T.C. Steele
Studio Barn |
Today was in the mid-'70s, which made it a perfect day to go to Nashville, Indiana. We stopped at the Brown County Art Gallery to view the 39th Annual Indiana Heritage Arts Exhibition and Sale. There was a good variety of work by well-known Indiana artists and was well worth the stop. Afterward, we drove out to the
T. C. Steele State Historic Site to spend the afternoon. The site is closed on Monday, so you cannot go on the tour but can walk around the grounds. I decided to take my
Watercolor Sketch Kit as part of the
Expanding Your Artistic Horizons Series. Looking for a subject to sketch and paint, I settled on a view from the porch of the T. C. Steele studio barn. The wind was blowing enough to cool the air and make you think about why Selma came up with the name "House of the Singing Winds." I must say sitting on the porch while I sketched did make me think about why the Steeles wanted to live here. And if the Steel's were sitting on the porch 100 years ago, what would they be thinking, doing, or saying. Perhaps Theodore would be admiring the studio he had built a year earlier or trying to decide where to paint the next day on his 211 acres. Selma may have been thinking about what she needed to do in her garden or having to host visitors to T. C.'s studio the next day. Maybe they were just relaxing on the porch and enjoying the view across their property or talking with Frank Hohenberger, who had stopped by to take some photographs. No matter what they were doing, I am sure they were enjoying it as much as I was sitting there on the porch sketching.
 |
| Applying Ink |
 |
| Adding Color to Sketch |
As mentioned in a previous post, for me, Watercolor sketching is supposed to be fun. Give me a chance to explore something new and not worry so much about how the picture or drawing turns out. Yes, I would be more satisfied if I was experienced in watercolor and could actually produce a nice finished watercolor, but for now, it's about the experience. After I sketched the scene, I decided to trace over the pencil with ink. Then I went back and applied the watercolor to the picture. Watercolor takes a little getting used to since the paint will reactive with additional water. Also, when I start a watercolor sketch, I try to be conscious about what makes watercolor unique, which is transparency. Sometimes, I find myself trying to apply the colors to be more opaque like oils. I will work on improving this, but at the same time, remember that for me, this is supposed to be fun, not work. Anyway, it was a great way to spend the day where one of the most well know Indiana artists lived and painted.
 |
| Finished Watercolor Sketch |
Photos from the Grounds of T. C. Steele State Historic Site
 |
| Studio Barn |
Comments
Post a Comment