Shawn Dell Joyce artistApr 102 minSimplifying a Figure into Value Blocks and ShapesFigures bring a human element to any landscape, especially beach scenes. But many artists are intimidated by the figure, and feel they...
Shawn Dell Joyce artistFeb 282 minChanging the direction of the light in plein air (Planar Values)Nature almost never gives you perfect light, and the time to paint it! Very often you must make up the light, or intensify it when it...
Shawn Dell Joyce artistFeb 52 minAdding a Figure to a Plein Air PaintingAdding a figure into a composition-while you are painting it en plein air-is always a challenge. I prefer to work from live models on the...
Shawn Dell Joyce artistJan 294 minWhat Makes You Tick?A friend recently asked me “if you didn’t have to sell your art, or teach art, would you still do it?” My answer is “Hail yeah! I’d still...
Shawn Dell Joyce artistJan 73 minColor Studies May Just Save Your Life!Color studies may save your life! How to plan a painting. Preparatory sketches.
Shawn Dell Joyce artistDec 12, 20212 minPainting Waves and Water in MotionPlein air painting in Florida means that at some point you will be painting water in motion, and probably at the beach. Painting anything...
Shawn Dell Joyce artistDec 4, 20214 minPainting Water ReflectionsThis blog along with the previous 4, and the next 22 are designed specifically for the Plein Air Adventure class to go along with the...
Shawn Dell Joyce artistNov 28, 20212 minPainting TreesPainting Palms and trees with Shawn Dell Joyce Treat trees as value masses and start with your darkest darks and get them down first:...
Shawn Dell Joyce artistNov 14, 20214 minSighting and Sight-Sizing in the landscapeThis week's demo and topic in Plein Air Adventure was on using the tool of sighting to gauge a measurement, and basing every measurement...
Shawn Dell Joyce artistNov 6, 20213 minDoing things that scare the hell out of you artistically! (Like starting a new class where you feel over your head, and out of your league) We all feel scared and overwhelmed at some point-if you...
Shawn Dell Joyce artistOct 9, 20214 minKindred SpiritsLessons from Olana and painting on hallowed ground... For the past month I've been teaching a plein air pastel class at Olana, this...
Shawn Dell Joyce artistOct 1, 20213 minMaking 100 Shades of GreenHow to mix greens and avoid the "salad bowl effect" by Shawn Dell Joyce When you paint landscapes, especially plein air, you use a lot of...
Shawn Dell Joyce artistSep 26, 20215 minWorking up a painting from sketch to completion ALLA PRIMA!When you are just starting out, it can be daunting to paint a larger or more complicated painting. I've heart novice artists say that...
Shawn Dell Joyce artistSep 16, 20213 minComplementary Palette for PastelI first learned about using a complementary palette from reading The Yin and Yang of Painting by Hongnian Zhang, from the Woodstock...
Shawn Dell Joyce artistAug 14, 20215 minBelieving Mirror-why we artists need each other"Success happens in clusters..." Julia Cameron The Artist's Way I asked my friend A. (for anonymous) how her painting was going in a...
Shawn Dell Joyce artistJul 31, 20213 minWhen Success Knocks-Creating Opportunities Through MarketingI really appreciate when press comes my way. It's rare (although it may seem to happen a lot to me) and it's usually because of my...
Shawn Dell Joyce artistJul 17, 20213 minSorolla and the Color of Light (paying homage)As a painter, I am easily amused. I can watch light wrap around figures and forms, captivated, for hours. Often when I am at the beach,...
Shawn Dell Joyce artistMay 1, 20218 minWhat I want you to know...Recently, I was asked by Ampersand Art Supply to be featured in their upcoming blog. As part of this process, they asked me to answer...
Shawn Dell Joyce artistApr 24, 20216 minHonest Self Appraisal vs Critique Anyone who has had a class with me has experienced an honest self appraisal at the end of class. This is different from a group critique...
Shawn Dell Joyce artistApr 3, 20212 minSecrets to Painting Sunsets and Water ReflectionsI teach classes in painting sunsets, both in the studio and en plein air. No surprise that I LOVE painting sunsets and the rich chroma...