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Simplifying a Painting

2/25/2019 10:08:46 PM

This is an article that I wrote for Outdoor Painter, the home of PleinAir magazine, about one of the most important topics for plein-air painters, How to Simplify a Painting. This doesn't just happen. We have to make it happen. How does one simplify a complex scene in a painting? My approach to this question starts with having a vision. I want to have a solid idea about what I want to communicate and what I want to achieve in a painting before I begin. I use this as a guide to make some of the important creative decisions including simplification. Whether [...]

Grazie Mille, Associazione Romana Acquerellisti!

7/31/2016 1:02:25 PM

I must have left my heart in Rome because I can't stop thinking about it. From a daily walk to a neighborhood bar for my morning (strong Italian) coffee, to hauling all the plein-air painting gear across town in the 98-degree heat (and in the sun), to an evening stroll (with a gelato) to chill out feeling a breeze from the Tiber, to a nightly summer rock concert in Piazza del Popolo - just to name a few. There was so much to experience, discover and learn in this city that is simply amazing on so many levels; the best way [...]

Dive into the Unknown

6/16/2016 11:17:53 AM

I have been a traveler most of my life, much longer than I have been a painter. A recent talk with a friend got me wonder how travel has been impacting my creativity now that I can call both painting and traveling my passions. Whether you are a fearless, adventurous type or prefer a more organized group tour, travel is all about getting out of routine to explore and discover the unknown. It usually rewards you with amazing experiences that enrich your life and makes you appreciate what you have in your life. When I travel, I am not keen on [...]

Pre-Sale Begins: My First DVD "Spanish Landscapes in Watercolour"

5/28/2016 11:02:51 AM

As I wrote on my blog exactly a year ago, my first DVD set is about to be launched from Veopintar, a Spanish video production company. I am very happy and excited that five complete plein-air demonstrations that I did in Spain last year are included in this 2-DVD set. The audio portion will be available in English and Spanish. Watch the trailer on YouTube. Veopintar has just started offering my DVD set as a pre-sale with a 10% discount (this offer is valid until June 15, 2016) from their website. The shipment will be after June 16 2016. Download this DVD I hope you will [...]

How to Get Out of A Rut

4/10/2016 12:11:26 AM

The artist's growth is not always upwards. Sometimes it feels like you can keep going up but sometimes you feel stuck or think you're moving in a wrong direction. As with any journey, the artist's journey has ups and downs and that's normal. I have accepted this fact now but in my earlier days as a painter, I did not understand this cycle of ups and downs or know how to cope especially with not-so-good times, which sometimes lasted so long. Some artists call down times an artist block when they experience a creative drought. They stop creating or cannot create. I [...]

Beauty is Right Here All Around Us

3/13/2016 11:50:09 PM

"Where's your favorite place to paint (en plein air)?" This is one of the questions I get quite often from people I meet. Behind their curiosity, there are facts that I like painting outdoors and also that I travel frequently for my art and work. When I say "San Diego" (that is where I live), that seems to take some people by surprise. Perhaps they were waiting for me to say something like "Tahiti" or "Corsica"? Not that I don't like these exotic islands or other places I choose to go sometimes, it's obvious they didn't expect me to pick my [...]

A Little Sketch Goes A Long Way

3/2/2016 1:06:16 AM

Winter is over and it's time to get out in the field for plein-air painting. Sounds great? I know it's Yes for some people but for the others it may be one of those things that are easier said than done. Especially if you made your studio too comfortable during harsh winter months, or if you have never painted outside, it may seem a bit daunting to venture out of the studio. Well, you can relax and take a less intimidating approach: make a small sketch outside instead of a full-scale painting. These small sketches, called fieldwork, are something I enjoy immensely. [...]

Venice Without a Mask

1/28/2016 2:23:39 AM

Every winter Venice celebrates its famous Carnival (Carnevale di Venezia). I was fortunate enough to be there this year while doing work in and around the city. During the festivities, you see some people walking on the street wearing masks, elaborate gowns and beautiful dresses from the old times. There are events, balls and banquets to attend. It’s one of those times when Venice really shines with its glamour and splendor. The whole atmosphere feels almost unreal when this city shows its magical side. When I travel, I like getting to know people who live there. For a short “living like a [...]

Don't Paint Everything

1/24/2016 2:19:29 AM

If you have been in my workshop, you probably heard me say this: Don't paint everything that you see but paint what you want to see. These are simple words but so important to me, and I try to demonstrate what I mean to my workshop participants. When painting a landscape, whether en plein air or in the studio with a reference photo, I do not want to paint the scene too faithfully. If I do, I know my work will end up looking too literal, and that’s not what I’m after in the finished result. My goal is to capture the [...]

London Calling - Making Art is Therapeutic -

11/25/2015 1:31:56 PM

After generations, London Calling (1979), a hit song by the UK punk rock band Clash, is still iconic of London. We still enjoy this song maybe without thinking too much of what the words really mean. I was a bit surprised to find out, however, when I read its lyrics because they actually portray a pretty gloomy state of their troubled times back then, and speak about their anxiety of the world going to pieces. When people stop and think about the words, it still sends us a message after decades. Perhaps that is what the songwriter intended. We often hear creative [...]

Quick studies made even quicker with W&N markers

10/22/2015 6:56:54 PM

It is a huge honor that I was named a brand ambassador by Winsor & Newton earlier this year. One of their products that I have become particularly fond of is their watercolor markers. Colors so vibrant and of fine quality are a pure joy to play with. I have also found its versatility incredible, and its portability hard not to love, especially for a constant traveler like myself. Being an avid plein-air painter, I prefer setting up on site to do even sketches with paints and brushes. There is no problem in most cases as my landscapes subject doesn't move and [...]

The Truth in Us Artists

8/13/2015 3:44:56 PM

"I paint my own reality. The only thing I know is that I paint because I need to, and I paint whatever passes through my head without any other consideration." - Frida Kahlo Have you ever found yourself deep in thought, wondering why in the world you paint? There are millions of other things to choose from but yet we painters choose to pick up a brush and paint. Each artist may have his own answer to this question but I think the single truth in the core of it is this: because we need to. As an international watercolor workshop instructor, [...]

Portugal - Quiet Beauty

6/29/2015 9:09:50 PM

Back roads in the region of Mafra meander through rolling hills and valleys that are dotted with lovely rural villages and forests. Landscape in this region is so beautiful and the overall atmosphere so peaceful and quiet. Less than an hour from Lisbon, Portugal's largest city, it doesn't feel like a big city is so close. But I have found people in Portugal to be very gentle and mild-mannered and even in Lisbon, a more relaxed mood prevails compared to other big cities I know. I was very fortunate to be invited to do a workshop there last month. In just 4 days we had opportunities to paint a farm, a seaside resort, [...]

Maybe Foes in Soccer but Friends in Watercolor

5/26/2015 2:17:59 AM

Barcelona and Bilbao. I was recently in both cities in Spain to conduct plein-air workshops. Walking on the streets, I couldn't help noticing how much people there love soccer (or fútbol in Spanish) as their love for the sport, and for their local team in particular, was evident with their own team's flags and banners displayed all over town to show their support. Two teams from these cities may be rivals in soccer, but this is not a case in the watercolor community at all. I found, first-hand, watercolor painters I worked with in both cities were equally friendly, kind, enthusiastic, supportive of each [...]

Les Printemps de L'aquarelle 2015 in Belgium

5/10/2015 3:50:12 AM

Celebrating the 24th year in 2015, Les Printemps de L'aquarelle will open on May 14 in Libramont, Belgium. I am deeply honored to be present for the opening ceremony as this year's guest of honor. It will be a great pleasure to be participating in this international watercolor exhibition together with the artists whose works were selected from among many submissions. I will present 7 new paintings that I created this year, including "Evening, near Grand Place, Brussels." These new paintings are landscapes and an interior scene both of Belgium and of China, which I have chosen in light of this year's [...]

International Watercolor Exhibition - Thessaloniki, Greece

9/29/2014 11:42:39 PM

I am honored to have my work included in the Second International Watercolor Exhibition, which opened on September 15 in Thessaloniki, Greece. This show was organized by George Politis, a wonderful Greek watercolor artist and a dedicated teacher, and will run until October 7. I have "Afternoon, Venice, Italy IV" and the other piece of Venice in this exhibition. Showcasing small- to medium-sized watermedia gems from both Greek and international artists, who were selected by a panel of international jurors, the exhibition is worth visiting if you are near the Gallery of Society of Macedonian Studies in Thessaloniki, the second-largest Greek city. Thessaloniki [...]

Huntington Beach Art League Demonstration

9/4/2014 11:14:09 AM

I had the pleasure of spending some time yesterday together with members and guests of the Huntington Beach Art League (HBAL) who invited me to do a demonstration for their September meeting. It was quite an honor for me, as a watercolorist, to do a watercolor painting demo to an all-media art group such as the HBAL as they kick-start their fall season. I did a demo, showing my process from the beginning to the end, of a street scene with corner cafés in Paris. I painted this subject from my previous plein-air sketch, and I did so in response to the [...]

The Land of Smiles, Thai Landscape Paintings

7/1/2014 11:03:40 PM

While I am on the road teaching or for an exhibition, there is something I try to do whenever I can find a little free time. That is going to a non-touristy, ordinary neighborhood where local people live. Even for a very short time, I like and enjoy "living like a local," walking on the same street, smelling the same smell, shopping in the same market, visiting the same park with people that live there... In such a place, especially in a non-English-speaking country, it is expected that only a local language is being heard. I must admit that I would rather [...]

Plein-Air Painting in Long Island, New York (4) - American Landscape Painting

5/14/2014 3:26:43 AM

The weather was gorgeous. I really liked the area around East Hampton so I decided to stick around a little to make more paintings that portray beautiful architecture in the area. Painting Miss Amelia's Cottage, Amagansett Amagansett I (14"x20") Amagansett II (12"x16") The Palm, East Hampton, Long Island, New York I Click for an enlarged view. Media: Original watercolor on paper Image Size: 13 x 19 inches (33 x 48 cm) Frame/Mat: No Purchase: Please send me an email for details. - Join me on Facebook and follow my blog on NetworkedBlogs. - Follow me on Google+.- Follow me on Twitter.- FASO Artist Websites - Easy, Professional Art Websites for Artists who [...]

Mexico City Workshop

3/12/2014 1:00:59 AM

So I was going to do an outdoor workshop in Mexico City, one of the world's biggest cities. I have to confess, though, prior to my arrival, I had no idea at all what I could find to paint there. But I was more excited than worried and I was pleasantly suprised to discover serene beauty inside this megalopolis. Following my demos, my workshop attendees painted varied sights - beautiful lakes, a panoramic view from the hilltop castle, and a street vendor in a park, etc. The focus throughout the week, however, was on how to paint water and everyone worked very [...]

Workshop: Painting Light and Atmosphere of California Landscape

2/24/2014 11:16:53 PM

I love being with other artists. I love sharing my creative passion. I love painting California landscape. In the workshop I just finished in Orange County, California, I got to do all these things for three days. For a full house of 18 students, I did 2 demos each day in a room filled with enthusiasm. Painting light and atmosphere of California landscape being the theme of the workshop, we did a harbor scene, a downtown street , an outdoor café, a mission and a desertscape. Everyone worked so hard and we felt like we had just finished a whirlwind tour of [...]

Dim Sum, Hong Kong III, Interior Painting

12/11/2013 8:31:06 AM

Eating with a family or friends means sharing some time together over a meal but in some cultures it is literally sharing the same dishes among those present. In Chinese culture, people normally sit at a round table and put several dishes in the center. In each dish there is a different kind of food - stir-fried meat and vegetables, steamed fish, roasted chicken, dumplings, soup, for example. There may be a pair of communal chopsticks for serving but it's quite common that they use their own chopsticks to take whatever they want. This way everyone sees each other and both [...]

On the Road (4) - France, Interior Paintings

11/28/2013 5:26:21 PM

Recently I wrote a blog post about my workshop experience in southern Spain - how a lunchtime is taken rather seriously over there. Another country where lunch is enjoyed with vigor is France. I have taught quite a number of workshops in this country. I have found the time they take for lunch may not as long as in Spain but on many occasions lunch is a sit-down ritual, starting with a serious look at the menu and ending with a plate of various kinds of cheeses and/or incredible sweets. Bottles of wine are also a common sight on the table. Even if we don't [...]

On the Road (3) - Spain, Interior Paintings

11/27/2013 3:31:13 AM

It is interesting to note how we spend a lunchtime differs from culture to culture. In the workshops I do in the U.S. and Japan, for instance, we take a fairly quick lunch. And it is not unusual to see some students painting, while nibbling a sandwich, throughout a lunch break, which lasts one hour or less. I went to Seville in southern Spain earlier this year to teach 2 workshops for local watercolor artists. Over there a lunchtime seemed to be taken a bit more seriously. In the morning, we worked from 10am to 1pm. Then, we had lunch. For one hour? No. [...]

On the Road (1) - U.S., Interior Paintings

11/21/2013 10:35:58 PM

I spend a considerable amount of time on the road as I travel to different locations to teach a workshop. This means I always have a new group of people to work with and, most of the time, I meet them for the first time in class. For me, it amounts to at least a couple of hundreds of them a year. It is expected to speak out in America. Perhaps because of that reason, sometimes I hear from a student beforehand, telling me he's nervous. Sometimes, on my arrival, a student comes up to me and says she's worried if she's [...]

My New Book "Bretagne - Breizh"

9/19/2013 9:44:47 AM

One way to really understand French culture is to get to know the regions that make up the country. Each region is so unique with different character, history, climate, cuisine, etc., and visitors need to spend some time within a particular region for an in-depth look. After numerous visits to France, I'm just beginning to understand myself how deep their rich diversity is. This past summer, my travel destination was the region of Brittany (Bretagne in French, Breizh in Breton) in the peninsula between the English Channel and the Bay of Biscay. Tucked away in the northwest corner of France, people there [...]

Colors and Values

9/13/2013 3:10:29 AM

"It is wonderful how much depends upon the relations of black and white. A black and white, if properly balanced, suggests colour." -- Winslow HomerIn my workshops, one of the things my students may get tired of hearging from me is how important it is to be able to see the correct values. I do not dwell too much on colors. I show them my palette but I also tell them that they can use whatever colors they like. That is not to say that I take colors lightly. On the contrary. What I mean is simply that colors, or hues [...]

Demo and Workshop in Mission Viejo, California

9/6/2013 9:36:50 PM

I am honored to have been invited to do a demo and a workshop for the Saddleback Art League located in Mission Viejo, California. My demo and talk will take place on September 10, and my 2-day workshop will be on the weekend of September 28 and 29. It is the inspirational light that I look for to capture a certain atmosphere in a painting. In my workshop, I will also do 2 demos a day and work with you to create watercolor paintings filled with the kind of light and mood that you desire. For more details and a sign-up form [...]

Workshops in Kyoto & Osaka, Japan

8/22/2013 2:27:15 AM

I just finished two workshops in Kyoto and Osaka, Japan. I was told, in both locations, classes were filled months ahead of time and there was still dozens on the wait list. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who braved this summer's record-breaking heat to participate in my workshops. This was my second workshop in Kyoto. While sign-ups were taken on a first-come, first-served basis, I saw several familiar faces in the classroom. It was nice to see them again after my first one back in February. This time we practiced painting a street scene involving a café [...]

Cafés in Bordeaux, French Landscape Paintings

6/26/2013 7:55:57 PM

While most of us may normally associate Bordeaux with their famous wines, this city in southwestern France has a lot more to offer: vibrant cultural life, great architecture, beautiful landscapes nearby... Cafés and bistros with wonderful atmosphere and food are also not to be missed. In fact, some of these cafés look too attractive to be enjoyed just for coffee but well worthy of extra time to set up an easel to paint. Start your day with a nice cup of coffee and good breakfast to get going. After painting all day, you can relax and have a glass of Bordeaux and [...]

My Watercolor Painting Trip in Spain

6/7/2013 2:59:08 AM

What do you think will happen if you put 9 female strangers in a van to travel in a foreign country for a week? The only thing that may be common is that they are artists or love art. Can this be a once-in-a-lifetime experience? Or a disaster waiting to happen? Nobody knows until you actually do it yourself but it is quite a daring thing to do for sure. I just returned from such a trip and it was fantastic! I had a terrific group of 7 artists in my plein-air painting workshop in Spain. With our wonderful organizer/guide/driver, Jackie, we [...]

Pétanque (Saint-Paul de Vence) IV, French Landscape Painting

4/9/2013 5:22:59 PM

On a sunny afternoon, several men gather in a little dusty square and chase and throw metal balls under huge plane trees. People sitting in a nearby café watch this simple yet very engaging game called pétanque while sipping pastis. Time passes slowly here and cicadas all around sing incessantly like a broken record... Isn't this joie de vivre at its best? A scene such as this is repeated everywhere in the south of France when the weather is good - and it is most of the year. While traveling in the French Riviera, I witnessed another game in Saint-Paul de Vence, [...]

Dim Sum, Hong Kong II, Interior Painting

4/1/2013 5:19:23 PM

I met up with my friends in Hong Kong's busy Central district one morning. They had invited me to join them for authentic dim sum breakfast at an old tea house, and I was full of anticipation to see the place and taste what they think was the best in town. As we passed a small bakery near the entrance of the tea house and walked upstairs, I felt like I was instantly transported back in time for several decades. There was a huge dining hall with traditional Cantonese flair, brimming with local people who gathered to eat breakfast, meet friends or just [...]

Dim Sum, Hong Kong I, Interior Painting

3/22/2013 9:51:29 AM

If you visit Hong Kong, you have to do dim sum for an unforgettable culinary experience. And if you do it at an authentic tea house with local friends, that's even better. My dear friends who live in Hong Kong took me to one of the oldest and most popular dim sum restaurants in town for the ultimate culinary and cultural experience. There are do's and don'ts in a place like that: if you don't know the rules (and obviously their language), you are not going to get any of those steaming goodies, or even a seat. Thanks to my friends, I enjoyed [...]

A-Ma Temple Square, Macau I, Macanese Landscape Painting

3/17/2013 4:28:15 AM

Come to this square in Macau with no prior knowledge, and you may wonder if you're in a small town somewhere in southern Europe. Some of the buildings around here, built in the Portuguese colonial style, are painted in bright colors and facades are decorated with white railings. There are other things such as lamp posts, scooters parked on a street and even some of the sweets sold around here, help create an atmosphere that is definitely more European than Chinese or Asian. If it's too hot or humid, people-watch from a bench under a big shade tree or walk up a [...]

Tire I, Turkish Landscape Painting

2/21/2013 5:58:46 AM

Narrow streets in the historic center of Tire were bustling. Cars, scooters, shoppers, vendors, cats and dogs - all seemed to be out and about, and the town was so full of life. It was a market day for which Tire is widely known in the region. I was visiting there for the first time with my Turkish friends from Izmir who took a day off to show me and another friend one of the loveliest regions of Western Turkey. Tire is about a one-hour drive inland from Izmir. Once we got there, we strolled, stopping here and there, visiting local [...]

Beverly Hills IV, California Landscape Painting

11/28/2012 1:10:18 AM

Sources say (link), Los Angeles gets 18 inches of rain per year (the US average is 37 inches); The number of days with any measurable precipitation is 26. On average, there are 284 sunny days per year in LA. No wonder almost always when I go and paint in Los Angeles, the sky is either sunny or hazy. Once in my workshop, I painted a LA downtown scene on a rainy day for my class. As a demo, the painting turned out the way I had planned. But it was kind of odd to see a wet road in it as it [...]

Loving You the Way I Do by Ron Savage

11/26/2012 12:00:42 AM

I am pleased that my watercolor "Torino, Italy II" was chosen as the cover art for Loving You the Way I Do, a new book by Ron Savage (ISBN: 978-0-9826364-3-5; Black Lawrence Press, New York). The book is now available online. "We don't love each other the way we'd like. We love each other the way we do." - Ron Savage [...]

Beverly Hills III, California Landscape Painting

11/24/2012 5:02:30 PM

The sun just set. Nearby streets were full of people doing holiday shopping or just enjoying strolling when I walked by a luxury hotel near Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. The hotel has an outdoor cafe-bar and it started filling up with their well-dressed clients, perhaps for before-dinner cocktails. What caught my eye first, however, was not their cocktails, but tall palm trees reflected on shiny tables at this sidewalk cafe. For a second I was wondering what these people were ordering, but soon I forgot about it and started drawing in my mind - with these tables first and designing everything [...]

Tea House, Shanghai, China IV, Interior Painting

10/9/2012 9:37:56 PM

I am pleased to announce my participation in the First International Biennial of Watercolors that is currently being held in Narbonne, France. It is an honor for me to be among exhibiting artists who are known for their unique styles and therefore playing the leading roles in today's watercolor world. For this exhibition, I have chosen paintings from my last trips to Shanghai/Zhejiang province of China, including "Tea House, Shanghai IV." I am particularly fond of the historic tea house I depicted in this painting (click to read related post: Tea House, Shanghai I). The exhibition runs through October 28 in several different [...]