Doors

Acrylic on gesso smooth board, 11 inches x 14 inches. I was inspired to paint a scene that I found in a book by artist Aimee Erickson entitled Plein Air Techniques for Artists. The book was a gift on my 83 birthday from my brother-in-law, Craig Hannum, Lake Oswego, Oregon. It’s a beautiful book, and it’s especially important because Craig knew Aimee Erickson and had her sign the book with this message: “Hello Jack, Who knows what’s next, Amiee.” If you are an art student, a neophyte like me, or an accomplished artist, this book will extend your knowledge and skill of painting. Chapter 4 of Plein Air Techniques is “Sunlight and Shadow.” She includes a demonstration of light and shadow based on a street scene that, for her, focused on Back Doors. I decided that I might follow her process and give it a go.

Preparing the Gesso Board & Drawing

Unlike artist Aimee Erickson, who painted “Back Doors” in plein air, I painted the scene in my corner studio at home. I used her suggestion by preparing the board using a burnt umber and titanium white mix. I rubbed the central part of the board with a paper towel to lighten that section, which would be the lightest part of the scene. After the panel dried, I sketched the set with a burnt umber watercolor marker. You can see the grid line on the board I used to draw the image.