11 Tips for Going From Study to Studio

Christine Lashley, "Evening Lights Charleston," 2023, oil, 36 x 60 in., Available from Principle Gallery Charleston, Studio from plein air studies

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Christine Lashley is an American artist known for her colorful and dramatic oils. Most of her art ideas are gathered by painting outdoors. The beauty of a moment held in memory and fusing reality and the abstract are key elements of her style.

Christine Lashley, "Moonlit Paris," 2023, oil, 36 x 36 in., Available from Principle Gallery Charleston, Studio from plein air studies — Christine Lashley, “Moonlit Paris,” 2023, oil, 36 x 36 in., Available from Principle Gallery Charleston, Studio from plein air studies

Here, Christine shares her 11 tips for using your plein air study for a refined studio painting.

Investigate or revisit value and design; these are powerful tools to explore.
Thumbnail studies may be inadequate for large art. Try alternatives such as color dot studies or small paintings, or work in large graphic shapes on the larger surface itself.
Use multiple reference sources to avoid a “copy” mindset.
Be open to a new format or design (square vs. rectangle, for example).
Premix paint puddles.
Reduce chroma from studies.
Plan to maintain value, grouping shapes as much as possible.
Block in and tone with a large brush. Get the design right before moving on.
Within large masses, oﬀer warm/cool variety.
Add details sparingly. Scrape out or unify if the balance of the painting gets skewed.
Take a picture of your painting and look at it small to double-check scale, design, and shapes. You can also use an iPhone, or place a mirror behind you to see your art in reverse.

Christine Lashley, "St. Andre," 2022, oil — Christine Lashley, “St. Andre,” 2022, oil, 10 x 8 in., collection the artist, plein air
“Although I mostly wanted to study grays and values on a recent trip to Paris, I couldn’t help painting this dynamic corner ablaze with colorful light in St. Andre. I’m glad I did as this led to several large paintings in the studio, including Paris Avenues.”

Christine Lashley, "Paris Avenues," 2022, oil, 20 x 30 in., available from Reinart Gallery, Charleston, studio from plein air studies — Christine Lashley, “Paris Avenues,” 2022, oil, 20 x 30 in., available from Reinart Gallery, Charleston, studio from plein air studies

For further reading on value and design, I recommend works by Andrew Loomis, John F. Carlson, and Edgar Payne.

Editor’s Note: Christine Lashley’s “Paintings that Sparkle” is sure to be one of PaintTube.tv’s most popular videos because Christine is not only an accomplished artist in her own right, she has been teaching art for over 20 years. You can rest assured that she knows a thing or two (or a thousand!) about teaching every level of artist, from basic beginner to up-and-comers and even highly regarded professionals. Preview this art video workshop and get your copy here.

Visit Christine Lashley’s website at www.christinelashley.com.