Lesson Description

This demonstration is all about painting dappled light and making the light bring your attention to the tree.  We are working on a 16×12 oil on a new linen panel for me – Senso linen.  We will use the notanizer app to simplify the composition  and talk about shape placement and dropping the values down just a bit to really accentuate the light.  In the video, I talk about Ivan Shishkin, a classic Russian tree painter that really knew how to bring a tree to life. Learning Glazing Techniques.  A materials video is included below

Images are copyrighted by Shanna Kunz. As of member of STREAM Inspired to Paint, you are allowed to paint from these images for personal use only. You are not allowed to paint from these images and then put a painting in a show or a gallery for sale. If you paint from the image and post to social media, we ask that you credit Shanna and STREAM Inspired to Paint with the original painting.

“Dreaming Tree” By Shanna Kunz

Notan Image

Reference Image

Materials 

Oil Paint. Below are Gamblin Colors

  • Titanium Zinc White
  • Naples Yellow
  • Cad Yellow Light
  • Cad Yellow Deep
  • Cad Red Light
  • Quinacridone Magenta
  • Ultramarine Blue
  • Cobalt Blue
  • Cerulean Blue (hue is fine)
  • Sap Green
  • Pthalo Green
  • Transparent Earth Orange
  • Asphaltum
  • Quinacridone Violet. (these two mixed together, asphalt and violet, create a Raw Umber Violet.  Daniel Smith makes this color mixed)
  • Portland Warm Grey (optional)
  • Portland Cool Grey (optional)
  • Radiant Blue (optional)
  • Yellow Ochre
  • Raw Sienna
  • Torrit Grey when available
  • Neo Megilp
  • Gamsol
  • Gamvar Varnish (I use satin)

BRUSHES. Click here to shop Kunz Brush Set

  • I love to use Princeton Brushes. There will soon be a set of them named after my preferences. 
  • I have a combination of Aspen and Catalyst lines.
  • Small, medium  and diamond shape palette knives

9650 Series Snap – Golden Synthetic Brush Series

1 inch wash A new brush series that’s determined to get you to like it. We think you’ll like the way they look. We know you’ll love the way they perform. Snap! ™ Brushes are fun, but not frivolous.

Aspen Series Aspen™ – Synthetic Bristle

Princeton’s Aspen™ combines several important benefits to artists: the brush retains its shape for control and placement of color, paint releases and glides evenly off the synthetic hairs. The brush can be used with all acrylic and oil paints including water-soluble oils. The non-glare ferrule makes Aspen™ perfect for outdoor painting. A beautiful brush only surpassed by its performance.

  • 1 #10 Bright
  • 1 #8 Bright
  • 1 #6 Bright
  • 2 #4 Bright
  • 1 #2 flat
  • 1 #4 filbert
  • 1 #2 round
  • 1 #4 flat

Royal Brush Company

  • LP1 Palette Knife 
  • Wipeout Tool 

SUPPORTS:  Canvas or linen panel 

I like to use Claessens 66 single oil primed linen mounted to gatorboard

  • Paper towels
  • Apron
  • Palette – plastic, glass or wood – approx 11×14
  • Easel
  • Notebooks & Pen
  • Notanizer App on your phone or iPad
  • Photo editing App on your phone or iPad
  • Gamsol Holder/Cleaner]

As a contemporary landscape painter, my work is a conscious play of mood, light and color, but as a naturalist raised and rooted in the diverse landscapes of western America, a painting means more than that to me. Each location is an encounter of spirit with the land, the trees, and the waters that have always given me a sense of connection and order. When a location intrigues and inspires me, I will paint the scene into a series using a range of keys or themes, experimenting and searching to learn more about the natural threads that tie the landscape together with complexity, subtlety and more importantly balance. I look for new ways to express spatial relationships and distance with layers of paint, brushwork, gradations, and diffusions of light. Hopefully, my study of the landscape will bring me somewhat closer to an honest translation of both soul and land as I push color and value into new compositions and continue a lifelong effort to communicate the emotional connection I feel with my environment.