Friday, January 22, 2016

I'M AN ART INSTRUCTION VIDEO JUNKIE

Looking at my video library last weekend I came to realize just how many videos I've purchased over the years and how much knowledge I've garnered through the efforts of the many fine artists who have shared their time, talent, insights and methods. 


Each video represents countless hours of time spent by these artists developing and refining their craft over many years to the point where their reputation among collectors, galleries and fellow painters is unquestionable. I admire each and every artist in my collection and I have the pleasure of knowing most of them on a personal and professional level.

As I thumbed through the collection of DVDs I realized there are several videos I have watched multiple times and, truth be known, when I've struggled with a painting there are a few I reach to for divine inspiration. I thought it would be fun to share my collection and jot down my thoughts on what makes many of them worth having in your collection as well.


First my collection, not in any particular order:

"Three Landscapes" Scott Christensen by Liliedahl Video
"Painting Large Landscapes" Scott Christensen by Liliedahl Video
"Solitary Profession" Scott Christensen by Tony Pro Productions
"Establishing a Key That Reads" Scott Christensen by Fisher Creative
"Composing" Scott Christensen by Fisher Creative
"Painting Into Direct Sunlight" John Lasater, IV by John Lasater, IV
"Social Media REVEALED" Lori McNee & Eric Rhoads, Streamline Video
"Capturing the Moment in Oils" David Curtis by APV Films
"Painting on Location" Frank Serrano by Reel Memories Video
"The Woodland Interior Landscape" Roger Dale Brown by R. D. Brown
"Winter Over the San Juans" Matt Smith by Oak Creek Productions
"The Sonoran Desert" Matt Smith by Oak Creek Productions
"June" Richard Schmid by Stove Prairie Press
"November" Richard Schmid by Stove Prairie Press
"Richard Schmid Paints the Landscape" by Stove Prairie Press
"Bold Brushstrokes & Confident Color" Lori Putnam by Liliedahl Video
"Vermont Sugar Shack" Mark Boedges" by Mark Boedges
"The Oil Landscape" Bob Rohm by Artist Productions
"European Street Scene" John Michael Carter by Liliedahl Video
"Lilies" Daniel Keys by Liliedahl Video
"Hydrangeas & Oranges" Daniel Keys by Liliedahl Video
"Gesture Portraits" Jeffrey Watts by Liliedahl Video
"Studio Painting Secrets" Brian Blood by Liliedahl Video
"Overview" Kathryn Stats by Liliedahl Video
"Reflections" Gabor Svagrik by TAA productions
"The Power of Green" Gabor Svagrik by TAA Productions
"Painting the American Landscape" Matt Smith, Jean LaGassick and Ken
Backhaus by PBS Television
"Painting the American Landsacape" Charles Sovek, Ron Rencher & Frank LaLumia  by PBS Television
"Seaside" Kathryn Stats by Liliedahl Video
"From Plein Air to Studio" Keith Bond by Keith Bond
"White Pine" Richard Schmid by Stone Prairie Press
"Painting the Effects of Light" Jason Sacran by Jason Sacran
"Light in the Landscape" David Curtis by APV Films
"Energy and Movement" Randall Sexton by Streamline Video

FIRST PURCHASE: "Painting Large Landscapes" by Scott Christensen. I am primarily a plein air painter so painting larger than 9" x 12" is a real challenge. I have taken two workshops with Scott and he would do large landscapes from small field studies. Watching him complete a 30" x 40" painting in a couple of hours blew my mind. This video has been instrumental in helping me get out of my comfort zone and tackle large paintings with confidence.



MOST RECENT PURCHASE: "The Woodland Interior Landscape" Roger Dale Brown by Roger Dale Brown.
Watching this one for the third time now. Roger's color sense is completely foreign to me but it is what draws me to his work. Watching him construct this complex subject into a well designed trip into the forest is worth the time.



PURCHASED IN LAST SIX MONTHS: "Energy and Movement" by Randall Sexton, "The Woodland Interior Landscape" by Roger Dale Brown, "Studio Painting Secrets" by Brian Blood, "Painting Into Direct Sunlight" by John Lasater, IV, "Vermont Sugar Shack" by Mark Boedges, "Painting the Effects of Light" by Jason Sacran and "Social Media Revealed" by Lori McNee and Eric Rhoads

MOST WATCHED: Probably a tie between "The Sonoran Desert" by Matt Smith, "Three Landscapes" by Scott Christensen and "Richard Schimd Paints the Landscape" by Richard Schmid. My approach to plein air work and palette is very similar to the way Matt Smith works so his videos really strike a cord with me. I can only imagine what its like to paint like Richard Schmid so I don't even try and Scott is a modern master I can watch paint every day. In my opinion these three videos should be in everybody's library.





MOST IMPORTANT: "Social Media Revealed" by Lori McNee and Eric Rhoads. Chock full of vital information for anyone utilizing social media either as a platform to connect and share your paintings to the more complex concepts of using social media as a marketing tool. Lori does an excellent job of breaking down the pros and cons of each media platform and Eric is always good about asking the questions we all want answers to.



MOST ENTERTAINING: "Painting the American Landscape" with Matt Smith, Jean LaGassick, Frank LaLumia, Ken Backhaus, Charles Sovek and Ron Rencher. Broadcast by PBS these two videos feature several of my favorite artists painting in Alaska and the West. Hard to forget Matt, Jean and Ken getting run off their painting location by a bear. Good interviews with the artists, nice demos by each and excellent production quality.


MOST INSPIRATIONAL: "A Light Touch" David Curtis and "Bold Brushstrokes and Confident Color" Lori Putnam. If you are not familiar with English painter David Curtis you are missing out. Equally gifted in oils or watercolor, David tackles the most complex subjects with ease. His ability to mix a color and put it down in exactly the right place using exactly the right color at exactly the right temperature is amazing to watch. Bold, direct and confident. Something I aspire to and achieve occasionally.

I found Lori's video inspirational because she paints in a way I can only imagine. Loose and controlled at the same time. She has total command from beginning to end. Her rise in popularity has been fun to watch and watching her paint is a true pleasure.



MOST INFORMATIVE: "Studio Painting Secrets" by Brian Blood, "Social Media Revealed" by Lori McNee and Eric Rhoads and "Gesture Portraits" by Jeffrey Watts. Brian's video is top notch. He covers all the bases discussing design, color, application of paint, color mixing...you name it, he talked about it and demonstrates it in a painting of Point Lobos, one of my favorite painting locations. His painting style is a lot like his personality, direct and to the point.

Jeffrey Watts video, the first of two, is the perfect blend of demonstration and teaching. His discussion of different color palettes and paint surfaces is invaluable information for the beginner or seasoned painter. The demos are terrific. You can tell Jeffrey is a seasoned teacher.




BEST VALUE: Gabor Svagrik's video series of five landscape videos is a treasure of information at about $50 each. Unfortunately I don't think you can get these any more. Now he has a new series of downloadable videos that include the original set. These are a must for anyone wanting to learn to paint with a limited palette.



BEST PRODUCTION QUALITY: Anything done by Liliedahl Video

WISH LIST: Jill Carver, Bill Anton, Clyde Aspevig, Skip Whitcomb, John Burton, James Richards, Joshua Been, Joshua Clare, Anne Blair Brown and a still life video from Richard Schmid.

Up Next: How to get the most out of an art instruction video


8 comments:

Michael J Etie said...

Rusty this is a timely post for me. I have decided collecting videos maybe an excellent alternation to ponying up big bucks for some of these workshops. I have gotten a little stale and need some juice! thanks for posting. BTW you started a rental program yet?

Rusty Jones said...

Hey Mike, I've made the mistake of loaning a couple of videos out only to have them either get lost or not returned at all so I'm kind of protective of the ones I have.

Catherine Twomey said...

Thank you so much for your terrific video reviews, Rusty. You are a gem.

Unknown said...

Thanks for the inclusion Rusty! Honored to be in your amazing collection.

Eric Rhoads said...

Its time to do yours. Call me.

Unknown said...

Rusty I love your work and am so impressed with your giving nature to offer up such practical and HELPFUL advice to us novice painters.

Diane from Canada said...

Hello Rusty! So glad I found your blog. I joined Kelli Folsom's still life courses on Face Book; this is how I found out about you. Thanks for this particular post. I am fairly new at painting and glad to hear one can learn thru videos - I have taken the odd workshop and I find that with a video, I can start-stop-review. That's how I learn best. Thanks for all the suggestions on various videos too. Between you and Kelli's posts, I feel I'm going to learn lots. I tried my hand at plein air painting least summer and I plan to continue in 2019, as soon as spring returns. I live in South Central British Columbia, home to many cougars. There have been plenty of sightings in my hometown over the past 5 years. We have a huge population of deer so that might explain it. Happy painting!

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