Thoughts on Plein Air Watercolor Sketching at a Busy Cafe | NYBG Visitor's Center

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Hello Art-family,
For this video I wanted to say some thoughts on painting on location in a busy cafe setting. This was done on location at the New York Botanical Garden's Visitor's Center. The key is simplifying the scene and examining what made you want to sketch the scene in the first place. Thanks for watching. I look forward to seeing you in the next video. If you like the video and want to hear more thoughts there is a full length version of it on patreon for the $1 and up tier.
happy sketching,
Jared
www.jaredcullum.com
PATREON: www.patreon.com/jaredlovestodraw
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[@Chacarruna]

I guess everyone is different, for me striking conversations with people is part of the appeal of plain air. Sure, it makes the painting process slower but I love to get a mindfulness experience during the painting, the light in my face, the values of the scene, the wind/breeze in my skin, and the human element, whether as subjects in the painting or someone I didn’t know.

[@JaredCullum]

Well said, :) Thanks for watching.

[@Chacarruna]

@@JaredCullum 🙏 my pleasure.

[@brianross1488]

Nice video. I've found wearing headphones really minimizes spectators carrying on a conversation. A nod or thank you when they say your painting looks great usually satisfies them. And the music helps me stay in my groove. I do occasionally forego headphones and enjoy being an attraction.

[@JaredCullum]

That's true. Although I do occassionally get the person that just stands there and talks to me until I take the headphones out. haha But it's not all the time. You do have to make a decision that it's what you want to do regardless of what comes your way. Thanks for watching!

[@cdsketch]

Love how you manage to take on such a complex scene and make it very readable, Great work!

[@JaredCullum]

Thank you! :)

[@nicky9187]

Fabulous. Thank you.

[@JaredCullum]

Thank you for watching!

[@frenchgrama]

Great job with the painting - I love your work. Thanks for sharing

[@JaredCullum]

Thank you! Love hearing from you- hope you’ve been well!

[@jellyartist]

Nicely seen, Jared. I like the way you held back enough to make that little group a focal point with enough contrast. That’s the planning paying off, plus the experience in hand of course. Nice video, with just enough - like the painting. Thanks for sharing.

[@markdonovan1540]

Brilliant advice and time-lapse video of your process. This is something I struggle with, so I'll go out and give this approach a go where I live in Madrid, Spain. Thanks, Jared.

[@beckyisj]

I was so enticed by the umbrellas in your painting when I first saw it! This is so beautiful to see come together

[@JaredCullum]

Yea! I may have bent the rules doing them haha the event I was painting for gave us specific spots to paint in but when I finished my spot I couldn’t resist. Haha

[@EnosMaker]

You should make a compilation of all the people walking up and talking to you while working. Great subject. Whoever picked those umbrellas made a good design move.

[@JaredCullum]

9 out of 10 they’re very kind people :) haha thanks for watching.

[@beautifulari1648]

I really enjoyed the way you explained the things! You really simplified a very complex topic

[@JaredCullum]

Thank you so much for watching

[@Karl61290]

Excellent demo and great painting

[@sujanithtottempudi2991]

Wow! That's a challenge to do people...besides focal point

[@JaredCullum]

People are tough- that’s true :)

[@firdyk]

Enjoy listening to your narrative

[@JaredCullum]

Thanks for watching!

[@phisquared6187]

Thanks again for sharing.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

This turned out so well! Amazing!

[@JaredCullum]

Lindsay! Always a joy to read a comment from you. Hope you’re doing well. Thank you so much for watching.

[@jancusters2450]

Wonderful aquarel! Like the scene. Love how you made it a live. Greetings from the Netherlands.

[@JaredCullum]

Thank you! I appreciate you watching!

[@SereneStudio]

The yellow umbrellas are quite lovely!

[@JaredCullum]

Couldn’t resist sketching them

[@indianahoosier5794]

Had a metal palette that looked similar to that one. Lost it on a canoe trip. They don't float. Haven't been able to find a similar replacement since...

[@paulfogarty7724]

Here in Ireland there are so many loonys, pests & even dangerous people you have to be constantly aware of who is around you. Pretty much impossible to consentrate on a painting. Even taking a phone snapshot to paint at home, you need to do it quick. Id love to paint cityscapes plein air but not in Dublin for sure. Though we have beautiful countryside that can be painted without people stress.

[@JaredCullum]

That is wild to read. It's a dream of mine to paint over there. I didn't imagine it so rough. I hope to get over there to paint some day. Thanks for your input. :) Be safe out there!

[@kev5782]

Have you tried wearing earbuds/headphones while painting? Wondering if that detracts people at all. Great thoughts on consolidating values.

[@JaredCullum]

I have! It is pretty effective but often people will just stand there talking at me until I take them off.

[@kev5782]

@@JaredCullum lol that’s what I expected

[@misspinsel2116]

As beautiful as always 🥰 I wondered, did you put the people already in the drawing or did you decide about them, during the painting?

[@JaredCullum]

Thank you! I put the proportions in. Like an empty gesture of them. They had long left when I painted but the proportion and silhouette was enough I could swap out clothes or hats on them.

[@8ball54]

Nice! Do you just wait out til paint is dry in between layers? Or do you have some kind of fan/portable hair dryer with you?

[@JaredCullum]

It is always a variable on location. The air was wet but it was also a warm day. More often than not I don’t dry between unless I want clean hard edges. I like it to melt a little together for soft edges. That’s hard on location because it dries very fast with the wind and heat. I carry a spray bottle and spray it often as I go. :)

[@sujanithtottempudi2991]

Hi .... yesterday I tried sticking watercolour paper with matte medium onto a balsawood panel...and dried it ..it didn't buckle at all despite doing wet on wet. Is it okay

[@JaredCullum]

Fascinating- thanks for sharing

[@BurningtunaDC]

Let me play devil's advocate if I may. Why sit in a busy place as opposed to grabbing a few shots with a mobile phone then scooting?

[@JaredCullum]

Spontaneity. Hard to capture that if you just copy a picture. Your eye takes in more light and color on location. I feel more connected to the environment on location. It’s also fun. If it doesn’t appeal to you then just take a photo. There’s nothing wrong with doing that.