How to Draw Almost Anything Workshop

Our beautiful town square provided plenty of outdoor sketching opportunities for our workshop on How to draw anything

Each year I teach one workshop on drawing. Of course drawing is fundamental to all art forms, but I  feel it is key to understanding how we see in nature. Learning to observe light and shadow with our artists brain allows us to quickly draw anything we see. This workshop included time in the studio as well as sketching outdoors in our travel sketchbooks. We explored methods for establishing value contrast quickly and describing mass and form with middle values in three simple steps. If you'd like to find out more, take one of my art workshops!

The Portland Art Museum - Some Thoughts on Fine Art

Artist Roland Lee at the Portland Art Museum

My volunteer work with the Zion Natural History Association and the Zion National Park Foundation took me to Portland Oregon this week for the annual APPL conference. While there I was able to slip away and visit some of the art sites including the Portland Art Museum. The public transportation makes it easy to get around, and the city is very friendly, so it was relatively easy to find our way to the Art Museum. They have a large collection covering many subjects and genres, with a current display of very contemporary works spanning the past century. Each trip to a museum causes me to think and re-think about what constitues fine art. While I can accept and appreciate that all art deals with human emotions, I must say that to create art that displays the worst of human behavior and flaunts the baseness of humanity is a waste of talent. Reality gives us enough of that. Most of the big museums provide their share of art pieces that are very disturbing, and the Portland was no exception. But thankfully much of the art was uplifting, especially the fine impressionist paintings -- and the display space was wonderful. In any case I always appreciate the many donors, docents, curators, volunteers, and patrons that provide places for us to enjoy art, and make our own choices.

Some of the best watercolor painters (and friends) in the world!

Our March 2013 watercolor workshop in Salt Lake City, UT

What a joy it is to rub shoulders with some of the best painters in the world. That's what it is like when I get together with other artists. Even though, I am the teacher, I learn just as much from them. Likewise, when we all display our paintings, I am more excited about theirs than I am my own. It is so great to be able to enjoy the experience of watercolor painting with others. Thanks so much to Margo Cook for organizing and producing these great workshops.

Roland Lee Painting nets $3500 for Dixie State University scholarships

Dr. Ed and Idonna Snow pose with Roland Lee and their new original painting following the scholarship auction for Dixie State University

Dr. Ed and Idonna Snow purchased a Roland Lee painting at a Dixie State University fundraising banquet Friday night raising $3500.00 for scholarships. In it's ninth year, the "Fire and Ice" banquet and auction is held to raise funds specifically for needs-based scholarships. I have donated an original painting each year for most of those 9 years.

Art for Kids at Panorama Elementary School

Oh, the energy of 60 second-graders!

How do you choose from so many hands raised? Do I look a little dazed?

Listening to the children read during recess

Do these kids look happy? Miss Ridd's class with their own boxes of art cards.

I was invited to talk to the young children at Panorama Elementary School in Washington recently. Alice Blair, an arts advocate who helps the second grade students with reading skills, invited me to share some thoughts with these "budding" artists. Lacey Ridd was the host teacher and her class was joined by two others to fill the room with over 60 eager and enthusiastic kids! I am always amazed at the depth of understanding that the kids have. They asked thoughtful and well-worded questions about my career and what they could do to become artists. I encouraged them to draw what they see and to get out and enjoy our beautiful world. After presenting a powerpoint demonstration I gave each of them a box of my art cards and encouraged them to write and draw in them. I was pretty tired afterward, and once again amazed at their energy and the ability of their teachers to keep up with them day after day.

Watercolor Award at Sears Invitational Art Show

Roland Lee with collectors Lawrence and Janine Lambert in front of his painting "Duck Creek Deadfall." The Lambert's own a number of Roland's paintings.

I was pleased to receive an award at the Sears Invitational Art Show currently being exhibited on the Dixie State University campus in the Eccles Museum. It is always an honor to be invited to participate in this prestigious show. My watercolor painting, "Snow Canyon Sunrise" received second place in watercolor. I also exhibited a new big painting called "Duck Creek Deadfall."

Roland with his award winning painting "Snow Canyon Sunrise."

Watercolor Workshop at snowy Flaming Gorge

Flaming Gorge Reservoir at Sunset near the town of Dutch John Utah

The beautiful desert covered in snow

A great group of experienced artists at the Flaming Gorge Resort

We're enjoying two days of watercolor painting at Flaming Gorge Resort. A great group of experienced artists are hard at work in my watercolor workshop exploring the finer points of landscape painting. Tomorrow we work on snow paintings which will fit right in with the snow storm we are expecting the next two days. This is our first time to visit this part of our beautiful state and we are impressed. The drive across the mountains and desert to get here treated us to some amazing views of mesas and rocks layered with a foot of snow. What a fairy-tale site!

Warm Up Your Brushes with Two Winter Watercolor Workshops

"Snow and Barn" watercolor workshop demonstration painting

Ready for a winter vacation? I will offer two watercolor master classes during February. The first, "Winning Ways with Watercolor" will be held at the Flaming Gorge Resort near Vernal, Utah. Take a mini winter vacation and join us for this exciting two-day workshop February 7 - 8, which will include several of my most popular techniques: Seeing the light in nature; Unravelling the secrets of negative painting; Keys to believable lakes and rivers; Snow scenes that sing; and Converting bad photos into great paintings. The resort is offering special $59 nightly rates for our workshop, so let's get away for a couple of days and paint away the winter blues.

Or, warm up your brushes at A Passion for Painting studio in St. George February 14-15 as we explore "The Landscape in Winter." This is one of my favorite classes and is perfect for all levels. Each workshop will consist of artist demonstrations, powerpoint step-by-step examples, and plenty of student painting time.

"Winning Ways with Watercolor"
February 7-8, 2013
Flaming Gorge Resort
$175
9am to 4pm each day
To register contact:
Lori Burchinal
435-828-3688

"The Landscape in Winter"
February 14 - 15, 2013
A Passion for Painting, St. George UT
$175
9am to 4pm each day
To register contact:
Becky Whitney
435-628-5890

Painting the Southern Utah Red Cliffs with Water

The January workshop centered around painting the red cliffs of southern Utah. One of my favorite subjects, I always enjoy tackling this landscape theme. We explored several techniques  for portraying both the angularity of the cliffs and the surface forms and fissures. I did three class demonstrations during the two-day workshop. 

The Sentinel is a familiar cliff at Zion National Park. Here we concentrated on the techniques for making a form turn in nature.

I chose a softer color scheme with lots of pinks and purples for this scene near Kayenta, Utah. We studied the effects of aerial perspective on the distant cliffs.

The second day we added the element of water. I used a much warmer color scheme so I could contrast the oranges against the blue of the water in this scene of Ivins Reservoir.

Painting stone buildings and fences in watercolor

In my December workshop on painting English Cottages I demonstrated an easy method to paint stones in buildings and walls. I am using some reference photos I shot on one of my trips to England. As always I start with a rough pencil value study or "thumbnail sketch" to help me decide what to put in and what to leave out.

The first step in depicting stone is to lay in a loose wash of a variety of colors, allowing the pigment to mingle freely on the paper. This helps to establish the lighter values of the stone and create some variety. After that wash is dry I like to use the side of a loaded brush to "scumble" across the rough surface of the paper. This adds to the texture and provides a few marks which we can turn into edges of the stone and shadows on the surface. Lastly I will identify a few stone shapes in random locations, usually along the edges and once again using a variety of color.

The object is to create a feeling of textured stone without outlining each and every stone or brick.

Notice in the finished painting I have changed many things from the original photograph. The painting becomes "my creation" rather than a copy of a photograph.

Gallery Open House Tonight - Free Art Cards

If you are in the area, stop by my Art Studio and Gallery tonight during the "Art on Main" gallery stroll. You'll see my latest paintings, plus some plein air paintings from the Zion Thomas Moran Show. And...you'll get a FREE box of my Christmas Art Cards just for stopping by. The Studio is located just a half block south of the St. George Art Museum in the First East Plaza at 165 North 100 East #2. Yep, you have to come by in person. See you tonight!

Get a free box of Christmas Cards just for stopping by during my open house tonight. This is in conjunction with the downtown "Art on Main" gallery stroll between 6 -9pm.

My studio is in the First East Plaza office building located just a half block south of the St. George Art Museum at 165 North 100 East #2, St. George UT 84770

Many new paintings and limited edition prints are on display in my new gallery rooms.

Painting English Cottages in Watercolor

The photo reference of a stone house in the Yorkshire Dales 

A thumbnail sketch helps us plan the value relationships and decide what to leave in and what to take out.

It is difficult to see, but I use a very light 4H pencil to sketch out my design on 140lb Arches watercolor paper.

As the painting begins I use loose wet-into-wet washes to form the basic shapes. It is important to let pigments mingle on the paper rather than do all the mixing on the palette.

The finished painting completed in class

The focus of our recent workshop was a popular one: Painting English Cottages and Gardens in watercolor. We used reference photos and sketches that I made on several trips to Great Britain along with photos from recent trips from the other artists as well. Starting with a lesson on what to put in and what to leave out, we discussed ways to work from a photo without being tied to it. Most photos don't provide the information we need, so as artists we should be free to change whatever is necessary to add drama and clarity to our compositions. I was able to complete two demonstration paintings during the class, both of which were purchased by Connie Madsen. Future workshops for Spring 2013 are listed on my website.

Both demonstration paintings were purchased by Connie Madsen

Plein Air (Outdoor) Painting in Zion

I remembered to stop and shoot a photo or two of some of the paintings in progress, but neglected to shoot most of the finished pieces before they were framed and whisked off to the sale.

Storm Above the Beehives painting in progress

A few photos of some of Roland Lee's on-location paintings in progress during the "In the Footsteps of Thomas Moran" Invitational at Zion National Park.

Small falls along Sand Bench Trail

White cliffs in East Zion

Mt. Majestic in the early morning

Sketchbook drawing of jagged peaks

Painting river reflections at Big Bend

Painting and Sketching Outdoors in Zion National Park

For me, nothing is more fun than spending the day painting outdoors. The Thomas Moran plein air event gave me that opportunity for one solid week. I used my Anderson Easel for the most part, but also just sat down and painted without an easel when I felt like it. Either way I brought along a comfortable folding chair which helped me stay comfortable. I completed about 15 paintings during the week, although several were quite small.

Sketching outdoors on a cold Zion morning

A comfortable set-up for painting outdoors. All the comforts of home!

Another gorgeous day painting along the Virgin River. Notice my chair on the far right bank. It doesn't get any better than this. 

Painting the autumn trees on the opposite bank of the river. 

Plein Air Painting at "Footsteps of Thomas Moran" Invitational in Zion National Park

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Uhlinger from Monterey California returned to Zion this year and purchased my "Quick Draw" painting at the Auction.They also purchased a second painting from the Fixed-price show.

We just concluded a week-long painting event in Zion National Park. I was one of 25 artists invited from throughout America to participate in this plein air invitational. We painted every day as well as presented demonstrations and interacted with the crowds of visitors who came to watch the excitement. I was pleased to produce and sell 10 paintings on-location during the week and also won the "People's Choice Award" with a $200 cash prize. The weather was both wonderful and frightful, starting out with temperatures in the 70's and ending up with a snow storm and temperatures in the 30's. The autumn leaves were perfect with brilliant yellows and reds  to contrast with the dark cliffs. It was all perfectly wonderful. Painting outdoors is great no matter the weather!

Roland Lee wins "people's Choice Award" at Thomas Moran Quick Draw in Zion National Park

My chosen subject before the storm. But things changed in a hurry.

We had to keep laughing just to stay warm. My faithful gallery of watchers cheered me on. Photos by John Mangels.

The painting continues, along with the snowstorm and bitter cold

The Uhlingers purchased my finished Quick Draw painting

25 artists braved a blustery and bitterly cold day to compete in the Thomas Moran "Quick Draw" painting competition at Zion National Park. Waking up to temperatures in the 30's I was wishing I had brought along a pair of gloves in addition to long-johns for this day. As plein air painters we were semi-prepared to paint outdoors in any weather conditions, but some were more prepared than others. The sun ducked in and out of the clouds promising some fantastic views, but as luck would have it, turned into pelting sleet as soon as the competition began. I pulled my hoody over my head to keep the ice pellets from going down my shirt, but my poor fingers had to endure the storm un-covered. Of course as soon as the quick draw was over the sun came out. Each artist had a half hour to frame their painting and submit for the live auction. Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Uhlinger purchase my painting which they had watched me produce. And I was fortunate to receive the "Peoples Choice" award for the event.