Spring Plein Air Workshop - May 16, 17, 18

May 16,17,18 - 2025

Noon-6:00 pm Daily
$300
To register, please send me an email letting me know that you are interested and I will save your spot in the class and get you some more info
Kylemartinfineart@gmail.com

The workshop will be held at the Chicken Coop Studio

S3749 Schneider Rd.

Rock Springs, WI 

53961

Thank you for the interest in my Spring Plein Air Workshop! Whether you're new to plein air painting or looking to refresh your skills, this class offers a thoughtful approach to capturing the beauty around you.

Each session begins with a warm up exercise and an informative slideshow, introducing a key painting technique. We’ll start with the basics, gradually building on these skills as you challenge yourself to create your best work. Each day, I’ll demonstrate a new drawing and painting exercise, and will guide you through the process of creating a new painting each day.

workshop demo from the spring class in 2024. I painted this in black and white, and then painted color on top of the black and white version to show color's relationship to value.

We’ll begin with simple black-and-white exercises, then move toward full-color paintings that reflect the true essence of the landscape. This year, I’m introducing a limited palette color chart exercise. To help you navigate the complexities of color, you’ll create a chart before the workshop using just five colors, which will provide you with a clear guide to mix and select colors that match what you see in nature. With this approach, you’ll feel confident and empowered to bring your vision to life on the canvas.

Sign up for the spring plein air workshop and discover a unique approach to learning plein air painting. Whether you're a beginner or looking for a refresher, this class offers valuable skills to enhance your painting.
Each class starts with a simple exercise and a slideshow focused on a key painting technique. You'll learn fundamental skills with high success rates, and build on them to create your best work. I’ll demonstrate a new drawing and painting exercise every day, using special tools to help you succeed. Starting with black-and-white exercises, we’ll progress to full-color paintings that capture the landscape authentically. 
This year, we’re introducing a limited palette color chart exercise. To help you understand color mixing, you'll create a color chart before the workshop, showing all the possible color combinations with just five colors. During class, you'll choose the color that matches what you see and have a guide to paint it accurately.

This is an example of the color swatching exercise that you will make and bring with you to the class. I will send you a canvas with the squares already printed on it, along with instructions n how to create it. . These colors were all mixed with just 5 tubes of paint plus white!

Opening the door to my art room at UW Baraboo

 

This was my demo piece for the paper painting project. The goal was to have students simplify the subject into puzzle pieces.

This is my simple still life that I was looking at for my Paper Painting project.

Here’s an update on the projects we’ve been working on in my painting class at UW Baraboo this month!

We started with a drawing project inspired by Betty Edwards' Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. The goal was to help students understand accurate drawing techniques. The project involved creating a hand drawing, allowing each student to infuse their personality into the piece—some included sleeves, rings, or unique hand poses. The first step was tracing the hand on plexiglass, followed by using a proportional divider to measure distances accurately. I'm so impressed with the results and have included some examples for you to see!

Next, we built on the hand drawings with a site-size project. Students taped a piece of paper to a window on campus and drew the view accurately, applying the measuring skills they had learned. These are not full-time art students, but they’ve done an amazing job, and it’s been a pleasure seeing their growth.

Our third project was a paper-based painting exercise that simplified the process of creating art. Students set up a still life scene with a pair in a cardboard box, lit it with a single light source, and used gray paper to cut out shapes that represented values of lightness and darkness. This exercise mirrors how I’d teach oil painting techniques, but using paper instead.

Next week, we’ll dive into oil painting with a black-and-white piece that we’ll glaze with color once dry. I’m excited to continue this rewarding journey with my students at UW Baraboo and look forward to getting outside for plein air painting as the weather warms. Thanks for reading, and I hope the month of March brings you inspiration!

Thank you,

Kyle Martin

 

Students at UW-Baraboo taped drawing paper to the windows, and drew the campus buildings just as they saw them.

This group of students found a great view!

 

Save the Date for the Fall Art Tour

It is time for the Fall Art Tour. The tour is always the third weekend in October, and this year the dates are October 18,19, 20. The tour is open from 10am-6pm daily.

This is your chance to have a behind the scenes look at the studio's where some of the finest artists in Wisconsin create. This is my 14th year on the tour and I am happy to invite you into my chicken coop studio here on the family farm.

If you would like more info, please email me at

kylemartinfineart@gmail.com