Congratulations to Janine Helton, whose watercolor painting “Breezy,” was named Best Animal/Bird painting in the April 2024 PleinAir Salon, judged by Richard Montoux, curator and art connoisseur.
“I love to visit rookeries every spring to watch and photograph the Great Blue Herons,” says Helton. “The reference photo for Breezy was taken early in the nesting season. Many of the Great Blue Herons that I saw were either preening in the treetops or simply enjoying the breeze. I loved how this one’s breeding plumage was blown every which way.
“I’ve painted many herons, but never at this scale and in this style (looser and more painterly). It was a challenge to retain the flyaway breeding plumage without making the surrounding sky section too boring. I used several techniques to create the white plumage, including using masking fluid, painting in the negative, and finally lifting areas until I was satisfied.
“For this piece, I worked upright on an easel on 300-lb. rough watercolor paper using kolinsky sable brushes. I treated this piece as I would any portrait. Beginning with a loose and expressive underpainting, I worked in many transparent layers, considering shapes, color, and value. I slowly added details with more precision until I was satisfied that I’d captured the essence of the subject, the moment in time.”
JUDGE MONTOUX SHARES HIS ADVICE FOR ENTERING ART COMPETITIONS
“I always recommend that artists submit their works to competition because they’re a great opportunity to get visibility, and to get some feedback and learn where to grow in their technique.
“At each stage of an artist’s career, art competitions are important. For beginners, it helps the artist to persevere and to commit to doing their best work. For middle-career or more established artists, art competitions can provide recognition. Awards help artists to get visibility either from the public or from art dealers.
“When I’m judging an art competition, first impressions are important. Whether I’m looking at the work in person or online, the emotion given by an art piece is essential. … Carefully select the artwork you enter based on the audience of the competition.”
THREE MORE WATERCOLORS THAT GOT RECOGNITION IN THE APRIL SALON:
