Don Getz to Journal in Florida: Part Two

While we are experiencing frigid sub freezing conditions with ice and snow here in North Carolina, Don Getz is still down South basking in the warmer temperatures of sunny Florida. More than a quarter of the scheduled workshops of his US Journaling Tour are complete. He has passed through many states from Maine to Florida and is currently warming up in the southern most tip of America. Don enjoyed the holidays with friends and is now back to work meeting new students and sharing all he knows about journaling. He has traveled the state from top to bottom conducting workshops as he goes. Let’s check in on Don with posts from his tour blogsite and what he has to say about his trip so far.

Week of Jan.13 – 19th, 2013:

Sunday, Jan. 13:
I travel to Sebring, Florida, where I worked on a Ferrari pit crew in March of 1960 – our car finished the 12 Hour Endurance in 6th place – the first private entry!…driven by DR. E.D. Martin of Atlanta, GA & Lance Reventlow of California – many pleasant memories – then on to Parkland, FL, to again visit friends for the week. I travel on Saturday, Jan. 20th, to Key West, FL for the Jan. 22-24 session. Th numbers of students is improving rapidly, as I expected, after the ‘holiday season’. I somehow managed to depart Ohio in September without my extra tubes of AMERICAN JOURNEY watercolors. Mona Lisa at Cheap Joe’s took care of that pronto! They are also working on a new journal for me to introduce on my trip across America. It will be similar to the Kilimanjaro Paintbook Journal, 140 lb. Cold Press Paper with a sheet of drawing paper in between each watercolor page, and a new 300 lb. Watercolor Paper cover, for artists to decorate…. soon to arrive, I hope!!

I departed my workshop in Eustis, FL, headed to Sebring, FL, then on to Parkland, FL, to spend the week here- near Fort Lauderdale- finishing up some of my previous sketches with simple watercolor washes. I leave today, Saturday, Jan. 19th, for next session in Key West, FL, which looks to be a very busy three days, Jan. 22-24. The Key Largo session, starting Jan. 28th, is already filled, with four ‘standbys’.  I have suggested a change there, to a Mon-Tuesday session for 15 and a Thurs-Friday session for another 15. We’ll see how that develops, as I prefer a max of 15 students per session.  This week I was the guest of Allison, Michael & family in Parkland, FL… very nice folks and art lovers to boot!

I will again review some of the items I cover, in these ‘journaling’ workshops:  When working in ‘plein air’, I recommend that you limit sketches to simple scenes, such as eliminating items which are not key to the story being told. KEEP IT SIMPLE! Do a contour drawing in ink pen, so that all areas in the sketch tie together – use single lines – not a bunch of ‘hen scratchings’ – this outline drawing consists of the outlines of major shapes in the sketch. I constantly refer to shapes, NOT THINGS… it pertains to getting the right side of the brain into action. You will know it, when you have reached this creative situation. After the basic shapes are established, then add basic detail within those shapes.

It’s time to paint!… I pick a cool color & a warm color, to start the color washes – usually going for dark negative areas, such as dark tree shapes behind a white building shape. This start begins with doing the FOCAL point, then areas around the focal point, continuing to add color washes to include the background.　 I add other colors from my palette, as I need them… again, keep it simple. Add basic colors by mixing colors ON THE PAPER, not mixing on the palette – that is the very First step (mixing colors on the palette) to make MUD! Example: blue with raw sienna… you will get plain blue areas, plain sienna areas and a number of combinations by MIXING ON THE PAPER! … and start by laying in washes lighter than you feel you need, as they can be darkened as you proceed. I prefer to paint the darker areas first, then lighter areas…kinda backward, from what most watercolorists practice. I find that this helps to save white areas and the lighter washes are easily kept subtle and not get them too dark. I also recommend signing, dating and titling my journaling sketches, as it helps to identify the time & place later on…

More guidelines later on… so, keep your brushes wet and KEEP IT SIMPLE!　 After all, these sketches are supposed to happen in a half hour or less! -Don

Below is Don’s supply list, what he uses and recommends for this particular workshop. By keeping the list to the basic essentials…

DON’S BASIC SUPPLY LIST –

KILIMANJARO 12X9 PAINTBOOK – with 300 lb cover!- The Kilimanjaro paintbook was a great idea even before we added the 300 lb. custom cover! With 20 sheets of 140 lb. cold pressed Professional Kilimanjaro watercolor paper and 20 sheets of 70 lb. sketch paper in between, you have everything you need in a spiral bound journal. Now, the extra 300 lb. cover sheet allows you to create a custom cover for every trip location or journal subject you might have! Travel journaling has never been easier! Three great sizes to choose from! 12″ x 9″ landscape (Don’s Favorite!), 10″ x 5-1/2″ landscape (very portable), and 9″ x 12″ portrait.

AMERICAN JOURNEY WATERCOLOR SKETCHBOOK – This is Don’s Go To Sketchbook. He has been using this watercolor sketchbook for years with great results.

AMERICAN JOURNEY ARTISTS’ WATERCOLORS – Burnt Sienna, Olive Green, Alizarin Crimson, Sour Lemon, Cadmium Orange, Apricot, Cobalt Blue, Cobalt Violet, Getz Gray (Don’s Own Color!), Quin Gold, Perm Magenta, Passionate Purple, French Gray, Green Gold, Mint Julep, Naples Yellow, Sky Blue, Permanent Rose, Earthen Green, Quin Burnt Orange, Quin Violet, Viridian, Ultramarine Blue,Skip’s Green, Titanium white, Periwinkle, and Cadmium Red Medium.

ALVIN HERITAGE 24-WELL TRAVEL PALETTE – Don likes this palette for travel because it has a rubber gasket around the edge to seal the paint inside. This prevents leakage and keeps the wet paint moist longer. This palette has removable mixing trays for easy cleaning. Closed, it measures 12 1/2″ x 6″ x 1″, Open it measures 12 1/2 by 12″ with 24 wells for carrying lots of great pigments to all of those great journaling locations!

AMERICAN JOURNEY TRAVEL BRUSHES/ GOLDEN FLEECE TRAVEL BRUSHES – Either of these travel brush sets will be sufficient for all of your journaling needs. Taking up very little space in your kit. The American Journey brushes do have an advantage over the Golden Fleece as they are designed to mimic natural hair more closely giving you more carrying power for bigger washes.

VIEWFINDER – Make your own, or purchase one like the Guerilla Painter Composition Finder to keep in your kit. This handy tool helps you to more easily identify your scene by blocking out surrounding distractions, also, aids in plotting and composing your sketch.

CHEAP JOE’S VALUE FINDER – Although, not a complete necessity, this tool helps you to identify values that aid in creating a stronger composition and a more accurate value study. The value finder will neutralize color into values and also allow you to see the overall basic shapes of your scene before you create your contour drawing.

WATER BOTTLE – Cheap Joe’s water bottle is great for carrying clean water for watercolor journaling. So inexpensive you can afford to keep several with you so you won’t run out of clean water!

WATER PAN

PAPER TOWELS/ CLEAN RAG

SAKURA MICRON PENS – Don uses these pens to get the much needed fine detail in his sketches. He prefers the .01 pen tip for the finest lines possible. The waterproof, permanent and archival ink will provide long lasting performance! This 3 pen set includes the .01,.03 and .05 sizes all in one package, giving you a variety of tip sizes to choose from at a really great price!

SKETCH PENCILS -While you can use any number of choices for sketch pencils, Don recommends the full set of Cheap Joe’s Sketching Pencils. Providing a wide range of sketching leads, you always have a variety on hand!

POCKET CAMERA – Great idea for preserving scenes and light conditions for later reference for completing sketches.

LARGE BRIMMED HAT – A necessity to keep the sun off of your face and out of your eyes!

SMALL CAMPING STOOL – Relaxing while journaling makes the experience that much more enjoyable, that is why the GCI Quik-E-Seat is the perfect choice. It has a sturdy back support, is compact and feather light and great for journaling! Makes you feel you are on vacation all of the time!

Other useful items- sunscreen, snacks, an umbrella, and lightweight travel easel, when convenient.

*(Don’s supply list can change throughout the tour due to new products or new preferences. The current supply list has been revised to reflect the materials that Don is using as of April 2, 2013)

So again, we get some insight on what to expect at one of Don’s journaling workshops. Below is Don’s schedule for the next few workshops. If you happen to live near one of his stops, don’t hesitate to contact him at djgetzbgolly@hotmail.com, his website or the workshop coordinator for that location and get all of the details of how you can join in. You wouldn’t want to miss this monumental opportunity to participate in one of the best workshops of the year! As he brings back memories and visions of Edgar Whitney’s station wagon traveling from city to city to commune with students all over America, Don will continue to travel all around the U.S. for this unique once in a lifetime workshop tour! If you happen to see him out, let us know! Send pictures! And give Don our wishes for a safe and happy trip!

WINTER HAVEN, FL Feb. 12-13-14 (Tuesday – Thursday) 863-956-1357,  Margaret
PALM COAST, FL Feb. 19-20 (Tuesday – Wednesday) 386-446-5037 / Joan
INDIAN ROCKS BEACH, FL Feb. 27-28 (Wednesday – Thursday) 727-596-4331 / Beach Art Ctr
MEXICO BEACH, FL Mar. 11-13 (Monday – Wednesday) 850-648-5126 / Peggy
PENSACOLA, FL Mar. 20-21-22 (Wednesday – Friday) 850-471-1150 / Marsha
LAFAYETTE, LA Mar. 25-26-27 (Monday – Wednesday) 337-654-2325 / Cecilla

What a quest, a dream, an opportunity to do something you may have waited your whole life for! Don is achieving one of his most awaited adventures. What do you dream? What would you like to do that you might have waited your whole life to do? Time slips by so quickly that we might lose the opportunities if we wait too long. Do something today, anything. Something as simple as trying a new hobby or medium, or wearing a big hat, or as complex as traveling to a strange new location, far or near. Don’t be afraid to be adventurous, and daring, unique and different. Go, now, and Be Yourself! It’s the one thing that no one else can do!

Have a Happy Adventurously Wonderful Day!