Large Relationships Article

OutdoorPainter.com posted my article from Plein Air Magazine online with an expanded demonstration. Check it out at this link. Have a Great New Year!!

Jason

Our Little Boy, oil on panel, 11"x14"

This was my Christmas gift for my wife. It is our son doing what he does best, having fun with the simple things in life. In this case he was digging in some gravel when we were parked on a back-road in Minnesota while I painted.

Our Little Boy
oil on panel, 11"x14"
Not for sale

Climbing the Sunlight, oil on linen, 11"x14"

I saw these Pintails on a beautiful autumn morning while going through Blackwater Wildlife Refuge. I composed this scene from photos and a small field study I had done of the wetland. I may do a larger version with more ducks as I am pretty happy with the results of this painting. Have a Merry Christmas!

Climbing the Sunlight
oil on linen, 11"x14"
$890 framed -SOLD

Pintail in Flight Study, oil on cradled panel, 6"x6"

I did the little study for an 11"x14" painting that I will soon be posting.
Pintail in Flight Study
Oil on cradled panel, 6"x6"

Plein Air Magazine-links to digital issue

Here are links to the article that featured my work in Plein Air Magazine. Enjoy!
Pages 48-49
Pages 50-51
Pages 52-53-Demo

Plein Air Magazine Article

The new winter issue of Plein Air Magazine has a 5-page article about me and my work. Plein Air Magazine is a national art magazine dedicated to outdoor painting and fine art. It is an incredible honor to be featured in this beautiful magazine with some of the best artists in the world. The article also includes a demonstration that I did in Gettysburg National Park. Here is a link where you can purchase the magazine, or look for it as your nearest Barnes & Noble bookstore.

Autumn Afternoon, oil on panel, 11"x14"

While out for a walk with my family during a late afternoon this last autumn, I was intrigued by the way the sunlight was shining on the distant mountains. I returned the next day and did a quick field study while my wife and children played in the tall grass. That field study, along with several others were used to create this painting.

Autumn Afternoon
oil on panel, 11"x14"
$890.00. Contact Jason Tako at luke_tako@yahoo.com to inquire.

One Leg Up, oil on panel, 6"x8"

This small study of a Wood Duck was a lot of fun to paint. Many times the background of a wildlife painting is the most challenging for me. The animal is easy, since I know exactly what I need to do, but the background can be more ambiguous. With this background I decided to have fun with textures and suggestions of forest foliage.

One Leg Up
oil on panel, 6"x8"
$290 framed -SOLD

2012 Calendar

My award-winning painting Tarnished Silver will be featured on the cover and the inside of Contemporary Fine Art Interntional's 2012 Calendar. The inside of the calendar will feature the work of 11 other artists along with myself. The calendar can be ordered at this link. CFAI is also featuring an online interview with me which can be found here. Have a great day and be aware of the Beauty around you!

Art as an Investment

During these challenging economic times it can be difficult to know what to do with your money. Should you invest in stocks, real estate or just stay in cash? While I’m far from an economic advisor, I have run across a couple articles that talks about art as an investment. Trevor Richards in his article How You Can Invest in Art says: “For centuries an original painting has been seen as being prestigious.....and even today it is still very much the case. Art works are sold around the world, sometimes for millions of dollars, just because these works are seen as something of great beauty and also an item of immense investment value. Your purchase of an original painting means that no one else will have a work of art exactly like yours. It is a one of a kind, which makes it something special and very valuable.”

Trevor also points out one of the great benefits of investing in art: “One major advantage that an art collection has over other collectable items like stamps and coins is that you can admire your investment every day ...Because it can hang on the wall of your home or office where it is able to be seen by not only you, but by family and friends.”

Daniel Gross in his article Painting for Profit-Is Art a Wise Investment points out: “A J.M.W. Turner view of Venice sold at auction at Christie's in London on May 29, 1897, for $35,000 and then sold at Christie's in New York [April 2006] for $35.8 million—which yields about a 6 percent annual return for 109 years. Which is pretty darn good.” In the mid-2000’s Mei Moses Jiangping Mei created a fine art index which tracked the performance of fine art. In 2006 they found that over the last 50 years the S&P 500 returned 10.9 percent annually while fine art returned 10.5 percent annually. “And in the five years between 2001 and 2005, art trounced stocks.”

While this doesn’t mean you should sell all your portfolio and head down to the local gallery, it does show that original fine art can be a sound investment. I believe a person should invest in a painting if that painting speaks to them regardless of any profit potential. In this day and age beauty is such an important yet neglected part of the human experience. Art is both a refuge as well as a statement on the importance of beauty. But it is nice to know that the painting that is bringing you so much joy may also be increasing in monetary value as it hangs on your wall.

Mandarin Drake, oil on panel, 6"x8"

The Mandarin Duck is a close relative to the North American Wood Duck. They were once widespread throughout Asia but destruction of its habitat has reduced it to eastern Russia, China and Japan.

Mandarin Drake
oil on panel, 6"x8"
$290 framed. Contact Jason at luke_tako@yahoo.com to inquire.

Barrows Goldeneye, oil on panel, 6"x8"

The Barrows Goldeneye is a medium sized diving duck. They like to dive underwater for food which includes aquatic insects, crustaceans and pond vegetation. The simple colors and beautiful abstract pattern of the duck's feathers was the perfect vehicle for using a variety of paint thickness and texture. One of my favorite things to do in painting is to merge a painterly quality with realism.

Barrows Goldeneye
oil on panel, 6"x8"
$290 framed -SOLD

Autumn Shadows, oil on panel, 6"x8"

Last week I was driving around Lancaster County, PA around sunrise when I saw the beautiful interplay of light and shadows on this barn. I quickly pulled my car over and set up to paint. While Amish horse buggies wheeled past me, I completed a small 5"x7" field study in around a half hour, and snapped a few photos. I brought these back to the studio and used them to create this little painting.

Autumn Shadows
Oil on panel, 6"x8"
$290.00. Contact Art & Soul Gallery to purchase 717-761-1270

Waterfowl Festival!!

Be sure to mark your calendars for the Waterfowl Festival in Easton, Maryland, November 11th-13th. The entire town of Easton is transformed into a wildlife enthusiast's paradise. I will be exhibiting my newest artwork there, paintings that have not yet been seen by the public. Be sure to look me up at the Armory Building with the big bronze Canada Geese in the front. http://www.waterfowlfestival.org/

Settling Down, oil on linen, 18"x24"

This pair of Pintails is settling down in a nice quiet part of a mist-covered pond. This painting was an exercise in balance between design, and remaining faithful to the look of a typical mid-western wetland. I had most of the painting finished before our trip to Minnesota a couple weeks ago. While there I went to some wetlands close to my childhood home in Shieldsville, and did some small field studies. Though most of setting for this painting was done from my mind, when I compared the painting to my field studies, I was surprised at how close the colors from my mind were to the field study. The only thing I can figure is that growing up around these wetlands left a deep impression on me.


Settling Downoil on linen, 18"x24"
$2,190.00-SOLD

Where the Buffalo Roam, oil on linen, 24"x30"

This painting was inspired by our trip to Wyoming this last summer. The northeastern part of Yellowstone is very mountainous, and there were bison here and there on the flat areas. I composed this scene using my small field studies (done in oil, and in the rain) and photo references. I wanted to give the feel of massive mountains and space. The incredible feeling you get when your out West.

Where the Buffalo Roam
Oil on linen, 24"x36"
SOLD.

Paint the Parks Award

This little painting was accepted into the 2011 PAINT THE PARKS Mini50 Show and received one of the Juror's Awards in the show. I while back I did a painting called The Slyder Farm which depicted the scene above. Many times before I do a final painting I will do a small study to work everything out. This small painting was the preliminary study for The Slyder Farm. While some preliminary studies just get filed away or thrown away, this one turned out so well I decided to enter it into the Paint the Parks Show.
Gettysburg Winter
oil on panel, 8"x10"

CFAI Award

My painting Tarnished Silver won Best of Show in the Contemporary Fine Art International Miniature Juried Show Fall 2011. My many thanks for the jurors and wonderful artists at Contemporary Fine Art Interntional!

York County Afternoon, oil on linen panel, 11"x14"

This painting was created for the York Art Association and the Farm and Natural Lands Trust. A number of local artists were chosen and given a specific location to paint. Each location has been put into the local preservation program. I went to my location in mid-July, took some photographs and created a small field study. For this final painting I moved things around a little to make the composition more interesting. I never ended up using the photo references, only the field study.
York County Afternoon
oil on linen panel, 11"x14"

Western Farm, oil on linen, 18"x24"

While in Idaho, near the Wyoming border, I spotted this barn and jumped out of our van in the rain to do a quick field study of it. I loved the effect the rain had on the mountains. This effect, as well as the old barn inspired me greatly. Sadly scenes like this are disappearing all over the country. I'm thankful I was able to capture this one.
Western Farm, oil on linen, 18"x24"
$2,190.00, includes a dark gold frame.
Contact Jason at luke_tako@yahoo.com to inquire.

SAA Award for Courtship

My painting Courtship won the Western Art Collector's Magazine Editor's Choice Award at the Society of Animal Artist's 51 Annual Show!

That Dull Look

Some of you, both artists and collectors, may notice that after a short period of time your oil painting may get a flat, dull or even blotchy look. This usually happens during the drying process, which for oil paintings may take years to totally complete. The surface of an oil painting can vary in the amount of actual oil it contains. The areas with less oil tend to dry more flat. This is why it’s always good advice to paint thick over thin, or fat over lean; meaning the top layer of paint should contain more oil than the lower layers, otherwise the lower layers will suck the oil out of the upper layers causing a dull look. Being an artist I can say this principle is not always easy to maintain, especially when painting en plein air.

Two methods can be used to bring the color, depth and gloss back to an oil painting. The first is called oiling out. This is basically using a medium or half linseed or walnut oil, and half mineral spirits, and gently brushing it on the surface of the painting. I recommend using Gamblin’s Galkyd medium in place of linseed oil as it dries within a day and won’t yellow. You must make sure the surface is completely dry to the touch otherwise the solvent will cause the wet layers of painting to run all over the surface. The second is to use varnish. Retouch varnish, along with oiling out can be used during the intermediate stages of working on a painting to bring back the dull spots. Finishing varnish or non-retouch varnish is a final and usually permanent varnish that cannot be painted over or removed. And you must wait at least 6 months to a year before applying this type of varnish. If I have a painting long enough I like to both give it a final coat of oil and then varnish, though only one or the other will suffice.

If you have purchased an oil painting at a plein air event you may have noticed that is doesn’t look as colorful or glossy as when you first brought it home. This is most likely because the painting was still wet during the event, and the artist couldn’t add any oil or varnish to it due its wetness. If it has been less than 6 months and you can’t wait to restore those colors the best thing to do is purchase some retouch varnish along with a soft bristle brush from your local art supply store (Michaels and AC Moore will have these items) and in a well-ventilated area gently brush a light coat of varnish on the painting. If it has been more than 6 months you can use regular varnish. You can do both as long as you wait at least 6 months for the final varnish. If the paint is really thick you may want to wait a year. For artists I recommend Gamblin’s Gamvar for a final varnish as this varnish can be removed in case you ever need to alter something on the painting.

Some of you, both artists and collectors, may notice that after a short period of time your oil painting may get a flat, dull or even blotchy look. This usually happens during the drying process, which for oil paintings may take years to totally complete. The surface of an oil painting can vary in the amount of actual oil it contains. The areas with less oil tend to dry into a more flat looking surface. This is why it is always good advice to paint thick over thin, or fat over lean; meaning the top layer of paint should contain more oil than the lower layers, otherwise the lower layers will suck the oil out of the upper layers causing a dull look. Being an artist I can say this principle is not always easy to maintain, especially when painting en plein air.

Two methods can be used to being the color, depth and gloss back to an oil painting. The first is called oiling out. This is basically using a medium or half linseed or walnut oil, and half mineral spirits, and gently brushing it on the surface of the painting. You must make sure the surface is completely dry to the touch

Misty River in Yellowstone, oil on linen panel, 12"x16"

This painting was based on the field study I posted on July 4th, which was done in Yellowstone National Park. All I can say is that I love this painting because I loved being in the place it was based upon. It has been said that true art shouldn't need words to explain it; it should be able to explain itself. I hope that is what I achieved with this painting.
Misty River in Yellowstone, oil on linen panel, 12"x16"
$990.00. Contact Jason at luke_tako@yahoo.com to inquire about this piece.

Teal in Morning Mist, oil on linen, 18"x24"

This painting was inspired by a compositional idea I had after visiting the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, Wyoming this last June. If you like wildlife art at all, you cannot help being inspired by all the beautiful artwork that is in there. I wanted to show the solitude of a morning pond in early spring. Looking at a scene like this I can hear the other ducks quaking and splashing off in the distance, in the mist of their courtship rituals.
Teal in Morning Mist, oil on linen, 18"x24" $2,190.00
Contact Galleries West to purchase 307-733-4525

Morning Light-Crow Brothers II, oil on linen panel, 14"x11

This is the first painting I did this year during Plein Air Easton. It is probably the second most painted boat on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. The first, called Crow Brothers, was dismantled last year. I'm sure it won't be long before this boat, Crow Brothers II catches up with it's deceased older brother in being depicted on canvas. Both boats are icons of Tilghman Island on the Chesapeake Bay.

Morning Light-Crow Brothers II, oil on linen panel, 14"x11"

SOLD

Morning Egret, oil on linen panel, 9"x12"

I did this painting also at Plein Air Easton. It won the Vanishing Landscape Award at the competition and auctioned off for $2,500.00. Not bad for a 9"x12". I stood in a pond that connects with the Chesapeake Bay to get the view that I wanted, and to stay somewhat cool. The tide kept rising as I painted and I soon had to get out while I still could. The egret showed up just long enough for me to paint him in.
Morning Egret, oil on linen panel, 9"x12"
SOLD

Abandoned, oil on linen panal, 11"x14"

I just returned from a wonderful but very hot week of outdoor painting at Plein Air Easton. This painting won the Award for Best Architectural Painting in the competition. It was an old abandoned farmhouse right outside of Easton, Maryland. I was intrigued by the decorative front porch columns and the road leading up to the house. Not to mention the lives of the people that once lived in this house.
Abandoned, oil on linen panel, 11"x14"
SOLD

Finalist in Competition

My painting Tarnished Silver was a Finalist in the David A. Leffel Award for Excellence in Painting competition. This painting was selected along with 37 other Finalists. David Leffel is a world renown master artist who has preserved the method of painting in the tradition of the Old Masters, and is known for being very demanding in his appreciation of art. I'm very honored to have been selected for his competition.

In The Forest, oil on linen panel, 11"x14"

This spring I went into a wooded area and sketched and photographed some fallen trees. At one point I fell off a log into a deep stream and thought I had destroyed my new digital camera. But a week later I had a little Easter miracle when I turned the camera on after putting it in a Ziploc bag with some rice and it worked. If you ever drop something electronic in water don't turn it on, put it in a Ziploc bag with rice for about a week. The rice absorbs the moisture. I composed this scene from the reference material I gathered that day.
In the Forest
11"x14", Oil on linen panel
Contact Horton Hayes Fine Art to purchase 843-958-0014

Society of Animal Artists 51st Annual Show

My painting Courtship was juried into the Society of Animal Artists 51st Annual Show, which will be held in Traverse City, MI at the Dennos Museum Center! Every year this show hosts paintings by giants like Robert Bateman and Lars Jonsson, so I'm much honored to have been accepted into the show. 364 Submissions where made and the process included 9 judges and took 6 hours to complete. The show begins September 15th, 2011.

Red Dress in Spring-Study, oil on panel, 8"x6"

Here is another quick study I did. The same beautiful woman as before in her red dress walking through some apple trees in blossom.
Red Dress in Spring-study, oil on panel, 8"x6"
http://www.jasontako.com/

Picking Flowers-Study, oil on panel, 8"x6"

This is a little painting of a lovely lady picking spring flowers. After working on larger paintings that require a lot of preliminary work it's nice to do a small quick painting.

Picking Flowers, oil on panel, 8"x6"

Courtship, oil on linen, 18"x24"

My latest painting, a pair of Wood Ducks. After a long winter I wanted to paint something with a the feel of Spring. I used a small plein air painting I did of a murky shoreline for the background inspiration. The drake and hen are courting for now but after the eggs hatch the drake will take off with the other "bachelors" and leave the hen to raise the ducklings alone all Summer. I used a limited pallet of Ultramarine Blue, Cadmium Red, Cadmium Yellow and Titanium White, with just a few touches of Transparent Oxide Red for the deeper shadow tones. Courtship, oil on linen, 18"x24" Contact Jason for availability at luke_tako@yahoo.com Pass this on to a friend! http://www.jasontako.com/

York Daily Record Newspaper Article

The York Daily Record, the newspaper of York, Pennsylvania, did a nice article on my landscape artwork. Click on the title of the blog to see the online article. Also feel free to contact me about commissions. If you have a home or landscape, a certain wildlife painting, or even a family member you would like to have painted, I would love to create that painting for you. Pass this on to a friend. www.jasontako.com

Wood Duck Studio Study-2, oil on panel, 6"x8"

This is another compositional study I did for my larger studio painting. I moved the hen in front of the drake to explore another option.

Wood Duck Studio Study-2, oil on panel, 6"x8"

Pass this on to a friend!

Jason Tako

www.jasontako.com

Female Wood Duck Study, oil on panel, 6"x8"

This is a small study of a female Wood Duck that will be used for my next large studio painting. At first glance the hen looks like a drab brownish color, but on closer inspection she reveals beautiful greens, reds and blues which combine to create the brown color that keeps her hidden her while she incubates her eggs. Once again I used a limited palette of just Cadmium Yellow, Red and Ultramarine Blue with just a couple touches of Chromatic Black to get a deeper value in the shadow areas of the feathers. SOLD

Wood Ducks, oil on panel, 6"x8"

This is a small studio study (6"x8") of a pair of Wood Ducks that I did for a larger painting I plan to enter into a show. I do these small studies to work out problems before I dive into the final painting. My main concern here was with color and composition. I wasn't sure what color scheme to use (autumn, spring, fog) but I think I like the early spring feel this study shows. I already see some compositional things I want to change. I want to bring the ducks more toward the center and maybe make them a little larger. I'm also experimenting with the possibility of moving the hen in front of the drake, but I'm not so sure on this. If any of my artist friends out there have any suggestions send me an email-I'm all ears.
SOLD

The Slyder Farm, oil on linen, 18"x24"

This is the John Slyder Farm in Gettysburg National Park. It was based on the field study I posted a while back. This farm became a Confederate field hospital during the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863. This painting will be available at Lord Nelson's Gallery at History Meets the Arts this coming June.
The Slyder Farm, oil on linen, 18"x24"
SOLD

Early Evening, oil on linen, 15"x30"

This is the final studio version of the field study I had posted last week. I wanted to capture the quiet, peaceful beauty I experienced when painted the field study. One thing that I like about winter is the peacefulness you experience when outside. Everything is quiet and still. Winter has always had this effect on me. This is the feeling I wanted to portray in this painting.
Early Evening, oil on linen, 15"x30"
$2,290, framed -SOLD