The Light Fantastic...

John P. Osborne never fails to amaze audiences at his demonstrations by laying in a conception on a huge blank canvas without any reference material at all. Working from imagination and recollection, he produces the most convincing scenes, depicting accuracy of time of day and place and conveying a powerful sense of mood.

 John P. Osborne Demonstration. Photos: Imagery by Kate

A master landscape painter whose artistic roots hark back to the 19^th century French Barbizon School, Osborne is senior instructor at the Ridgewood Art Institute (RAI) in Ridgewood, New Jersey, where he teaches teens and adults and twice yearly gives standing room only painting demonstrations that attract artists from the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area and as far away as Maine and Virginia.


I recently interviewed my former teacher for a feature and step-by-step illustration of how to paint using a prismatic palette and understanding the principles of light.   Says Oborne: "The light is always prismatic, no matter what time of day. There is always just one light source, which must be taken into consideration whether painting outdoors or indoors in a north-lit studio. I strive to get the prism under control with the subtle atmospheric progression of colors and values." 


Here are a few key stills from  Osborne's instructional progression, which is highlighted in depth in The Artist's Magazine-June, 2012 issue.