Cirrus Clouds

Cirrus Cloud Study

5"x7" oil on linen panel
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Value Study for Cirrus Clouds

5"x7" oil on linen panel

In the second lesson in the Painted Sky class with Deborah Paris, we are observing and painting clouds. Most of my observations for the workshop are clouds over water or over the shore at the water's edge. I started with the cirrus, which are usually easy to find in the summer on the Maine coast. We begin with a value study using a mid tone paper, charcoal and white-ish pastel, followed by the painting using the value study as a reference. Note the color gradation in the painting, not visible in the value study.

Cozy Harbor Inlet Vlaue Underpainting

Cozy Harbor Inlet Value Underpainting

11"x14" oil on linen panel

While the Plein Air Painters of the Southeast were visiting Maine a couple of weeks ago, I learned about a beautiful spot on Southport Island where I hadn't painted before. I went back today and did a value underpainting, which hopefully I can complete tomorrow.

Green Island Studies

Green Island, burnt sienna block in

8"x10" oil on canvas panel

Green Island, block in on yellow underpainting

6"x8" oil on canvas panel

In Anne Blair Brown's class last week our first exercise was a plein air burnt sienna block in, which Anne adjusted for each student. On mine she added the dark sideways "V" in the left foreground to balance the island in the upper right. Yesterday I did a quick block in of the same subject over yellow, thinking that would work nicely with the fog that had been descending since morning, but I'd hardly gotten started when the fog completely obscured the island!

Tree Study Process

Tree Study

8"x10" oil on canvas panel

NFS

Tree Study: shapes within shapes

Tree Study - color block in

Tree Study: values

Today I worked on a tree study using the method we learned last week from Anne Blair Brown. I am missing the initial step in these posts, which is a set of four small value studies in my sketchbook in pen or marker. I did them, but just keep forgetting to take a photo.

I got a question on yesterday's post on this approach, which was "how do you keep from picking up the underlying burnt sienna?" There are several factors involved: using enough paint, lightness of touch in going over the value study, and consistency of the paint. Initially I thought it was all about the consistency of the second layer, but I now think that the first two are more important. Anne had us mix pools of paint for the color block in, with an emphasis on making big pools. Try this: Paint a stripe of dark burnt sienna (add a little ultramarine blue to darken it), and then with a good bit of paint and a light touch, paint a stripe over it of another color. Try medium or gamsol to vary the consistency of the upper layer, and I think you'll find a way to make this work.

Nagog Pond #1

  Nagog Pond #1, River in the Ice

5"x7" oil on Fredrix canvas panel

Nagog Pond #1 drawing

 

Nagog Pond Value Sketch, late afternoon

8"x10" oil on Raymar panel

It seems like this is the winter of experimentation, here in bitterly cold New England. First there were lemons, and then bigger paintings. I'd also like to do some variations on a landscape composition, looking at color. At first, I wasn't sure if this view of Nagog Pond would work, but the more time I spent there, the more sunsets I saw, and as the ice came and went, and came back, I found a lot to inspire me. So here goes, Nagog Pond #0 (a value study from late October), and variation #1, thinking of evening, and rivers in the ice. I used a limited palette of yellow ochre, alizarin crimson, black, and white.

"Westford Road"

"Westford Road"
6"x6" oil on canvas panel

From the top drawing in the November 3rd, "Best Two of Three" post, in this fall scene the near trees have not yet turned, but there is a blaze of color in the background. And too soon, it is over again and the branches are bare. Only 5 more weeks until the days start getting longer again!

"Backdoor to Seal Bay II" another value study

This is a second value study of Backdoor to Seal Bay. The first one was damaged, so I challenged myself to do another. I wasn't trying to make a copy, since I know for me that only leads to a simplified and less lively version of the first effort, but to paint something that was equally pleasing compositionally and still used only four values. However, there was a difference in the gouache I used. Can anyone guess what it was?

I will be figuring out who won the August painting giveaway shortly. There are a couple of people who have made comments on the blog but have no email address on their profiles. If you are one of these nice commenters, please send me your email address ASAP!