Painting at Plymouth Rock

I set out early on a perfect July day with a specific destination in mind, Plymouth, Massachusetts.     It was either luck or the early hour, but I secured the closest parking spot to the historic Plymouth Rock, and it was free. It was a sign of a good painting day to come.

I didn't actually paint Plymouth Rock or its enclosure, but rather chose a scene just beyond it. 

I commenced with a line drawing of the scene, with a plan to make the Mayflower II my center of interest.    The skies were pale morning blue with an orangy glow on the horizon.   The distant strips of land both on the right and the left almost pointed to the ship.   The Plymouth Harbor jetty also crossed behind the ship.   There were many boats, large and small in the harbor and one decision was which to include and which to leave out.    When I return to this painting, I want to include a few more distant boats with hints of white reflections.

Just as I was about to start on the Mayflower, the sun emerged and it absolutely lit up the side of the ship facing me.   The timing could not have been better so even thought the ship may look a little bright, I swear it was glowing in real life too. I used Naples Yellow and Cadmium Red Light to get enough warmth.  The elaborate roping is important to the ship's era and I will add it once the canvas is dry.  I find it difficult to paint a steady and accurate fine line outside, so I always wait to do that in the studio.


There have been plenty of days in which painting outside was a struggle. The problem might be the temperatures, precipitation, constant light changes, tides, interruptions and of course the biggest one, my mistakes.  This was a day with none of those, thankfully.   This is a great painting spot and I hope to return soon.