Boston Harbor Watercolors

My favorite medium is oil, but that isn't to say I don't work with other media.   The most important elements of a successful painting are media independent, and relate to composition and all of its components, especially value (lights and darks correctly representing the subject).

The truth is when switching to something different, three things happen. 
1) A Break from routine  Different media have characteristics and techniques (constraints even) that are inherent in their use.  Altering the usual routine and shaking up the thought process is important and I think makes me paint more deliberately.  For example, I usually work darks to lights in oil, like most painters.   In watercolor, I work light to dark and in doing so experience a period of retraining my brain to think that way.

2) Applicability   Taking a turn with watercolor, pastel or charcoal can spawn new thoughts of their methods' applicability to oil.  For example, can a thin wash of oil color be used to get an effect in a similar manner as would be used in watercolor?   Should I measure a bit more specifically in a particular area of this oil painting as I would if I was rendering in charcoal?



Boston World Trade Center

3) Appreciation and validation Returning to the best loved media after a stretch of alternatives is a pleasant reminder of why it (for me - oil) is so satisfying!

The verbose editorial above might lead you to believe a substantial work is appended for reinforcement, but no,  only the two humble watercolors below, each a mere 4x6 inches.   I painted these back in the summer while on vacation, since watercolor is my preferred medium for travel (it's clean and portable).    I used photos from a prior visit and  detailed pencil drawings preceeded the actual painting as you would assume.  



Boston Harbor Wharf

The vantage point for both of these is almost the same, from Northern Ave near the Institute of Contemporary Art.  Boston's World Trade Center is the daylight painting and the Boston Harbor Hotel and surroundings is the nighttime painting.

If you have never done Boston's Harborwalk, you may want to think about it for your next Boston painting adventure and why not try doing it in another medium?!