Fullmoon

Earlier in the month, the full moon was extra luminous because of its proximity to the earth, a "supermoon."   At the shore, all full moons are amazing, as they rise over the horizon, especially if the timing has it rising after dark.     The reflections on the water are brilliant and the cool bluish light bounces around effectively lighting the entire beach.  



Full Moon Fishing Trip

I had been wanting to try a moonlight painting, but could a moonscape actually be done en plein air?  I suppose, but before I tried painting in the dark, I began with a photograph.  I used a blue underpainting, purposely using a somewhat lighter blue than what may constitute a nighttime blue.   For the featured element - the moon - I coated a penny with a light value of titanium white and ochre and placed it paint-side-down on my canvas.   I carefully pried the penny up off the canvas leaving a small, clean, but scumbled, impression of the full moon.   I then used the same moon color to brush on the horizon line reflecting the moonlight. 

Finally I added a red fishing boat that was slowly heading out from the channel leaving a few ripples in its wake.  The boat needed little detail because the gear was mostly in shadow and darkness, and the red I mixed was hardly red at all because of the dark.