Blanketed Snowy Path

Blanket on the Purplish Path - Stage One

It's been snowing just about every day for a month.   Take today for example.   It started out sunny this morning and then, all of a sudden - or so it seemed - it was as if another blizzard had hit.  The whiteout eventually gave way to more sun, and even though I'm sick of the hassle of getting around, I have to admit, it was absolutely beautiful.   Everything got coated again with clean white snow accenting the cobalt blue shadows.   Transparent areas of snow can look green, yellow, lavender, pink and teal, not to mention the sparkle of sunlit snow.  So pretty!

Blanket on the Purplish Path

So capturing the layers and layers of snowpack from multiple storms was the goal for this snowscape.  Subtle washed-out background values sat back, while the crisp maximum contrast evergreens came forward, as well as the wet, shaded tree bark.   The light/dark pattern created an abstract pattern that I liked and I thought it looked sufficiently balanced.   Although the painting composition was an imaginary location, the very real snowy ripples were from life - out the window.    This painting would make a nice addition to a contemporary realist collection.

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Snowy Farm - West Bridgewater

Snowy Farm

Along River Street in West Bridgewater, MA there are lots of old dairy farms, many of which are still actively operating.   We were walking through the area because it was a portion of the Bay Circuit Trail.   (We are attempting to walk the entire 200 mile trail - ongoing for 12 years now and counting).   I loved this section of the trail for its old fashioned, Americana feel.   I was snapping photos in every direction.  A rambling farm complex complete with red oxide stained exteriors is the subject for this painting.  With my world currently covered with snow, my live snow reference (everywhere I look) made applying a thick coating for this farm a matter of color matching out the window.                    BUY NOW


High Winter Surf

High Winter Surf

Today it snowed all day even though we were "between storms."   In fact, it has been snowing everyday lately, even on the days when the weather people tell us there is no storm, just "ocean effect" snow!   The ocean surf had been high because of the large storm that had passed; it can take days for the water to calm down again.

So on this day, the sky was bluish gray while the overall ocean color was green-gray.    White foam was floating between breakers and all the swirling and churning looked challenging when I thought about painting it.   I knew the application of the paint would have to mimic the intensity of the ocean energy.

I grabbed my palette knife and pre-mixed the colors I saw in moderate quantity.  I scooped up the green gray paint first and smeared it on the majority of the surface.   I used my palette knife to actively work the waves starting with the horizon line and working my way down to the shore.   Okay, and I did it quickly...I believe that rushing helped the feel.

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Snowy Marsh Scene From Studio

Snowy Marsh from Upper Deck

This painting is from life, and I'm calling it "plein air" because it was a mere double pane slider that separated me from it.   I could have stepped out onto the deck, which has a couple of feet of snow, but I'm weather weary.  I could'a' (shoulda, woulda) suffered more for it, but I didn't!


I haven't painted the marsh as much as I probably should, but this is the spectacular view from the studio.  With the amount of snow we have had and the astronomically low tides recently,  the saltmarsh has become a continuous blanket of white.   The bordering houses and trees made a strong composition that turned out to be striking because of it's simplicity.

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In Good Hands

In Good Hands

I loved this family photograph from Christmas so I decided to paint it.   It was a candid shot of my Grand-nephew being held by his Dad while they opened his Christmas gift bag.   Baby was more interested in watching all the activity in the room while chomping on his chubby little fist.    He is so cute and I am not just saying it!  

Sometimes a painting flows and this was one of them.   Although it was done from a photograph instead of "from life"  the structural likenesses were important.   I tried to approach the sketch in exactly the same way as I would if I had the figures physically present.    I think I got off to a good start by establishing a strong geometric rendering which yielded the correct perspectives.

If you like the painting, you can help my "like" count by clicking this link.

To see a video of intermittent stages of this painting's development, you can go to the blog directly and click on the video link.  It's less than five minutes long.

You can also watch via YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_AP_3k1_o4

Skating on the Frog Pond Boston Common

Skating on the Frog Pond Boston Common - Stage One

Boston is a lively metropolis, even when the temperatures are frigid.    During the Christmas break we enjoyed an overnight stay downtown.  Among the many fun things we did was attending an exciting Bruins win, munching on 50 cent oysters on Broad Street, and walking to the Boston Guild of Artists on Newbury Street.  
 


Skating on the Frog Pond Boston Common - Stage Two

As we walked through the Boston Common we took lots of pictures.  The frozen Frog Pond was loaded with skaters so we stopped and watched for a while.  The low angle of the sun created a bright glare off the ice with figures and their shadows skating in perfect unison (haha).  The Prudential Building and the Taj Hotel tower are seen in the background comprising a scene that would make a classic Boston postcard.

This painting was done from a photograph, not the ideal way to capture an outdoor scene.   I didn't have my paints on the trip, but what I did use for the sky and tree line colors reference were some recent outdoor December landscapes.  They were much redder than the photograph.

The colors and values of the pyramid shaped roofs of the skating complex made for a careful exercise in relationships.  I'd call the local color aqua, but there were shifts in value and color based on the sun, sky and reflection.  Imagine that they were numbered 1 through 5, from left to right, and here is what I noted about each of these "planes" which in turn helped make decisions about how to modify the basic aqua color.

1) most sunlit - added naples yellow,
2) plane more influenced by sky (ie more blue) and less by sun, slightly darker value, some reflected light by sunlit #3,
3) some sunlight but steeper slope than #1 results in similar color but darker value,

Skating on the Frog Pond

4) least influence by sun, steepest slope results in darkest value of roof planes
5) sky influence, same slope as #2 but no sunlit reflection from other roof plane.

This probably seems tedious, but it really wasn't when tackled one roof plane at a time.  

I am open for critiques .... then I will I add this one to the shop.  

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Wonderful Part of Winter

Snowy Marsh View

I love painting snow and with the record amount of snow on the ground, there are no worries about it melting away any time soon.    Oddly, even the salt marsh is totally snow and ice covered.  Ordinarily the ocean tides fill up the marsh, melting the snow and ice, leaving the dull brown marsh grasses.    I felt compelled to get out there and record the gorgeous purple-blue snow shadows.    The dense, dark cedars bordering the marsh provided a nice contrast to the bright white snow. 



Bright Snow Paint Pile with Swirls of Confetti Color

I worked everything except the brightest whites.  Once the darks and mid-tones are recorded accurately, the final strokes of the white could be spread on thickly and in such a way that they overlapped the darker values - layered on top - just like snow.

I was enjoying the sparkling refraction of the bright snow and there was a whole spectrum of color specks flashing at me.  As white as snow may look, it isn't titanium white out of the tube; it has color too.  I made a generous pile of titanium and added a touch of several light value hues, pink, yellow, teal, blue etc.  It reminded me of confetti, so that's what I made the paint pile look like.





Snowy Marsh View

This painting has a fresh, vivid feel that sometimes -happily- happens with plein air.

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The Shallop

The Shallop

The Plymouth Harbor waterfront is a fine plein air location for many reasons including the endless variety of subjects, pleasant bay breezes, prime parking and lots of foot traffic.   I started this painting back in September en plein air but I recall this being my second painting that day and I had run out of time.   I was happy to have captured the sky, water and the shape of the boats before packing up.   Every pastel shade of grey seemed to have been bouncing around that day.  

Being somewhat snowbound this week, I got back to the painting using a photograph.  I'm happy to work on this scene because who knows when the Mayflower II will be back on the waterfront.   It was put into dry dock for repairs this past fall.

Although the Mayflower is the famous element, it is the "shallop" that is the painting's center of interest.  In the 1600s, the word “shallop” referred to an open wooden workboat such as a barge, dory, or rowboat. Shallops were small enough to row but also had one or two sails.   This shallop looked like it was about 30 feet long and 8 feet wide and was used to shuttle passengers to shore.   The shallop actually sat aboard the Mayflower en route and was even used as sleeping space for some passengers. 

My favorite part of the scene was the colorful ripples reflecting the colors of the shallop, the pilings and the pastel sky.   I've included a close up of the ripples to the left.  I'm wondering if the shallop accompanied the Mayflower to dry dock for repairs or if it will be on display in the Spring.


Ripples with All the Colors