Full Moon Over Zakim Bridge

Full Moon Over Zakim Bridge

It was zero degrees and we were walking (half running actually) to the TD Garden for a New Year's Eve Basketball game.   Despite the biting cold and winds, the spectacular scene of the moon splitting the space between the Zakim Bridge and the TD Garden called for a picture.   I was so glad we stopped to snap it, as it turned out to be a great photo reference for this painting.  There were no people because we were the only crazy ones walking in the brutal temperatures.  The long horizontal aspect was perfect for the 12x24 inch canvas.  The city lights and neon signs were bright and colorful.   Even the North Station trains and the turquoise supports were visible beyond the city snowbanks.  This is going to be a good over the sofa addition for a Boston sports fan I think!

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Boston Waterfront Nocturne

Boston Waterfront Nocturne

The Boston Harbor Waterfront has become a world class attraction over the years.  The extensive Boston Harborwalk weaves in and out of each wharf and is just magical on a warm summer evening, especially if you enjoy the person/people you are with!

This scene depicts Rowes Wharf on just such a night.   The Boston Harbor Hotel and the Custom House were brightly illuminated and the colorful dock lights sillouhetted the luxury boats and yachts.   The watery reflections contrasted beautifully against the inky black water.    This iconic Boston scene would trigger wonderful memories for anyone who has seen it, and especially I think, from this angle
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Boston Harbor Hotel Pavilion

The Boston Harbor Hotel's motto is "Beyond Compare," and at the risk of this post sounding like a Trip Advisor review, I agree wholeheartedly.   We have stayed at this amazing hotel a couple of times when celebrating very special occasions.    It is luxurious at every turn on the inside and its location and views of the harbor are breathtaking.  During the day the wide expanse of Boston Harbor is visible - Boston Harbor Islands, Logan Airport, Ferries, Schooners, Tall Ships, tugboats, the World Trade Center, and the Federal Courthouse.  

The idea of capturing all of this bustle in one huge epic painting is enticing.  An ambitious undertaking for certain - when and if it happens.   In the meantime I worked on this more manageable nocturne.   It depicts a lovely nighttime scene of the Boston Harbor Hotel Pavilion.   It was probably close to midnight on a warm summer evening and the earlier crowds and walkers had dwindled down to a handful of strollers and smokers.  

Pavilion - Boston Harbor Hotel

The picturesque Boston Harbor Hotel Pavilion sits atop pilings at Rowe's Wharf surrounded by water except for the wide brick path access.  Fancy luxury boats, yachts and water taxis were docked alongside the wharf, their colorful accent lights illuminating the dark water with shades of blue, green and yellow.  It is a memorable scene, especially the top-down angle which spread out the light and color enabling an elevated viewpoint down into the boats and pavillion.

This is almost done, but I am still contemplating adjusting the streetlights (because they were casting artificial light).

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.


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?!