Snowy Stone Wall

Snowy Stone Wall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just before leaving for a warmer place, I painted this scene from a photo I took.    To me, the prettiest winter scenes happen right when the snow stops and the sun is starting to emerge.  That was the case here.  It was clean and bright with maximum snow and shadow contrast.   

Just Some Trees

Winter Trees from Deck

 

 

A warm day in February is much appreciated.   The snow that was still covering most surfaces had melted off the sunny back deck.   I grabbed my gear and conveniently stepped outside - easy version of plein air - no pack up!  

I decided to practice my tree structures with this loose and easy snowscape painting.   The oaks don't always drop all their leaves and they remain on the branches in orangy clusters.   In this case they offer a nice compliment for the blue snow shadows.

Frozen Feeder Spring

Frozen Feeder Stream

It occurred to me that one of the main reasons I like to paint sunny snow scenes is that it fulfills my desire to span the entire value spectrum (where value = lightness to darkness).  Whereas a foggy scene would have no super darks or super lights because everything is muted, a bright sunny day in the sun is another story,     Like in last week's Wilton Winter Mill, the darkest darks in the water occur because of winter's low sun angle, yet the snow can be brilliantly light because it is translucent.  

Of course the other reason I like to paint snow is that - usually - that is our reality for at least three months of the year.  Why not embrace it?!

Today's painting is a similar color palette, and has that same wide value range from darkest to lightest.   This painting is my favorite so far this season and was done on an aluminum panel.   On the painting's surface, the metal shows through and where it does, it looks a bit shimmery.  I also scraped off paint with the tip of my palette knife revealing aluminum to represent dry grasses.   

This is a New Hampshire scene along the edge of a pond where a little brook traveled under a footbridge.   Over to my left, there were people ice fishing and even a few vehicles sitting on the ice. Yikes, but this end looked melty and so picturesque!

Wilton Winter Mill

Winter Mill

This 7.5x7.5 inch painting captures a mid-February scene from last year's trip to New Hampshire.   The Souhegan River winds its way around the mill and on downstream.  It's mostly frozen but the water that is showing is a dark, rich, full chroma blue.  The icy edges are a muted chromium green.  I like that chatter of the underbrush on the bottom left balances the warm brick of this massive old mill.Although it looks frigid, I remember enjoying the "mild" temps while taking photos of the scene and the waterfalls (not shown).  

Plein Air Hancock, NH

It took just under two hours to get to Hancock, NH for our February painting getaway. My husband and I were each able to get two paintings done in the three days.  The conditions were rough the first day as it was cloudy, freezing cold - and windy.  Additionally, I was standing in snow.   I was quickly chilled to the bone.  It did make me paint faster than usual, although the paint was quite sluggish.   Hahaha...it was great!   I sought hot tea immediately once we got to the Inn and happily let their elderly Golden Retriever rest his warm head in my lap.

Snowy Gate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By contrast, the next day was glorious. The full sunshine gave a brilliant glow to everything in sight. The black and white world from the previous day was now full of lively color, blue sky, yellow inn, red barn, and golden, sunlit pile of firewood.  I never did clean off my palette from the first day, so its no wonder that the snow colors look very similar.   The photo belies the bright color in the actual painting, especially the red, and now I'm thinking I should make things brighter still.  Paintings that reside in the studio are never really done!

Barn Out Back

 

 

 

Trailhead - White Mountains

Old Version

This is a painting that I did a couple of years ago on site in New Hampshire.   I came across it since I needed a snowscape for an upcoming show.   With fresh eyes, I instantly saw what wasn't quite right with the painting - probably why it was relegated to "the stack."  It is now reworked and I think that the overall result is better.

Can you identify what I saw in the old painting that I didn't like?

Trailhead - White Mountains

If you said, blockers, you agree with me.  The beautiful distant mountains are the starring feature in this region of New Hampshire.   Although I included them in the painting, there was not just one, but two barriers between the viewer and those lovely mountains. Specifically, the row of shrubs and the sharp beginning of the foreground woods were dark parallel lines across the entire width.   The viewer's eye couldn't flow to the distance, and it was both a psychological block and a physical block.  I had painted the scene literally, so literally that the painting composition suffered.

To fix it, I added a path to a trail into the woods, chopped down the little evergreen to the left of center and added a trailhead marker   These features were borrowed from the trailhead entrance just a short distance away.  We can walk into the scene now - the artistic license everyone talks about!

Sunset Along Snowy Boulevard

Sunset Along Snowy Boulevard

This painting is a repeat, although I'd like to think it is better than the first one.   Winter sunsets are so pretty especially when there is a break in the cloud cover at the horizon.   The pink and purple are prevalent because of the lack of yellow light in winter.   People familiar with Day Boulevard in South Boston should recognize the beach, bathhouse and tree lined walkways.

Beach Shelter in Winter

Beach Shelter in Winter - In Progress

This is the view from my childhood home, done from a photo taken by my niece just last week during a snowstorm.   Thank you Stefanie!  The shelters today look no different than they did fifty years ago, and I'm thinking that anyone who walks, runs or rides along Day Boulevard should recognize the shape of the roofline over the benches.  During the summer, they provide nice shade and during the winter, they provide material for a nice painting.

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Beach Shelter in Winter

Light and Shadow Winter Scene

Light and Shadow Winter Scene - Stage One

It was nice to be out in the fresh air, which, by the way was fairly mild for early January. Shadows in winter are long and can offer dramatic contrast in landscapes.   The sun was so low in this scene, despite it being midday, that the trees to the left (south) of me had shadows twice their height.  The bright strip behind the trees is Coast Guard Hill in Marshfield, MA, a popular sledding area.    The only hint of sledding on this school day however, was a couple of broken plastic saucers and hay bails at the base of the some cedars at the bottom.

Makeshift Palette Knife

Before the last cold snap, I cleared out my painting supplies from my painting vehicle.   I didn't want my gear to be exposed to sub-zero temperatures, but alas, I forgot I had done that.  I arrived at this location and discovered I didn't have mineral spirits or a palette knife.   Luckily my Gamblin's gel medium could substitute for the spirits.  In the past, I have used a credit card as a palette knife - not smart though, as the paint tends to clog the numbers.   A business card made a better palette knife substitute.  See photo.



There was a surprising amount of warm orange in the woods on the far side of the sledding hill. The warm color made the gray-blue snow look very pretty.  Nature was showing off and my job was to match the colors.   White snow is anything but white when painting it.  Shadows were blue, lavender and gray; sunlit snow was the palest notes of yellow, pink and green.

Light and Shadow Winter Scene

Additional saplings, branches and vines were carved into the snow, then the darkest darks were restated.   The shadows of the stone wall really set off the snowy blues.

Spring Bog after Snow

Spring Bog after Snow - Stage One

Spring Bog after Snow - Stage Two

This winter we've had less than average amounts of snow (thus far), so yesterday's spring storm provided some clean white trim to the landscape.   At the cranberry bogs, the deep crimson winter color looked stunning against the bright white and blue snow.  



Spring Bog after Snow - Final

I had a new revelation about painting in the cold.  I have decided that I paint more efficiently if it is cold and windy.   Perhaps I don't stop and watch my surroundings as much if the temperature and wind are harsh.   This painting was 90 percent complete at the 90 minute mark.   The colors were thick and vivid, if only I can leave them alone once it is ready for a frame!

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Here's a 360 degree view of where I was painting.
https://youtu.be/k5RnpOz6pWY


View from Bear Mountain Lodge

View from Bear Mountain Lodge - Stage One

We packed up our gear for hiking and painting and headed north into New Hampshire for a mid-January getaway.   There has been relatively little snow so far this season in New England, but as we reached the White Mountains it got a little whiter.   By the time we reached our destination in Bethlehem, NH, north of the notch, it had the look of winter.



View from Bear Mountain Lodge - Stage Two

The back deck of our lodging at Bear Mountain Lodge faced northeast with a spectacular view of the White Mountains.    When the skies were clear, Mount Washington was the furthest visible peak and its snowcap was lit up brightly when the sun was on it.  

The decision of what to paint first was inevitable and I never did get to a second painting.      I had brought a 12x24" canvas board which worked out well for a wide, sweeping landscape view such as this. 

For most of the painting session it was cloudy and grey.  Since I wanted to depict a sunlit scene, I had to switch gears whenever the sun peaked out - observing and mixing in more yellow color and blue shadows.  (The variation from minute to minute is always the challenge of plein air!)    For most of the painting session, Mount Washington was not even visible, but I was determined to include it and had to act quickly when it made an appearance.  (See white peaks behind birches on the left.)



View from Bear Mountain Lodge - Final (Maybe)

 I'll be letting the super thick impasto cure for a while before I decide if any additional changes are needed.   I know the color is the way I want it, but compositionally, I may insert another rock or two in the foreground.

First Snow of the Season

First Snow of the Season

This week an arctic blast finally pushed into New England.  The frigid temperatures, "warm" ocean water and wind whipping from the north resulted in several hours of "ocean effect" snow. Similar to summer fog, the ocean moisture blanketed the shore with swirling flakes while just a ten minute drive inland it was a bright, sunny sky.   This constituted the first measurable snow for the season - which got me thinking "snowscape."   I set up at the Daniel Webster Audubon in Green Harbor, planning to paint snow.   Most of the snow was in the shadowy areas, although the terrain sloping away from the sun was also snowy and sufficiently illuminated. Many areas had already melted or evaporated, but that was fine; just enough snow!

I painted this same scene a year ago without snow so it may look familiar.     As a wildlife refuge, it is pristine as can be, and as such there is always hope of seeing deer, fox, and hawks.   The most action I saw today was in the air, a red helicopter practicing landing and takeoffs.      

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Check out the scene in the following video (4:30 sec).    

https://youtu.be/95yx1hzkPwI

Snowy House Across the Marsh

Snowy House Across the Marsh
(Black, White and Torrit Grey)

Each year the Gamblin Oil Colors Company runs a contest in which participants are challenged to create a work of art using only black, white and a custom color made by Gamblin called "Torrit Grey".     And each year, the entries that painters come up with (using just values without color) just amaze me.  Perhaps it is the very nature of being constrained that gets the creative juices flowing.  I'm not talking about me, but check out this link for last year's entries.

 http://www.gamblincolors.com/contest-2014/gallery.php

This will be my third time participating.  I've been busy preparing for a winter snow show, which got me thinking about the limited palette of winter - almost like a Torrit Grey.   Thus I used an old winter reference photo to paint the Snowy House Across the Marsh in Torrit Grey.

Fresh New Snow

Last Snowscape of Winter

Out the window is a great way to paint from life without the struggle of facing the cold, wind and blowing snow.   It's been a long cold winter and we still are experiencing single digit temperatures even though we are in March!

The icebergs on the saltmarsh float up during high tide, then as the water drains they become stacked, toppling over each other.  With a coating of fresh new snow blanketing all of that, the paint matching for today was clean, white snow, periwinkle blue shadows and chunky, muddy frozen marsh.  As the winter has worn on, I find myself scooping up thicker and thicker amounts of snow paint thicker, as if it can help depict the depth and density the snowpack of 2015!

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Stream Down by the Barn

Stream by the Barn Underpainting

Another snowscape!?   But see?  There is melting going on here ... a sign of inevitable Spring. :)

The barn in this painting is located in Lee, MA next to the Devonfield Inn.   I was picturing how the barn may have looked when it was originally built.   It was probably red oxide (the cheapest and most available paint back then), certainly not white.    The mid-winter setting and frozen stream probably didn't look much different though - pristine!

The modernized barn was white so that was the way I painted it.  The strong dark shadow from the eaves was perfectly parallel with the roof line - all was well with the world.   I loved that there was a stark contrast of values in the scene.    Whether viewed sideways or up-side-down, the abstract value pattern worked - independent of the subject.



Stream by the Barn

The stream in the foreground was done with a very dark combination of transparent darks: alizarin, ultramarine, transparent oxide brown, viridian and purple.  I didn't mix them thoroughly, but rather scraped up a bit of each onto my palette knife and spread it horizontally, which resulted in a dark area where the various colors can still be distinguished.   If I had mixed all those darks, it would have resulted in a nice dark blackish color which would have been okay.  A better result came from minimal mixing of the colors, adding another dimension to the darkest dark.

Let the melting begin!



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


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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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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After the Blizzard

It was two days after the Blizzard of 2015 and although it had been freezing for days, the sun was finally shining brightly - enough to warm things up into the thirties.  The roads were still messy so I drove a short distance to Our Lady of the Assumption Church.   The issue wasn't finding snow; it was everywhere.  The goal was to find a place to pull in, given all the snowbanks.   The church parking lot had been plowed and there were even sidewalk areas that were dry.   I set up looking southeast toward a kettle pond that sat at the back of the church property.   

After the Blizzard - Stage One -Underpainting



After the Blizzard - Stage Two - Line Sketch




After the Blizzard - Stage Three - Snow Darks

My 9x12 inch board was toned with a grey-green underpainting.  I sketched the lines of the scene with transparent oxide brown and cobalt blue.    I mixed three values for the snow.   The shadiest snow was raw umber, cobalt blue and radiant violet.   The middle value looked bluer so I used the same combination as the darkest snow but added some extra cobalt and a very small amount of sap green.   The branch shadows on the snow were the darkest snow value closest to the tree, then as the shadow moved away from the trunk, it's darkness diffused to the middle value as it stretched out over the snow pack.



After the Blizzard - Stage Four - Snow Lights

The brightest whites were the most fun... titanium white with some streaks of naples yellow, radiant magenta and they were buttered on with the palette knife in a thick impasto.





Despite the lack of much color variation in this snowscape, I like the strong value contrasts.   Yes, plein air painting yields the freshest results!








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After the Blizzard