Thursday 26 April 2018

Adjustment Time

I sprained my knee about six weeks ago and not only is it slowing me down it limits how long I can comfortably stand at my easel.
A painting of the view from the Crack in Killarney Provincial Park
I spent some more time working on my colour study for the commission.  I am getting really excited about this now.  I am happier with both the rocks and the clouds.  Now that the clouds are showing better depth I may fiddle with the mid ground a bit.

If I get this one perfect what will happen when I start the larger finished version?  No pressure!

Tuesday 17 April 2018

Now Colour

Last post I introduced my latest commission and posted images of my value sketches. I am reposting the value sketch here. This scene is all about depth and to properly represent the huge expanse stretching to Georgian Bay I need to get the values, colours and shape sizes correct.

I have now done a colour study.  This is 9" X 12" and the desired finished painting will be 12" X 16"  The purpose of this study is to play with shapes and colours keeping in mind the values from the previous study. I need to lighten the foreground rocks to make them believable, lighten the dark midground trees on the right to push them back and the far distant landscape is possibly too light and maybe just little too blue but I can't make that call until I make the other changes.


 I am starting to think that I can make this composition work. 

Sunday 15 April 2018

I Love Commissions


I am working on a commission for a dear friend and paddle partner. I have narrowed it down to two scenes from last Octobers canoe trip.  I started with these value studies and would like to thank my very talented nephew Jamie Christie for getting me thinking about using Prismacolor markers. These were fun to do and I will do more preliminary sketches with then in the future.  I might even buy some coloured markers.












The top left image is one of Bob's photos and top right is my sketch done on location.  AY Jackson painted the same scene from almost the same location but that is a story for another time.  I painted the sketch while sitting on campsite 30 on OSA Lake and I suspect that Bob took his photograph from the same place.  The bottom image is my value study for a painting.



This second option is the one that Bob wants me to do. Bob took the photo from the top of The Crack in Killarney Provincial Park.  It is a long tough climb for a couple of old guys but oh what a vista.  It is an incredibly high La Cloche peak with a relatively flat plain below it stretching to Georgian Bay.  It will be tough to show that perspective but well worth a try.





The final image is our paddling crew on "The Crack" looking back towards OSA Lake and more La Cloche mountains.  This great bunch of guys drag me along with them and all I have to do is paddle and paint.  An outdoor artists dream deal.