Friday, May 22, 2009

What You Take Out

At mid black fly season wind is your friend.  Not too much wind when you are underdressed.  Here we are at 50 Acres in Mono where Theresa and Bob allow us to paint in and around their property.  It is a gorgeous place.  This is a predominately hard wood forest with some old stand trees still in place.  There are hills and valleys, streams and a few small clearings around the log  house.  Without the full leaf canopy the sun streams in and floods the forest floor - decayed leaves and brush all lit up.  Now, the forest is very thick, so the challenge is what to take out.


Out of the Wind, 10x12, Oil on board


Here we have a small valley with a pattern of shadows and abstract new growth greenery.  The dense verticals were very confusing at first.  First the cast was cut and the composition revealed.  Then the problem was "what colour is the light on the forest floor?"  After determining that by looking through a colour isolator and experimenting with a mixture on the palette the lay in took shape.  Finally I noticed that the real focus changed.  I left it there, managed a few edges, and packed up.

The painting was done with a #12 bristle flat and a palette knife.  The palette consisted of cobalt blue, viridian, cadmium yellow light, cadmium orange, and alizarin with gel medium.

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