Palm 1

Palm 1 

Line and Watercolor Wash

This view of a palm on the beach dunes with sea oats is the foundation for an expression of the feeling of chill and the smell of the salt air on a windy, overcast day.  The pen with it's fine line gives me the details I need while the watercolor wash leads to the abstraction that gives the painting life.

Circumstances have kept me from my studio and from pastels.  In the interim, I have been painting with ink and watercolor washes.  

Marsh Willow - sketches

Watercolor and ink sketches - 12x5 cm

I have long been interested in this particular willow that grows on the edge of the marsh.  It is weathered and broken by storms, but its new branches are vigorous and strong.  The marsh and meadow behind it stand in contrast to the oaks and pines that surround it.

I used watercolor and ink to try various views of the marsh and willow.  By using watercolor, I can unify the palette with a single color and build from that, experimenting with various color combinations and values more easily.  I plan to do a larger work, so the light and color balance is important, and I can do try that out quickly in these small sketches.  For composition, I added some cattle which create perspective with their size and color.

Autumn Dunes

Pastel, 12x18 on UArt

In the autumn, the muhly grass seems to blaze with pink fire between the dunes and the sea oats are taking on their winter tones of burnished bronze.  The late sun paints the path to the beach with light and brushes the tops of the grass with touches of flame.

Dunes and Muhly Grass

First View - 6x6

Second View - 6x9

Third View - 6x9

Fourth View - 6x8

Dunes at St. Augustine Beach, October - reference photo

4 Pastels from one photo - various sizes.

These small paintings were the result of a personal project. I set myself the task to draw different compositions from one photo taking the liberty to add or subtract elements and color to support the composition.
The original photo is one of several taken the same day at St. Augustine Beach.  They were taken in October and the muhly grass was ablaze with color.  This particular view did not include the broad swathes of pink grass, so I took the liberty to add it in my own sketches for color and drama.
The results speak for themselves.  There are innumerable paintings in almost any photo if we take the time to dig them out and let our imagination run loose.

Conversation

Pastel on UArt - 16x12

I started this painting as an inspiration from a painting by John Alfred Arnesby Brown - "The Dutch Windmill," but I wanted my own interpretation of clouds and a broad, flat landscape.  I also wanted to explore the problem of a composition with two, relatively equal areas of interest.  In this case, I wanted the clouds to be prominent, but I also wanted the trees in the sunlight to hold a special place. As a resolution, I used the light to create a "conversation" between the two.

Sun Showers - Process

"Sun Showers"

Pastel 10x14 on Richeson Premier

The marsh lies wet and waiting as the rains pass and the clouds begin to break.  The sun suddenly bursts through and paints streaks and patches of the wet marsh in blazes of color, but the still-falling rain softens and mutes the reflections in the water.

The Painting Process

The finished painting came a long way from where I started.  I found the original picture in a pile of unfinished paintings.  It had good color and a pleasing composition with a few obvious problems.

Original painting from October, 2012

I had began this painting in October, 2012, in a Maggie Price workshop, but it was never finished.  I do not remember much about the original intention except that the focal point was to be a bent palm tree on the right that extended out over the water.  The unfinished trunk was still in the picture.

First Black and White Image

The palm tree was never going to work, so my first goal was to come up with a workable, interesting idea that eliminated the poor palm tree altogether.  I printed the picture in black and white to see the comparative values and design.

Black and white print of painting with gray pastel changes

I made some notes on this print and added some initial composition changes with gray pastels.  Four of the major changes were to (1) lower the horizon line by cropping an inch from the bottom of the painting. (2) raise the bushes on the right to break the line of the marsh grass, (3) to eliminate the palm tree. and (4) to punch the lighter values to show the areas of sunlight.

Making Notes About Thoughts and Ideas

Here are my notes on the idea that developed along with the changes in the composition.  I've added transcriptions since the photos are a little hard to read.

Notes from the first B&W print

"Idea - can't remember what my original idea was - Maggie Price Workshop - 10/24/2012 (6 1/2 years ago!)

I think I used NuPastels for the grass, browns, golds - It's like looking at a child's drawing on the refrigerator door trying to decide what it is.

- What is strongest interest in painting as it is? - contrasts in color and values, warm tone

- What are the weaknesses?

• Straight line of grass across the center of the picture
• no eye magnet - center of interest

- Idea / thought - add birds in flight, egrets"

At this point, I knew I needed to have a clear statement of my goal, so I wrote one that I used throughout the painting process.

Idea for the painting - written on one of the B&W prints

"Idea - sun breaking through broken clouds after a shower moves through

      Grass is wet

      Sun in spots

      focal point of painting - where [do] I want the eye to rest?"

The "Iterative" Process

I went through this iterative process at least 4 times with taking photos, printing them in black and white, and making changes with shades of gray NuPastels.  This process permits me to work with values rather than color keeping the composition elements consistent.  

My final effort was to manage the water in such a way that it had believable color, shade, and value without becoming a distraction while showing that the rain was still falling.

I'm satisfied that I accomplished those goals in the final painting.

Last Rays

Pastel, 12x18

After a cloudy, rainy afternoon, the clouds move off to the east and the sun breaks through as it sets.  A final ray of bright sunlight ignites the top of the dune setting the wet sand and grass aflame with color while the rest of the dunes lie in quiet awe to support the grandeur.

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