Saturday, November 29, 2014

Bathed in Gold


Fall is a short magical time of the year.  In this piece, sunlight shone from the back of the trees, which gave an intense glow and a full range of values from light to dark.


The first sketch looked like sailing ships bouncing on the water instead of trees on the side of a cliff.   

 


The next is a layering process from the hot intense centers of interest blending out to the subtle middle values.  Then I added some of the cool blues and purples to accent the warm gold. 






In the third part of the building process, I darkened the strong intense accents, and added reds next to the greens to draw the viewer forward toward the center of interest.  I also added some details in the light middle and dark areas.

 

 

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

A River Runs Through it

 
 


Do you ever feel like you have been somewhere before and would like to capture the vision a second time?  It is early fall, the colors just taking over the forest and bringing a fresh new vision and renewed inspiration.  This piece captures that.  I am very excited about the abstract angles that give strength to the composition, and I wanted to build the lights, pale yellows, greens, ochres and the soft gray in the distance.  Each layer of warm, cool colors that is lovingly developed in each subsequent layer builds depth and space to draw the viewer down the path along the river.  A river meanders along, caressing the shore and off to places unknown, as quickly as the wind blows through the trees, changing the earth in ways we can only dream of.  When I look at the finished work of art, I  will feel the sun in my face and the wind in my hair as though I was there again.