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| (C) 2017 Dale DiMauro |
The transition from winter to spring seems sudden, this year, in Vermont. Three Sundays ago I was cross country skiing, while today I mowed my lawn and put my kayak rack on the roof of my car. This week alone I saw a white skunk in daylight, a garter snake, dandelions, cats bathing in the sun and rolling in the dirt. A neighbor's dog even got free from its masters hold and took off for an inspired jaunt.
This is a simple watercolor sketch I did several years ago. It was inspired by the colors of spring. For me, there is something appealing about pen and ink combined with watercolor. The pen and ink conveys structure while the watercolor provides atmospheric affects.
On occasion, I pull out one of my fountain pens, which have beautifully flowing ink and start drawing. These fountain pens have water resistant ink, which do not smear when wet, enabling watercolor washes to flow freely with no concerns. My favorite fountain pens are made by Waterman, Pelican and Cross.
However, I find many types of watercolor paper are too textured to draw on, at least with a pen. Hot-pressed watercolor paper is one alternative choice, which suits me just fine.
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| (C) 2017 Dale DiMauro |
This is a little landscape sketch I did this afternoon between appointments. I was pleased with this as it is not on particularly good paper and my time was limited. When you use inferior paper I have found, you do not know what your going to end up with. However, I do like to experiment.
This image was done on a paper from an old packet of watercolor postcards that have been kicking around in my studio for a long time. Normally, this is about the size I test a color combination on before applying it to a painting. This small sheet is only 4" x 6".
What I like about this sketch is that it was done quickly with minimal fussing around. As one can notice, the grain of the paper runs vertically which creates interesting affects. After I lay down a wash I simply drop in pigment and brush it around a bit. I had fun working on this piece.
There is this new color that I am excited about, cobalt violet which can be seen watered down in the distant sky. Straight out of the tube it is an intense pale purple color but mixed with other pigments such as payne's gray, I find exciting, rich mixtures.
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| (C) 2017 Dale DiMauro |
Towards the end of winter I was sorting through stuff in my closet when I came upon an old sketchbook with this drawing amongst others. It is of a plant from the genus Ligularia. I know at the time I was mesmerized by the architecture and grace of certain plants. Also, I had been studying plant communities, which are groups of plants that grow in similar conditions in natural environments. Plants from these communities tend to be healthier as they often share symbiotic relationships.
This is a favorite garden plant of mine. When it flowers in June, the yellow-orange blossoms are striking against the lush green leaves. In addition to the form, I appreciate the veins of the leaves, as well as the serrated triangular shapes. I have to admit, I like the soft rendering of the plant in this drawing.
With the glorious day we just had here in Vermont, one could not help but think of spring. My wife and I just came back from a short trip to Saratoga Springs, New York where the river valleys seemed to become greener by the minute.
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| (C) 2017 Dale DiMauro |
These days watercolor blocks are popular. They come in a range of sizes from 7" x 10" and smaller to 18" x 24". Watercolor blocks are quite handy as they are portable and the paper does not require stretching. They are useful when working on a study or painting outside. Watercolor blocks are often ten to twenty sheets of paper glued together requiring an artist to separate each layer with a palette knife. There is a spot in the middle back where there is an absence of glue, which enables you to slide a palette knife through.
They come with a cover sheet that protects the paper from the elements and general wear and tear. The inside cover is free space to record notes, doodle, test out color combinations and refine your composition. My art mentor Gerard Doucette, will often demonstrate a technique or idea in this space. I do little landscape studies and anatomy drawings in this area.
For me this has become a fun area to work and experiment. These studies I do spur me on to finish a painting after I have had time constraints or been interrupted for a prolonged period.
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| (C) 2017 Dale DiMauro |
Where I live in New England, there are many second hand shops. If you search out these places, there are treasures to be found. Within the layout of these stores there are displays for many vendors who sell all kinds of Americana from old wooden boxes to hand-made furniture.
Recently, I have taken a liking to these old cigar boxes which are great for storing artist pencils, paint tubes and supplies. I purchased these at a shop in Greenfield, MA, which always seems to have quite a selection to choose from. They are handy to transport art supplies, whether across the house or on a trip. I have found wooden boxes that close completely and others that have an open top, which are great to leave on my table.
One can certainly go to the local box store and purchase a plastic tupperware-type container, but for the same price or less I take some pride in reusing these storage bins, which have some regional history.
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| (C) 2017 Dale DiMauro |
There are some amazing marine painters producing inspiring work at their easels. Amongst others, I admire the work of Carl Evers and Jim Griffiths. Carl Evers was a master at portraying water and the many moods of the sea while Jim Griffiths captures historically accurate vessels from a different era with a fresh perspective.
Both artists have been affiliated with the American Society of Marine Artists(A.S.M.A.) which paint historically accurate pictures of ships during their heyday based on considered research. There seem to be a limited number of these painters who work in watercolor. However, they are quite impressive.
In that vein, I was eager to attempt an ocean scene of my own, not expecting to achieve their prowess any time soon. From my own experience I do enjoy the atmospheric effects one experiences when in coastal Maine down by the docks or in a protected inlet. When you add the rich smells of the sea and the sounds of the coastal birds you can begin to imagine all kinds of history.
Watercolor is a natural medium to capture the atmospheric effects of fog descending upon a ship or the last light of day.
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| (C) 2017 Dale DiMauro |
Many years ago, I purchased this hand-made artists watercolor-bound book, made in India. It is basically a sketchbook full of watercolor sheets. I have not been sure how best to use it as it has paper like none other. It has rough paper with a deckle edge and consists of sheets of a lighter weight than I usually prefer. In the photograph above, you can see that the paper is indeed rough, yet also tough. It takes some effort to work pigment into the lower areas of the paper.
However, after studying other artists who paint portraits, it occurred to me, that this is the perfect book to work on head or figure studies. I am very comfortable drawing on these sheets even though experienced artists will tell you not to draw on watercolor paper because if you have to erase, it will remove the fibers. Seldom, do I even carry an eraser when I draw so that aspect does not limit me.
I find the paper holds pigment well and dries quickly. Since I am not wetting the entire sheet I have not experienced any sheets buckling which can be a frustration for artists. In addition, individual sheets can be removed if desired. Finally, even though the paper is rough, I find it easy to attain detail when desired.
This week I began to use this book in earnest. I am only on the second page of fifty, yet am excited to see where I go with this. For years I have been searching for a watercolor 'book' with quality paper which provides the beautiful qualities that watercolor can attain. What is important to me is that I can peck away at a picture when time is limited or move forward in other directions. Progress is a great thing.
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| (C) 2017 Dale DiMauro |
This is a drawing for a future painting. It is a contour drawing done on trace paper providing room for change prior to painting. It is important to figure out your composition as much as possible before you start your watercolor. Determining the size of watercolor paper that I need is an important consideration. It is better to have a sheet bigger than you need, from which you can eventually trim off any waste, than force your picture into a smaller sheet.
This is an image of my wife checking her phone as she waits for a subway train one morning in Brooklyn. Her wet hair is swooped up onto her head in a loose bun, and she has that slack-jawed expression of distraction and obliviousness to her immediate surroundings. The new normal in our contemporary society seems to be a lack of awareness of our environment and a hyper focus on the little screen.
The first wash will likely be a gray-blue to set back the stark white of the paper enabling the figure to pop forward. Or I may even paint a graded wash which would become less intense as it fades into the distance. Either way the background will be kept simple.
I apologize for the poor photograph but have not had much success taking pictures of clear tracing paper in the past. It seems to capture that milky gray color with the crinkly quality of the paper. I try to take all my photographs in natural light as this was done and a majority of the time they come out just fine.
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| (C) 2017 Dale DiMauro |
This is a watercolor study for a painting I keep coming back to in my mind. I worked on this one earlier this evening.
It was mid- February when my wife and I went to Manchester, Vermont for the day. We recently had snow and the sky was as clear and blue as it could be. Late in the day we walked through the town park where the ball fields and trails are. The shadows across the snow and in the valley of the mountains were sharp and clearly delineated. This was the setting for this scene.
Not long after that day I started a full sheet watercolor, which I have since misplaced. I will state that it is hard to misplace a large watercolor. We were about to have some work done in the house so I stored it somewhere but I just simply cannot find it. I know sooner or later it will appear but this frustrates me because I was starting to gain momentum on the picture.
In the meantime I wanted to carry it forward. Figuring out how I might paint the silhouette of the deciduous trees below the distant hill is important. Also, I want to capture the glow of the skin tone which borders on the edge of orange in the sun as well as the warmth of the posture. The proportions of the figure will become further refined as I carry it further.
I do like the peachy color down by my feet over the snow. As a matter of fact, I think it is stunning. It is a reason artists like me paint.
