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| (C) 2019 Dale DiMauro |
Last night, I painted these watercolors of the same vantage point. That is, looking West from Brattleboro, VT in late summer and early spring. These were painted on the same sheet of Saunders watercolor paper. However, the internet went down preventing me from posting them.
Two watercolor pigments dominate my consciousness lately, permanent alizarin crimson and burnt sienna. They were used in both paintings. I have been using alizarin crimson in my blending of the lower sky while burnt sienna is useful in landscape painting by adding a red-brown into the fields.
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| (C) 2019 Dale DiMauro |
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to one and all. I wish a day of warmth with great food and family.
Perhaps you opened art supplies today. It is a good time to take the inspiration all around us and put it to use.
This watercolor reminds of this time of year. The low light and landscape of snow is upon us.
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| (C) 2019 Dale DiMauro |
This week, at least in Vermont, we experienced our first true cold snap. The temperature dropped, any snow underfoot became crunchy and it required layers of clothing and time to exit the house.
Earlier in December I decided it was best to attempt one plein painting per week throughout the Winter. I made a list of potential locales suitable for plein air painting. All of these are from the comforts of the indoors. In reality I could paint interiors or landscapes when situated looking through a large window. Possible sites include any of the local libraries, my own house, or a local cafe etc.
This watercolor I did the other day during the cold snap from a window in our house. No reference photographs were taken or used. Naturally, with plein air painting it had to evolve rapidly or the daylight would leave you behind.
Library book sales are a win-win for everybody involved. Books are sold at a huge discount and it raises money for your local library. In addition, unlike Amazon purchases, you have no shipping charges or packaging involved.
Painting on Location, by David Curtis & Robin Capon, I purchased from my local library last week for three dollars. This is in essence, a brand-new book, with no markings, which originally sold at retail for $26.99.
David Curtis, one of the authors, is one of my favorite landscape painters. He paints equally well in watercolor and in oil. I previewed this book, by chance, the day before the library sale and said there is no way I am not making this purchase. In retrospect, I have no regrets. May you hit the jackpot too.
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| (C) 2019 Dale DiMauro |
The watercolor paper artists prefer is such a personal choice. Some watercolor papers I prefer include Arches, Fabriano and Saunders, amongst others. Usually, I am quite willing to experiment with various papers and differing weights.
I have been eager to try this relatively new Canson Heritage watercolor paper. So here it is. I cut it down to a smaller size to play with.
This paper has an interesting surface pattern which differs greatly from the reverse side.
With more practice I will gain better judgement. However, I do like how it retains the colors of the pigments. Also, I have been told that it is a good paper for lifting pigment.
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| (C) 2019 Dale DiMauro |
It pays to kayak on the Ashuelot River, in Keene, New Hampshire. These paintings were inspired from a paddle last Spring.
These watercolor sketches help me refine my compositions before I commit to a larger painting. It is valuable for me, at least, to experiment with different backgrounds. As you can see, sometimes I pre-tone the paper before starting. The watercolor on top was originally started with cobalt blue while the painting on the bottom was initiated with yellow.
The reflections and movement of the water are endlessly fascinating. Also, it occurred to me that I had not yet painted brown water. Not all rivers have blue water so it was a really different approach.
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| (C) 2019 Dale DiMauro |
Painting the urban landscape is way different from depicting the rural countryside. At least that is my take, recently, after painting many scenes of the countryside full of vegetation. In street scenes you need to get the perspective right along with many decisions about how to portray the windows, doors and reflections etc.
This is not a negative, but the process is a bit more involved, as there are areas where you definitely have strong contrasts such as the sky against the building. How these areas are articulated are important as there are many linear aspects to the built landscape.
This weekend I was sorting through some watercolors and came upon this painting which I had worked on several years ago. Reflecting back on this painting I like the colors and warmth of the light.
For some reason it reminds of an Ed Hopper painting. I think it has to do with the qualities of an urban scene devoid of people.
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| (C) 2019 Dale DiMauro |
At the start of the week, here in Brattleboro, VT, we had one to two feet of snow. As a result, I am already tired of shoveling snow. It even motivated me to search for a battery-powered snow blower. It may sound silly, but this snowstorm really changed the landscape.
However, there is a romantic quality when suddenly living with drifts of fresh snow. With this new blanket of snow, the afternoon natural light is special. That is, if you can catch it when the sun is out.
After a summer season of fitting in painting sessions around work, it is a welcome time to slow down and paint larger pieces. This detail, of a larger watercolor, is the beginning of one such piece.
Drawing: The Head & Figure, by Jack Hamm, is one of my favorite art books. It demonstrates countless techniques for drawing every part of the human body. Not only does it have great visuals but the text is spot on with accurate descriptions.
More than anything else I return to this book time and again to practice drawing the human figure. It has drawings in pen and pencil, which I appreciate, as I use both media.
It has been in print for generations yet only cost me $12.95. I kick myself for not getting it earlier even though I have had it for years. I find it that valuable as so many anatomy books lack the thoroughness of this one.
