Quick Sketch

                                                                 (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

Now that the weather is getting colder and the days are shorter it is exciting to get back to work in the studio. I have been thinning out stuff in my studio for several days gearing up to paint larger watercolors.

This quick watercolor sketch has me inspired to see what I can do with what I have learned from painting outside over the summer. It was painted on the jacket cover of an Arches watercolor block I have. This space has become valuable for expressing ideas and developing various compositions. As it has been said it gets the juices flowing.

Since late September I have really taken to drawing in my sketchbooks. In part as a way to deal with the political and public health we our navigating through. I do notice progress in capturing the figure and portraiture with more fluid marks than in the past.

Whetstone River

                                                                 (C)2020 Dale DiMauro
 

This watercolor was started late in the summer. I had arranged what I consider to be a nice drawing and then the sky darkened over and the rain came down hard and furious. However, the watercolor was still on my watercolor block so I figured it was best to carry it forward even though the subject matter looks different these days.

Recently, I have been learning the value of browns in watercolor painting. They can add a lot to your painting. They have an earthy or naturalistic quality which you find out in nature. Plus there is such a range of browns to work with and thus as a means of expression.

This painting in some ways looks like it could be of a subject matter in a drier region of the country. However, with the all the autumnal color passing and falling to the ground I think the colorations are fairly true.

Blackwing Palomino Sketch Pencil

                                                                (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

This summer I discovered the Blackwing Palomino sketch pencil. However, I am not sure where I first learned of them. I did read that noted watercolorist Thomas W. Schaller, in an article, in Plein Air Magazine uses them.

When I was traveling, in Montpelier, Vt, during the summer, the local art store had them and I was eager to sample some. They provide a smooth stroke which I noticed when I first drew with them.

If you love to draw, experimenting with new materials is alway something I look forward to. I believe trying out new approaches and media pushes an artists development.

Since the summer I learned that these pencils were popular in the past with artists working on two dimensional animation.

Late Day Light is Stunning

                                                                   (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

The fall foliage has been great this year. In addition we have had such beautiful weather of late. Some of the foliage even seems to radiate color in certain light.

When possible I have fit in walks in the late afternoon before the sun starts to go down. It is during this time when the temperature for the day is near it's highest. This is when the light and shadows seem to be the most dramatic. If you are a landscape painter this has to fire you up with inspiration.

This is a topic I had to post about. It is truly a glorious time of year. On the downside there are all those leaves to rake.

Color Swatches

                                                                  (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

Color is everything to painters. It is sort of a vocabulary to draw upon. And the better your vocabulary, the greater the resource you have to reference.

I have a notebook of color swatches which I add to periodically. Once I hear of a new or different color combination I record the swatch down for future use.

This is my latest addition. The one on the top is a light, warm gray created by mixing cobalt blue and burnt sienna. The one on the bottom resembles a light skin tone. This one was created by combining aureolin yellow and rose madder genuine.

Over time with practice I have noticed my washes have improved with a cleaner application and less fussing about.

                                                                   (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

Today I did some plein air painting in one of the fields owned by the Brattleboro Retreat. With the increased traffic in town viewing the foliage it seemed wise to paint local. Also, it kept me away from any chances of getting exposed to COVID-19.

It was a beautiful fall day and I still was able to catch some glorious colors before it all goes away.

Most days out painting I modify my equipment a bit. I brought my small shoulder bag with a watercolor block, palette and paints. This way all I had to carry in my hands was a small, foldable chair which I used to rest my palette, brushes and bag on. This ended up working out well even though the shade moved in and I felt a stiff breeze at times.

Fall on the Ice Pond

                                                                 (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

Fall colors come and go so fast. The heavy rains seem to knock the deciduous trees barren. This combined with the rapidly shortened length of day and it definitely feels like we are between seasons.

This watercolor was done in under an hour. I should say it is probably not finished. However, the next time I get outside to paint the landscape is likely to look totally different. 

Many artists say it is difficult to capture the colors of fall in a painting without looking too gaudy. Often, I try to capture what I see out in nature. Each time painting I try to have an open mind as it is a new experience.

Along the West River

                                                                    (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

Recently, I was reading a used book, titled, Painting More Than the Eye Can See, by Robert Wade, a noted watercolor painter. He encourages artists to paint postcard-sized sketches on a daily basis, as one can progress significantly, even in as short a time as a month. 

This is one such sized watercolor. This took longer than the eight minutes he allows but I think this composition is more thought-out and complicated than some of the ones in his book.

You can see the new I-91 bridge in the distance. This watercolor has many of the colors we associate with the landscape of Vermont during the summer months.