USING DARKS

                                                                                       (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro

Many artists complain their colors appear bleached or lack strength. Thus, they do not get greater depth in their paintings.

I have certainly complained when my watercolors lack life. Over time I learned to combine dark umber and ultramarine when I want a warm dark. After time experimenting with this combination I can say this dark has transformed my painting. 

In almost every painting I drop in this color combination, whether it is at the foot of a woodland edge, the trunk of a tree or the edge of the lawn etc. 

Nevertheless, I am often searching for other darks to utilize in my painting. This purplish color above is the result of combining ultramarine blue/alizarin crimson and burnt siena. The jury is still out on this dark but I embrace the variety of options for when the right opportunity presents itself.

Color Swatches

                                                                            (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

If I have less than an hour of idle time I often make color swatches. There seems to be an endless number of pigments one can combine on a sheet of paper. However, over time I believe I have learned much about the characteristics of certain pigments.

Along the way one learns how the pigment reacts to certain paper or dries in a particular way. For example, Payne's gray, in general, dries much lighter than the value you see when it is wet.

Often, I paint little landscapes over the initial washes as time allows. This includes a wide range of colors for the sky as it is here that sets the mood for the image. In particular, I like it when the sky develops a mottled appearance, with variation, from the settling pigments.

Groton State Park

                                                                           (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

Last summer, by accident, my wife and I discovered Groton State Forest, east of Montpelier, VT. This forest totals 26,164 acres with seven state parks, eight lakes and ponds and a nature center. The civilian conservative corps was critical in developing the area - constructing roads, trails, picnic shelters and planting trees.

Due to Covid-19, last year, we drove inland away from the coast(and populated areas) on our way back from Maine. This summer we re-visited Montpelier, Vt which has the smallest capital of any state in the United States. We made a day trip to hike in the Groton State Forest in July.

This watercolor was inspired from that experience. As the picture shows, there is a great uninterrupted expanse of forest with zero development to the horizon. You really feel like you may run into some form of wildlife you have not seen before or rarely see when hiking on these trails.

Abstract Wash

                                                                                 C)2021 Dale DiMauro

Watercolor painting seems to largely involve applying washes of color while developing soft and hard edges. How you articulate these edges you paint is really descriptive of your subject matter and reflect your signature style at the same time.

The quinacridone violet I used here reminds me of a visit to the mall, in Washington DC, in the spring, when the cherry trees are in bloom. We carry these strong color associations with us throughout our lives.

The hard edges in this image guide your eye through the landscape which I find fascinating. My parting wisdom is that it is always rewarding to play with color to see where it will take you.

 

Along the West River(Brattleboro, VT)

(C) 2021 Dale DiMauro

 

Recently, someone added benches along the West River Trail in Brattleboro, VT. They are sited to take advantage of lovely vista's up or across the river. It even appears that someone cut back the brush in some areas to expand the views.

This was painted from one of those benches. However, it started raining once I set-up my plein equipment. One result was a bunch of watermarks and brown blemishes, on the paper, once dry. So I came back a week later and carried on. 

This picture has an English feel to it with muted colors and diffused light. I feel that all that is necessary is to add some finishing touches. The unpainted figure is a man paddling his red canoe which happened right before my eyes.

63rd Annual Art in the Park

                                                                            (C) Photograph Dale DiMauro
 

On Saturday, September 4, 2021, my wife and I attended Keene, NH's annual Art in the Park. It was a beautiful sunny day and many people were out. As a matter of fact, I couldn't believe how many people  visited the park. 

I had been to Keene, NH twice in the last two years and one of the times was to have a colonoscopy. So I didn't know what to expect of our visit. However, we ran into many people we knew at the festival, including some who were vendors.

With the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, it was unclear, at least back in the spring, whether they would even have Art-in-the Park this year. Well it was a hit this year even though on the closing Sunday, the last day of the event, the weather was not nearly as nice.

Latest Plein Air

                                                                   (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

We have had such beautiful weather, lately, that I have been making a strong emphasis of painting outside, when possible. Recently, late day has been my preference for painting outside.

I painted this picture prior to dinner on Sunday. It evolved rapidly, as I wasn't sure what direction I wanted to go as far as subject matter was concerned. This picture was completed in one sitting, all outside.

This watercolor has a unique perspective which drew me to the subject. There is a lot of elements in this picture with a sense of an elongated depth, which the light dramatically reveals.

Painting outside educates me in more ways than one. Also, I find it is important to use my time wisely. Finally, the experience makes me truly see things as they are  - whether it is the colors of nature or the lay of the land.

Plein Air

                                                                                      (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro

This plein air was painted entirely outside last week on a lovely afternoon. It was painted very much in the spur of the moment. I am sure it is a quirky little picture and that may be why I like it. After I started this watercolor I was swarmed by kids - as this area was where they waited for their rides home from school.

When I go plein air painting there usually is a location in mind with an understanding of where the natural light might fall. In this case I found the lay of the land appealing and this shed full of character with some boards tacked on in a rather random manner.

The warmth of light and how the trees in the background came out were quite satisfying as I progressed through this picture.

Plein Air Painting

                                                                            (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

The sun finally broke out yesterday afternoon, so I got an hour in, on this plein air painting. Little did I know that a sizeable bullfrog was with me at the base of this wall. He or she must have been at least six inches in length. It was simply bathing in the afternoon sun. No matter what noise I made or how close I got it would not budge the whole time I was there.

This watercolor is directly the result of painting what I saw in from of me, minus some extraneous stuff. I like the abstract qualities of the elements in this landscape. Before long the sun had become strong and I could sense a quality of fall rapidly approaching.

Lately, I have seen a great heron frequenting a log in the water as it hunts for a meal. It is quite a site with it's long angular wings tucked in by it's side.