Watercolor Sketch

                                                                           (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro

This was painted on the inside cover of my watercolor block. It is one of those quick little color sketches which dries in no time. I suppose any surface is fair game to paint on. 

I am always thinking about what pigments might make a strong pairing. Thus, I need to put down on paper a color mixture which I can refer to when the moment and place is right. 

I was looking at developing a strong evergreen color with the palette I had with me one particular day. I use at least four palettes, some for painting outside, and others because I mix larger puddles of color for larger paintings. However, these palettes don't have the same color pigments so I have to improvise, if necessary.

The watercolor I had been working on was progressing well and the evergreen on the left in the front seemed like it would balance the composition. For the dark value above I combined hookers green, alizarin crimson and payne's gray.

This sample color has a cool, gray quality which is not far off from the deep green I am looking for. If I tweak the ratio's a bit I probably have something I can work with.
 

Brattleboro Common

                                                                         (C)2022 Dale DiMauro
 

The Brattleboro Common is starting to become appealing at this time of the year. The snow has melted and the majestic mature trees are waking up and embracing the new growing season. Sitting at one of the picnic tables in the sun feels lovely.

On Friday as the temperatures reached nearly sixty degrees outside I ventured out to do my first plein air painting of the season. I had not painted outside since late last fall. 

During my time outside the sky began to cloud over and it became rather blustery. However, I was pleased with my first effort of the season.

Fields of Northampton

                                                                                     (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Several weeks back the fields of Northampton, MA were ablaze from the setting sun. It was still very much winter along the rail trail but I could sense the emergence of the seasonal change.

I didn't know if I could match the intensity of the orange in the distant fields. However, I felt pretty good after I mixed quinacridone gold with cadmium red. The radiance of those two colors combined, reminded of my experience down in the Deerfield Valley.

The late day sun cast such a lovely glow across the landscape that it is etched in my memory. There are not many other experiences of such atmospherical drama which I can draw upon. In the summer if you are lucky(weather-wise) along the Maine coast I have seen unmistakeable sunsets across the Atlantic Ocean.

MASS MOCA

Yesterday, I visited Mass MoCa in North Adams, MA with family. With all that rain coming down it was a good day to take in all the great spaces they have. The upside down trees growing along the entrance always seem troublesome.

I find the multimedia and political exhibits a bit overwhelming. However, the music room was great. This was an enclosed room where anyone could bang on drums, strum cords and play with percussive instruments.

As we left we visited a neighboring restored mill with an arts center. They even had a Stephen Scott Young print who is a well known watercolor painter.
 

Horizon Blue

                                                                                      C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Last week I ordered a watercolor tube of Horizon Blue, made by Holbein. The sky above consists of Horizon Blue. It may seem weak in the photograph but it adds a lot to the overall atmosphere of the landscape.

It seems to mix well with other blues and adds a calm presence to the landscape. I seldom use just one pigment in my sky so I am eager to experiment with this new option. Also, it might be a pigment which allows the landscape to become more prominent in the composition.

In the last year my painting of the sky has evolved quite a bit. I put down a wash for the sky and before it is fully dry I add other marks or pigmentation and can achieve streaks or graded washes. Sometimes I even add browns to my sky. So we will see where this pigment takes me.

Landscape in Watercolor

                                                                                        C) 2022 Dale DiMauro

When I am pressed for time I find it is good to squeeze in at least a little watercolor painting each day. This little watercolor book by Cachet is full of landscape paintings. I broaden my palette mixing on these paintings. 

Recently, I read up on mixing darks in watercolor so I began putting down various samples. Some of my favorite darks are the result of these mixes: burnt sienna/ ultramarine blue, ultramarine blue/cadmium red /aureolin and burnt umber/ultramarine blue.

It makes me think about the composition at the same time. Also, I believe it develops my brushwork along the way.

Vincent Van Gogh

A few weeks ago, during President's week, my wife and I drove down to Montague, MA to visit the book mill. Now, I had never been to the Montague Book Mill, but it certainly has a ton of primarily, used books, at really good prices, in a lovely setting.

I ended up purchasing the New York Times Bestseller: Van Gogh: The Life(2012), written by Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith for under ten dollars. As it is over eight hundred pages in length I will be reading this for quite some time. However, I always wanted to learn more about the life and times of Van Gogh.

Vincent Van Gogh(1853-1890) as many know, was a dutch impressionist painter who has become one of the most famous and recognizable painters in western art. He painted landscapes, still life's and portraits with bold color and expressive brushstrokes. In one decade alone he created nearly 2,100 artworks including 860 oil paintings, most of which he completed in the last two years of his life(Credit: Wikipedia).

Retreat Field

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro

After this winter, it is refreshing to paint a summer scene full of greenery. I like how the vegetation in the foreground frames the landscape. It is not quite finished but I made some progress on this watercolor tonight.

This was painted on this Master's Choice watercolor paper which I have been working on lately. Except in this case I removed a sheet from the watercolor block to see if it would buckle when wet. I have been using the rough surface which buckles a little but it was quite workable, nonetheless. This paper seems to retain rich color and has a lively tooth to the surface.

Someone told me the back of the paper wasn't so accepting of paint. However, I disagree. I painted a section of the back and one can express lovely hard and soft edges with great variation.

Northampton, MA

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

The rail trail in Northampton, MA is a favorite location of mine. It is well used, year round and well kept up. Also, it has nice views of the local landscape across agricultural land in many directions.

This watercolor is inspired from a recent outing along the corridor. I have yet to do some finishing touches but like how it is developing. Vibrant colors make the paper come to life.

This was painted on The Masters' Choice, a watercolor paper which I have taken a liking to. This paper has such a lovely texture and is unlike any other watercolor paper I have ever used.