Watercolor Study

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

When time is limited a small watercolor can be just as satisfying as a full sheet. I painted this after I got home from my vacation from Maine. 

Basically, I painted this from memory. It reminds me of the estuaries my wife and I drove and walked through along the coast in southern Maine. I read at a kiosk that this estuary is the largest in the state of Maine. It is a beautiful landscape unto itself.

On our vacation we experienced some of most incredible sunsets I have ever seen. The sunset across the ocean and the estuary which made it so dramatic. Often, I took walks in the evening to experience the setting sun or catch the full moon.

The Brattleboro Common

                                                                          (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro

The other evening I drove by the Brattleboro Common in the early evening and saw the largest crowd I have ever seen at that location, All sitting patiently, watching musicians perform. So I stopped by and realized the Brattleboro Common has a lot subject matter I could paint. It even has a war memorial up on a pedestal.

What I like about this plein air is that it captures in color the drought we have been experiencing. In other words, you can feel the temperature of the mid-day sun, through watercolor painting.

The other thing about painting is that it makes you see things for what they are. The shadows have a more organic wash than I usually use. They are not the cold gray colors I sometimes use to express the shadows when there are strong light contrasts.

 

Bar Island

                                                               (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

 My wife and I toured Maine over the last two weeks. We were fortunate to experience many evenings with stunning sunsets. Of all the times I have visited Maine over the years I don't ever recall such good weather. The one evening it rained it cooled everything off.

On Bar Harbor, Bar Island is known as a great sunset location. Actually, when the tide is low you don't even have to go out as far as the island to experience the setting sun. There is usually quite a flow of people walking along the shore with their sandals in their hands and dogs and kids running about.

This watercolor was inspired from a previous experience out towards Bar Island with the setting sun. If you time it right it is an unforgettable experience.

Mid-Summer Day

                                                                            (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

I painted this on the green in Bar Harbor, Maine. It is a lovely setting with a captivating view towards the ocean. I deleted many elements to simplify the composition. There were many distractions all around me including many onlookers and children running about. Not to mention the numerous dogs people take with them.

Originally, I wanted to paint this lovely fountain on the corner of the green, in part since it was a hot day. There was a lovely wall I could perch on in the shade. However, a greyhound bus parked and blocked my view of the fountain. 

One thing I have learned is that you have to be flexible and willing to adapt to situations which arise when painting outside in the elements.

Cedar Street(in oil)

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Several years ago I painted this scene along Cedar Street in Brattleboro, VT. What was significant was this picture was painted in oil. This was painted on a 9" x 12" panel.

I seldom paint in oil but have a desire to paint in oil again. 

Working in oil only with a palette knife appeals to me. One can achieve interesting surface marks with a palette knife plus it is much easier and faster with regards to cleaning up when no brushes are involved.

Finally, I had technical glitches and was unable to send my post out last night. Apologies for all about that.

Late Day Light

                                                                          (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Sometimes you have to paint on the back of a watercolor you already painted. Time may be limited or that is the only sheet you have to work with. That was the case today. For me it is no loss. I figure every painting I do is the result of accumulated knowledge and enhanced judgement. 

There have been some amazing sunsets this month. The evening light changes rapidly creating great drama right up to the final fading light. We even have had a full moon lately,

Painting landscapes is very rewarding. The very act of painting the landscape makes you see things you would not ordinarily notice. Also, it makes you slow down and reflect on things.

Madame Sherri Forest

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

It has been a lovely summer so far, at least here in southern Vermont. There have been many clear, sunny days and the humidity hasn't been bad. On the other hand, we are in a drought, and I don't even remember spring rain like we normally would have in the past.

However, it is important to get out in nature and reconnect with the natural world. This watercolor reminds me and perhaps you, that the landscape is so diverse. This beaver pond is close to home and houses so much wildlife. The beavers were putting on a show, clusters of loud birds were flitting about and frogs with their droning vocalizations dominated the shoreline.

This was painted on Holbein watercolor paper. With this paper it seems best if I preserve the white of the paper somewhere on the sheet. This way you best portray light on your subject in addition to creating a layer of depth in the most efficient manner.

Multi-Drawing Book(Holbein)

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

I have come to embrace these Multi-Drawing books put out by Holbein. These come in a range of sizes from postcard to nearly half-sheets. They seem to take watercolor well. At first I wasn't so sure but over time I have really embraced this surface. They have bright white sheets which I like, too.

These books are great to doodle in or experiment on with different techniques. I record many color swatches in these too. These are great to take when traveling as they are quite portable and the sheets don't tear and they have hard covers.

You can even see that I (freehand)copied some Winslow Homer figures as I am working on getting better at painting figures in the landscape.

Brattleboro Retreat Farm

                                                                            (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro

Last night my wife and I walked down to the Brattleboro Retreat Farm to see a play performed outside. It was a beautiful evening with an interesting cloud pattern and striking sunset.

The play we saw was Carlo Goldoni's The Servant of Two Masters. It was a production of the Vermont Theatre Company.

While we watched the play I painted this scene en plein air from one of the picnic tables on the grounds. I did the best I could in the window that I was working in. 

The general public always feels entitled to see what you are working on. Which is fine and I am comfortable with as long as they don't interfere with the painting process. Of course, in watercolor unlike oils, you have to keep going because once the pigment dries you really can't modify your painting much.