BIG TREE

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro

Prior to Christmas I purchased a used book, called Color in Watercolor, by Wendon Blake, for four dollars at our local used bookstore. This book inspired this watercolor. 

It suggest's underpainting a big tree with a mixture of burnt sienna/ultramarine blue and a touch of cadmium red. Then painting over this wash with a combination of burnt sienna and phthalocyanine blue which conveys the dark branching.

I added the green horizontal ground plane to make the tree rooted in and of the landscape. After painting this I realized I love the graphic quality of this tree. I have begun to think the larger I paint this subject the more impactful it will be.

It was painted with a freedom of expression that I find quite rewarding. It was painted on Arches watercolor paper which is one of my favorite papers to paint on.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

                                                                                     (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Merry Christmas to all!

As in some previous posts I mentioned how I like to observe the light patterns and colorations of some of the local fields in the Brattleboro, VT area. Well, this is one of the fields along the West River Trail.

It felt good to paint this watercolor in one sitting. I seem to be introducing more orange into my watercolors when necessary. You can see it in the left foreground. That warmth seems to balance out the cools in this composition.

The foreground has a weaved layer of a cool green generated from the combination of quinacridone gold and cobalt blue.

WATERCOLOR STUDY

                                                                           (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Sometimes a watercolor study speaks volumes. An intuitive note, quickly put down, without any hesitation, one can build upon. At least that is what led to this image.

Usually I sample a color mixture to see if it is what I am aiming for. In the process I turn the wet pigment into a landscape. This way the color mixture does not sit simply on it's own.

The above tree massing color is the combination of raw sienna and Windsor violet. I have learned it is important in some way, to reference the shoreline in this case, with that horizontal section devoid of paint.

Watercolor Sketch

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Lately with all these winter-themed and Christmas-oriented tasks I have not had time to paint. So before I headed to bed I squeezed in time to paint an imaginary scene. With the snow and ice I am already looking forward to spring.

However, I am so glad we got snow to brighten up the landscape. For me the landscape seemed so dreary around 4 PM in the afternoon with the low light and setting sun.

I keep experimenting with this green made by mixing cobalt blue and quinacridone gold. It is useful in painting foliage, the ground and just about anywhere in the landscape.

West River Trail

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

The West River Trail in Brattleboro, VT is a nice little path to get some fresh air and stretch your legs. I always bring my camera when I head out on the trail as there are many attractions along the way. Often you see some kind of paddlers along the way whether it's canoes or sculls in the summer season. I have seen all kinds of bird activity along the Connecticut River and even in the adjacent fields.

This watercolor was inspired by one of the fields you pass along the way. It is interesting to observe the seasonal change in these fields. Some months of the year it becomes a wide open field with all the growth cut down and then it fills in over the summer with eight foot high corn.

I like the distant hills with the changing of the light and ever-changing color patterns.

SKETCHBOOK DRAWING

                                                                                   (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Drawing in my sketchbook is a truly meaningful activity. It is difficult to maintain as a daily routine, over the summer months, but whenever I can, sketching is important. I see improvement every time I draw and it makes me a much better painter. Over time I can see I am getting better at capturing the human form.

I prefer to draw in the largest sketchbook, that I can find, that is practical. This forces me to draw as large as I can. The little notepad to the right I carry around with me at work to record ideas or sketch out little landscapes.

This above pencil sketch was done from a bust of a historical figure at my local library.

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

The sky can be difficult to paint in watercolor. Particularly, if you venture away from painting a blue sky. However, the sky can truly set the mood for your painting. Yet there is so much variety in the world above the landscape.

Tweaking how I paint my sky's has been an added emphasis lately. In the late fall I noticed there is such variation in the clouds and the colors of the sky. In fact, this watercolor started out as a sky study with some of the subtle nuances of pigmentation that I have been seeing lately.

I am constantly experimenting with new color mixes in order to expand upon my palette. I discovered this lively, green just the other day. It consists of quinacridone gold and cobalt blue. Of course you can darken it with ultramarine blue or warm it with a yellow such as raw siena.

Quick Watercolor Sketch

                                                                        (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Sometimes simple brush strokes is all that is necessary. Lately, I have been preparing the house and grounds for winter. As a result I have not painted as much.

However, I am eager to get back at it. I like the color combinations in this composition. In the tree I mixed yellow ochre with permanent brown and ultramarine blue. This is a warm brown which I really like. The wash in the foreground utilizes the same ultimate blue which has a warmth to it.

I think the brush strokes are important in this image. At times it is good to not fuss with the marks that your wash may leave. Those dry brush marks and erratic strokes when done well communicate much about the character of the tree trunk, for example. Also, the fluidity in watercolor can lend much beauty in your work, regardless of the subject matter.