The West River(VT)

                                                                                       (C) 2023 Dale DiMauro
 

It feels good to get back to painting. For several weeks I have been preparing the property and myself for winter. Also, I created some Christmas gifts out of pine left over from past projects. I even built a standing desk to sit my laptop on.

In this watercolor I was eager to mix new grays for the shadows on the water. Recently, I came upon the combination of cadmium red and winsor blue which makes a lovely gray.

The quietness of this landscape I find compelling. They say this time of year is about stillness and reflection. I found those qualities in abundance in this scene.

Test Sheet

                                                                            (C) 2023 Dale DiMauro
 

In the past I have written about using a test sheet to find out if your color mixing approximates what you intend on applying to your watercolor painting. Most of those comments referenced painting in the studio.

However, I use this mixed media book(4" x 6") when I am painting out in the field. This hardcover book, I find, handles watercolor quite well and is put out by the Bee Paper Company.  The paper dries quickly which is a benefit when paining in plein air. The colors seem to remain fairly vibrant, too.

This book is great for testing out brushstrokes as well as painting small landscapes in a direct manner.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

                                         (C) 2023 Dale DiMauro

 

Southern Vermont went to sleep in the midst of a snowstorm last night. It was a bit jarring to shovel heavy wet snow in the morning. The seasons really changed last night. Now the boots, gloves, hats and ice scrapers have come out, too.

I like these quick little watercolor washes with lively colors. Sometimes so little can say so much. Leaving the white of the paper can be quite expressive.

Thanksgiving to all. We have a lot to be grateful for. Good food, family and peace for the most part.

Arches Travel Journal

                                                                                       (C) 2023 Dale DiMauro
 

Painting outside is becoming a challenge at this time of year. The light is getting weaker and the colors have become more muted. However, painting outside or even inside through a window, I find, makes me notice seasonal changes, I would not pick-up on otherwise.

I am enjoying my Arches travel journal(6" x 10"). It enables me paint in a cafe or at a local library on the go. This is particularly important as the days have gotten shorter and colder. Arches watercolor paper is one of my preferred surfaces to paint on. Also, I like the Masters Choice watercolor paper which has an interesting bead or texture once the paper has pigment on it.

For many years this Arches travel journal was not available. At first I tested pigment combinations in these small bound booklets. Before long I was painting landscapes which incorporated these new color mixes. Also, I use these booklets as a warm-up for brushstrokes before starting to paint in earnest.

Cloud Study

                                                                             (C) 2023 Dale DiMauro
 

Since my last post I have further developed this painting. The pigments I have been using for the sky include cobalt blue, raw sienna and ultramarine blue.

I felt like I had to add the landscape to give it context. With the sky so dominant the land might become secondary so I added a river to draw your eye into the scene.

I am enjoying these cloud studies and am hopeful that they will diversify and improve my landscape paintings.

Cloud Study

                                                                                (C) 2023 Dale DiMauro
 

John Constable(1776 - 1837) is an English landscape painter well known for painting skies. He is said to have revolutionized the genre of landscape painting with his 'romantic' settings. I thought of Constable after I started working on this watercolor.

This painting started out as a cloud study and is turning into a landscape painting. If I don't think favorable of a watercolor I painted - I turn it over and paint cloud studies. I think this practice is improving and diversifying my painting of skies. Regardless of their outcome, painting clouds can be a challenge for any landscape painter.

The sky does not have to be the focal point in a composition but in certain situations it dominates the picture. However, the sky can be so varied from one minute to the next that it adds great value to my landscape painting if I can capture some aspect of the existing cloud patterns.

The Brattleboro Common

                                                                            C) 2023 Dale DiMauro

The Brattleboro Common is a great setting for plein air painting. It has many focal points, a sense of history and various seating options. I come back again and again to paint with a different perspective each time. You really don't need many paint supplies to get going at this location.

This plein air watercolor was done several years ago. Every time I see it, it stops me in my tracks. For me it has a magical quality - abstract with a frozen stillness. In addition, I like the washes in this particular picture. Also, the composition seems timeless with the curving path into the horizon at the junction of a tree trunk.

At times you can say so much with so little. I am referring to a limited palette.

Watercolor Study

                                                                               (C) 2023 Dale DiMauro
 

Landscape painting is such a joy for me. Whether it is realism or an imaginary landscape the process is fulfilling.

I have learned to love mixing watercolor pigments. Even if I have a small window to paint in - it is a great opportunity to put something down on paper. That way you can keep evolving as an artist.

In this little sketch I love the paint combinations. Also, I love the negative space where there is no paint. Through practice I have learned to appreciate the importance of leaving the white of the paper unpainted where possible.

Watercolor Study

                                                                             (C) 2023 Dale DiMauro
 

Painting skies can be a challenge particularly when it comes to various cloud formations. However, I am willing to tackle any sky that I experience. This was experienced in Brattleboro, VT during late summer.

This watercolor study was done in one sitting. The sky dominates the landscape and thus draws attention to the dramatic clouds. Many other skies do not dominate the landscape requiring less attention.

Another factor in painting a sky is which pigments to use. In this picture I used raw sienna and raw umber at the base of the clouds and cerulean blue elsewhere. I still am experimenting with which colors to employ and when.