Dark Brown

                                                                                (C) 2024 Dale DiMauro

It is exciting to arrive upon a new color combination. In particular, for me, to discover a rich dark brown is truly a revelation. The dark brown shadow on the water, above, is from combining ivory black with burnt sienna. 

This color adds so much to a watercolor painting. Sepia is another dark brown but I don't find it to have the freshness of this new combination.

With the light gray and greens of this image, the brown adds a crispness which clarifies the scene. This picture nearly has all neutral colors yet there is a lovey quality of light nonetheless..

Watercolor Book

                                                                                   (C) 2024 Dale DiMauro
 

After two days of traveling I came home to this watercolor book by elsewaresupply.com with eager anticipation. Most watercolor paper buckles but this paper is simply different. It may depend, in part, on how wet you paint.

First, I bought it locally at the Brattleboro Food Coop in town. It is marketed as 300 lb paper. I don't know if it is or not, however it has a wonderful texture. Also, when the paper is wet the pigment seems rich and vivid unlike any other paper I have used.

I have only found it in these smaller sizes: 4.25" x 5.75" and 7" x 10 1/8". Regardless, it is a great portable paper for plein air or direct painting. 

I keep adding little landscapes to this watercolor book. I truly am impressed with the results.

Watercolor Book

                                                                                            (C) 2024 Dale DiMauro

Recently, I purchased this little watercolor book at my local coop. I like the thick paper and portability. It is great for testing out color combinations and little studies.

This paper is made in the USA and has a lovely texture. The label on the front is titled 'else ware'. 

Depending on how you paint the paper doesn't really buckle much. This is coming from a watercolorist who paints pretty wet.

Cloud Study

                                                                                             (C) 2024 Dale DiMauro

Landscape studies always have value for me. It is important to observe and concentrate on some aspect of the landscape which I can return to. It might simply be a record of the setting sun or an unusual cloud pattern.

Last week I painted this dramatic cloud formation, from a photograph I took at Popham Beach, in Maine, many summers ago. This winter I have been focusing on painting more diverse sky's with or without clouds.

There are only three pigments used in painting these clouds: ultramarine blue, payne's gray and raw sienna. One can see there are both soft and hard edges both on the perimeter and within the clouds.

New Mop Brush

 

The brushes you use to paint your watercolors are so personal. The feel, length of the handle and movement of the bristles we experience vary from one person to the next.

As a gift for my birthday I received this new mop brush which I absolutely love. Holding the handle in my hand just feels so right. It is a size 6  Raphael. 

For me it paints large juicy washes yet has the point of a pen when used vertically. I can pretty much paint an entire painting with this one brush.

West River Trail

                                                                                           (C) 2024 Dale DiMauro
 

The West River Trail, in Brattleboro, VT, has become a popular spot to walk your dog or jog along the water's edge. Naturally, in the warmer months it draws a lot more people and activities than during the wet and cold days of winter.

This watercolor was started a while ago but yesterday I advanced this picture quite a bit. There is a lot going on in this scene but I like the quality of the light - an overall warmth to the landscape.

This is painted on a watercolor block, called, 'The Master's Choice' which has a lovely textured surface. I am eager to paint on the rest of the block with this new mop brush I recently purchased.

Landscape Painting

 

                                                                                             (C)2024 Dale DiMauro

Painting trees and the landscape is something I love to do. In fact, I could paint the landscape all day. Particularly, if I have the freedom to modify elements in the landscape to my liking.

This painting, Local Field, was originally posted on 12/13/23. However, I keep coming back to this painting as the colors and wispy foliage above the field draw me back in. 

It has been hard for me to arrive at a color for foliage which appears natural in color and depiction yet has an opaque quality to it. In addition, the dark foliage above, is simply expressive.

In reviewing this painting, I realize how many of my paintings now have saturated color with richer darks and lights.

Sketchbook Watercolor

                                                                                       (C) 2024 Dale DiMauro
 

Experimentation is key. Playing around with watercolors takes you places you can't imagine. There are color combinations you can't come up with on your own. 

However, if you can draw, learn what others do and let pigments run on your palette you will come up with great stuff.

This watercolor I started as a doodle in my watercolor sketchbook. Before long the subject matter changed and it became a landscape. Basically, it was painted exclusively with neutral colors which had formed in the reservoirs of my palette. 

I was attracted to the edges of the foliage which are so descriptive and frame the landscape. In addition, the sky has a lot of variety with color blending plus hard and soft edges which adds a lot the painting. Finally, I felt like the color and movement of the water would draw you into the picture.