Retreat Meadows

                                                                                 (C) 2024 Dale DiMauro
 

Painting fall colors in watercolor can be challenging. The colors are so intense and the saturation of pigment is important as in watercolor the colors want to bleed into the surrounding areas. However, you also want that wet wash to give you that fresh feeling that only watercolor can provide.

I took a bold chance and tried to see what I could do with this scene in watercolor. I dropped in more pigmentation before the surface dried and even then it was not enough. Brilliant orange and cadmium red were the pigments I used to try to portray the red hillside.

The setting sun made the foliage and hill look almost electric. This energy caught my eye when I drove by the Retreat Meadows. It made me pull over, park my car and run down and capture the scene with my camera before the light changed.

Local Field

                                                                               (C) 2024 Dale DiMauro
 

It is rewarding to experiment whenever I can in watercolor whether it is with the paint, the paper or with new techniques. I lifted paint from the lower sky with a damp brush and paper towel. Also, I painted pure pigment in the upper sky to make more hard-edged clouds which I think added a touch to the painting.

These are things I would not have done a year ago yet I feel add much to my current practice of painting. In addition, the shadow in the foreground is much freer than I would have done previously.

This watercolor was painted on 'The Masters' Choice' an economical watercolor paper with a nice rough texture. I really do like this paper.

Along the West River

                                                                                 (C) 2024 Dale DiMauro
 

This has been a glorious fall full of great fall foliage with quite a run of mild weather. With the lack of rain it seems the foliage just lingers on the trees or on the ground. There are times late in the day when a magical glow radiates across the landscape.

This watercolor was inspired by the tawny colors along the West River Trail in Brattleboro, VT. Recently, late in the day, I caught a full rainbow traipsing across the dramatic sky over the local wetlands.

I painted this watercolor on Arches 300 lb cold press paper. Usually, I prefer the 140 lb paper but I gave this one a try. The thicker paper gave me more time to work the pigments into the paper which was beneficial in developing a richer saturation of colors.

Fort Dummer State Park

                                                                                (C) 2024 Dale DiMauro
 

Fort Dummer State Park in Brattleboro, VT, is a lovely state park to camp or hike in. I usually go there in the off season when it is closed to the public. Thus, I often go for a hike or jog free of charge.

I always thought it closed for the season on labor day weekend. It actually closed for the season this year on October 14, right after the three-day weekend which had included Indigenous People's Day. 

When I went there it was a lovely fall day with mild temperatures and colorful foliage making it perfect conditions for plein air painting. There is a convenient picnic table(actually several) placed in this open field which I paint from. 

This is a study I painted before painting my actual watercolor. It ended up turning out better than my larger piece. This was painted fast and my colors blended on the paper yet kept a good degree of saturation which reminded of my experience that day.

Along the West River

                                                                                           (C) 2024 Dale DiMauro
 

Painting with black is not universally accepted in watercolor groups. I don't know why not. Many people say that painting out of the tube in black provides a dull and flat color. However, if you blend ivory black with other pigments such as sepia or sap green you can get a much richer pigmentation.

Recently, I had this back-lit experience along the West River in Brattleboro, VT. The memory of a colorless experience was so strong I had to try and capture it on paper. In this case I blended some variation of ivory black/permanent sap green/sepia and payne's gray to achieve a very rich dark.

I put it down quickly so I would not come back and fuss with it later. It was such a stark experience that I didn't want to develop a biased opinion to painting with black and white. In addition, I believe it is always good to develop an expanding palette for when the occasion arises.

Maine Landscape

                                                                                          (C) 2024 Dale DiMauro
 

Experimenting in watercolor is key to progressing with the medium. Along the way you learn techniques that can be advantageous to use when the situation arrises. 

For example, I have been adding a dark mixture at the base of vegetation to provide a substance to the root of the growth. Some of this can be seen along the far shoreline where shadows provide more interest.

Also, at the bottom of the picture, below the water, I used my atomizer to spatter dark value along the shore which offers a little movement in the air, too.

These developments in my painting practice get my juices my flowing. Also, they keep me inspired to paint and challenge myself to greater heights.

Mixing Browns

                                                                                              (C) 2024 Dale DiMauro
 

Brown is a challenging color for me to paint. It seems best to mix your own browns as the pigments explode to life with freshness. Finding good color combinations is key.

Often the browns I come up with lean either towards yellow or red. One of my favorite brown mixtures is sap green/ windsor violet and cadmium red.

Recently, I became excited to discover two new browns to add to my watercolor painting. The first, burnt sienna and cobalt blue is a very useful color combination. The other as seen in the above watercolor utilizes the combination of: ultramarine blue/new gamboge and cadmium red. I came upon this color combination by experimentation.

This coloring has a definite yellow influence and may even look a bit like an Andrew Wyeth painting. However, this landscape evolved out of playing with this brown color combination. It does not reference a specific place in the world.

Watercolor Brushes

 

                                                                                          (C) 2024 Dale DiMauro

Watercolor brush selection seems to be by personal choice. There are a huge range of brushes and manufactures to choose from. Some are cheap and come in sets while others are expensive and usually sold as individual items. However, most of the brushes I got were heavily discounted(or discontinued), given to me or I got with a gift card, which I earned.

By now I must have painted hundreds of watercolors - many small pictures on a wide range of papers from postcard-sized and up. Along the way I have developed my own preferences. For plein air painting I use a small selection of cheaper brushes for on the go.

The last several years I have been pushing myself to paint larger with bigger brushes when painting indoors. Regardless, I want brushes to last, so I treat them with the utmost respect. I rinse them out right after I am done using them and lay them down on a paper towel sheet.

The brush on the bottom is my most recent acquisition. It is called - da vinci - Casaneo - a liner brush I believe. I love this brush as it has a long flexible point which is great for painting power lines or straggly foliage. It is the most expressive brush I have.

Covid Isolation Watercolor

                                                                                   (C) 2024 Dale DiMauro
 

After being stuck inside day after day with COVID for ten days straight I painted this watercolor as a sort of romantic landscape. It has the qualities of a late summer landscape with some color change yet no bare trees. The water is even enticing.

It has been so mild lately that a hard frost is not expected before the middle of October. Thus, the mosquitoes will have longer season, too.

I do find myself shifting my palette towards more reds at this time of year. Reds and warm browns or earth colors seem to signal the end of the summer season.