Watercolor Palette

                                                                                        (C) 2025 Dale DiMauro
 

Even though I have been painting in watercolors for years I just discovered my folding easel fits nicely into a butcher tray. That may sound odd to the reader. However, it means I can carry around and store my palette much more easier than before.

I find the small folding palettes often drip or leak which leads to spillage in undesired locations. As the photograph demonstrates I can also transport a sponge and brushes all with one hand easily.

The butcher tray featured above is 11.5" x 15.5". Butcher trays are available in an assortment of sizes. I have several and they are very handy to have around.

When I paint outside I do utilize a folding palette as portability and limited space are factors in carrying my painting supplies.

People in Watercolor

                                                                                     (C) 2025 Dale DiMauro
 

Painting people can be a challenge. Much of the time I aim to capture their posture and sense of movement. A little color here and there can go a long way.

It is important to include people from the start in your painting process. In painting the people who I painted above I did not want to show much detail - just capture the essence of the scene.

I try to sketch and paint people on a regular basis. That way I can become better at it but also, more intuitive in capturing the human body in motion. 

In addition, at times I like to incorporate the white of the paper as part of someone's outfit. I feel the white of the paper provides a special quality which I can't come up with on my own.

Fabriano Artistico Watercolor Block

                                                                                                 (C) 2025 Dale DiMauro
 

Since late fall 2024 I have been experimenting with color lifting on some of my watercolor paintings. This is an exciting development I find when lifting color in a small targeted area. It may be the suggestion of smoke in the distant hills or the white trunk of a birch tree. 

This technique interrupts dark massing in areas with some contrast or introduces atmospheric affects to the overall picture.

This Fabriano Artistico watercolor paper has a reputation for being good for color lifting. So I purchased a block of this paper to see what I can do with this technique. This is one of my first paintings on this surface so I am learning as I go.

This is a watercolor of a local agricultural field off the West River Trail, in Brattleboro, Vt.

LOCAL FIELD

                                                                                     (C) 2025 Dale DiMauro
 

Often my subject matter to paint originates from going on a hike, walk or cross-country ski. Much of the inspiration comes from the natural light I experience in that moment. In the warmer weather I am fortunate to paint outside right in that moment. Otherwise, when there is challenging weather(ie.wet or cold) I take a photograph or have to rely on my memory of an experience.

Recently, we have had beautiful mild weather - which I am not prepared for. I want to go outside and do something active and then realize there is a pile of melting snow, ice and mud all over the ground.

So this watercolor is in essence a painting of the West River trail field a couple months down the road.

I find I like to experiment and welcome painting on all kinds of surfaces. This is a rough (140lb) Baohong watercolor paper but I also like using hot, cold and soft press papers. In addition, I like painting on illustration board.

Smith College Museum of Art

 

Last week I visited Smith College in Northampton, MA to view the bulb show on display in their greenhouses. As usual it was a lovely and needed exhibit to get a whiff of Spring as Winter marches on here in southern Vermont.

Shortly afterwards I visited the art museum on the same campus. The permanent collection has quite a variety of paintings and objects in their collections. In one of their back rooms they have a lovely collection of drawings on exhibit.

This figure drawing from the collection caught my eye and imagination ever since I saw it. The accuracy, gracefulness and mastery of the line work is amazing. With just a few lines of pen this artist captures the character, fashion and time period of the subject matter.

The Italian artist and architect sited is Lodovico Cardi(1559 - 1613) known as Cigoli. He trained in Florence and later moved to Rome. This is a study of Jacob from Jacob's Dream drawn with brown ink on cream laid paper.

West River Trail

                                                                                   (C) 2025 Dale DiMauro
 

The West River Trail in Brattleboro, VT is a lovely walk right after a fresh snowfall. The sun coming off the Connecticut River or from the East produces a lovely warmth with the local birds flitting about. 

I like the agricultural field which you soon pass by for it's color changes throughout the seasons. Also, the smaller water channels which parallel the Connecticut River add much value when I am exploring the sights and sounds of nature.

I like painting on this 'Master's Choice' watercolor paper. In particular, I like the 'rough' surface they have which has a nice bead to it. If you use your brush right you can get nice dry brush effects across this textured surface.

Tough Winter

                                                                                               (C) 2025 Dale DiMauro

Winter is a great time to paint watercolors. I find the snow a great source of inspiration with the light patterns and the landscape, in general, viewed from a different perspective.

However, this winter has been a real challenge, at least, for me. Days and days of bitter temperatures, the absence of snow and then frequent storms requiring endless shoveling has made this winter exhausting. 

This winter my house was so dry I couldn't keep my eyes and skin moist enough. I had to do an exhausting eye treatment of drops every fours for nine days or so and then I got not one but two respiratory flu-like colds which dragged on forever.

Other than that it was a good winter. I did get some watercolors painted but not nearly as I intended as the house was so cold. We had many gray days where the snow stayed on the roof and our solar panels become ineffective. However, I am beginning to appreciate the mid-day sun and increased length of daylight. Before long I will be able to paint outside again....