Self-portrait

(C) 2018 Dale DiMauro

Painting urban subjects I have discovered is a real challenge. This scene has numerous angles from storefronts with projecting signs to reflections in the window, etc. Therefore, if the perspective is off it is obvious and diminishes the painting significantly.

It is a painting where all the focus should be on the individual with the background kept simple. However, all those beautiful colors are wonderful to depict in watercolor. In that regard, this makes it a real watercolor.

Clearly, this painting has a long way to go. However, it has a strong composition and is like no other watercolor I have attempted. The setting is outside, during the summer season, along a cafe in Portland, Maine. 

My Brother

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

There have been numerous commitments that have kept me from finishing this painting. Well, I finally managed to complete it, other than signing it. 

There were several details that needed to be resolved. One was that the water bottle did not read as resting within a holder. Another was that the fanny pack was the same color as the shirt, thereby not registering as a separate element, drawing the eye unnecessarily to the bottom of the painting. The exterior pocket of the fanny pack had an angular shape, which did not look right and was distracting. I gave the area another darker wash with a neutral color and created a softer edge to convey distance.

When you work on a painting of this scale these elements become important, particularly when conveying the human form. I like this painting for its composition and subdued colors, which sparkle in contrast to the red bottle cap.

Muted Colors

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

This week there has been progress on this full sheet watercolor. First of all, this picture does not have much color, which is the strength of the composition. The muted colors help to make the red water bottle cap come forward. The background has been kept simple and lacking in detail, to avoid conflicting with the figure.

Mask was used to preserve some white areas for the hair. It has since been removed and painted over. The shirt which dominates a majority of the painting has distinct folds of fabric.

There has been much positive feedback regarding this watercolor. When matted, framed and hanging on the wall this picture will have an impact on the viewer. The posture, scale and water bottle details command your attention. However, there is still work to be done on the shirt, fanny pack, face and hat.

The View from Mt. Wantasticut

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

With the recent rain here in Vermont, I put in a bit of work last week on this watercolor. It is on a full sheet(22" x 30") of heavy rag paper(3oolb) where you can build up glazes and achieve a range of effects across the surface.

One of the qualities I like about this picture is that the colors are relatively muted. There are few strong contrasts, as in distinct shadows, but what color there is, really pops off the page, as in the red water bottle cap. In addition, I find the distant, blue mountains against the skin color to be stunning. That area is yet incomplete. 

The folds of the shirt and contours of the fanny pack in their abstract shapes, could be a painting unto itself. I am excited where this picture is headed as originally the distant landscape was not given much thought.

Winter by the brook

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

This is a local scene, relatively speaking. When my wife was off from work recently, we took a day trip to Manchester, Vermont on a chilly but beautiful day with great light and shadows projected on the land. Prior to this trip we had been told Manchester had yet to have a plowable snowstorm all season, but things had changed.

I am excited about the progress of this watercolor, which I started earlier this week; however, there is much work to be done. The sky was done with a large foam house painting brush. I like how the fence rails lead the viewer into the picture. The red hat creates an attractive focal point in the middle of the picture.

This is painted on a full sheet of watercolor paper,  22" x 30", which when framed, on a wall, makes an impact. I have wanted to paint a large landscape for some time. The vertical orientation I believe adds depth to the landscape.