Plein Air Painting: Watercolor Study

                                                                  (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

This past Monday I did some watercolor painting with the Saxton's River Art Group in Walpole, N.H. Since I was amongst all these historical buildings along The Common I figured it was a good time to try a plein air with an architectural focus. I didn't include the whole building as time would be limited and  the light was going to change rapidly.

The perspective is not quite right but I have done worse in the past so I was somewhat pleased with what I came up with. I tweaked the landscape so my focus could settle on the building's features.

It truly is a challenge to capture a building's details out in the natural light. First you have to settle on a composition that is not too involved. Then as you work on your picture you see things you didn't see when you began. However, there is a strong presence to the building which I find refreshing.

Taking it all in

(C) 2020 Dale DiMauro

People watching can be endlessly entertaining. Particularly, when you have a wide range of people with diverse activities, dress and body language.

The setting for this painting is an outdoor concert during the summer months. I stripped the composition down to it's essence  - the individual. I stained the paper in advance to both eliminate the white of the paper and give the background some warmth. However, you can't see much warmth in the photograph. Take notice that all the cool colors are in the foreground. Often they are in the background.

With this profile you get a sense of the individual's presence. I like the abstract shapes and qualities left by the watercolor washes.

Looking West

(C) 2020 Dale DiMauro

Sometimes you have to paint a landscape several times. Even from a different vantage point. Or perhaps on a larger scale.

This watercolor is the evolution of all those considerations. That is the Green Mountains in the distance, even though they appear blue. 

Late summer in Vermont is truly a special time of year to see the landscape for what it is. The colors can be vivid and the fields acquire a russet coloration. I have noticed the foliage has become blue-green and the shadows are often edged with this undulating quality. 

Unconscious or not my landscapes seem to express a deeper saturation of color. In addition, I keep playing with how to depict the woodland edge. The initial washes freely stain the paper and thus, set the table for the rest of the painting.

Connecticut River(boat landing)

(C) 2019 Dale DiMauro

With this phenomenal sunny weather we our experiencing, I am trying to get out as much as I can to plein air paint. The tinge of color on the foliage tells me the leaves will be falling soon. In fact, in some places it is already on the ground.

In my mind I try to envision where the sun will be, in determining where I want to paint. Earlier this week I chose an early morning site where I could face west across the Connecticut River. If it had rising mist all the better. Nevertheless, a lovely location.

I started out focusing on the river as the subject until I noticed the sun warming the log in front of all this vibrant growth. The overall light conveyed across the scene I find quite welcoming. I spent a little over an hour on this piece. At that point I did not want to overwork the painting.

Stickney Brook II

(C) 2019 Dale DiMauro

As you may have figured out by now, Stickney Brook is one of my favorite local plein air spots. The dappled light, burst of foliage, cool breezes and water in its various forms is enticing. In numerous points along the brook you have falls, pools, eddies and meandering, offering diverse vantage points to paint and dip in.

I sat on a flat ledge-like rock, seat height, with my feet dangling in the rushing water. The light was changing quickly so I worked fast from top to bottom. These days I have evolved to rotating the watercolor block in my hand to manipulate the areas which are wet until I move on to another area. The spatial qualities of the brook I feel good about even if the foreground could use some finishing touches.

This Summer I have been using Holbein watercolors almost exclusively for painting outside. One of the great things about painting outdoors is the simplicity one attains whether conscious or not. For this painting I only used two brushes.

Late Summer Day

(C) 2019 Dale DiMauro

Painting the landscape is one thing. However, painting the sky is another thing unto itself. It can be really challenging. Regardless, I like it when there is an element of depth or variation in the patterns of a sky. 

When I start a watercolor the first thing I do is put a wash down for the sky and then proceed to other areas of a painting. I have been told, or read that the landscape in general is darker in value than the sky. If the landscape is weak in value then your picture has no real foundation to build upon.

This picture is inspired from a late afternoon paddle on a nearby pond in Vermont. I looked up from paddling and experienced the vastness of the sky, which was so inspiring yet, truly overwhelming.

As a result I felt the need to challenge myself to take on more adventurous studies of the sky. If there is any medium capable of expressing the atmospheric qualities of the sky it seems like watercolor would be most suitable.

Robin Hood Park, Keene, NH

(C) 2018 Dale DiMauro

This past weekend I played in a tennis tournament in Keene, New Hampshire. After a long Saturday match I found a spot in the shade and started this plein air painting. This watercolor was eventually finished in the studio. 

What is exciting for me was capturing a quality of the spirit of this place. I can't really say that I have done that before. However, I believe between the back lit light, water and figure there is something ethereal about this picture.

There really are few hard edges in this painting which I find difficult to achieve. This made me consider the great tradition of english artists who paint watercolors with a lot of neutral colors and minimal contrast. David Curtis is one such painter who came to mind when I was wrapping up this painting.

Down by the river

(C) 2018 Dale DiMauro

Brattleboro, Vermont, on Saturday was the site of a beautiful, sunny day. While I played in a singles tournament at the Brattleboro Outing Club, I found time to fit in some plein air painting.

In my travels around the area I often seek out new areas to consider for painting. The location for this picture is one of those locations. When you head out of Brattleboro towards the old Walmart store, you travel over two bridges carrying you over the Connecticut River. Just before the second bridge on the left is an old bridge abutment which appears to have been there for many decades. These days it is the perfect landing to look up and down the Connecticut River on the New Hampshire side.

Since I use a different palate for outdoor painting than my indoor set I come up with different results. My outdoor palette has sixteen pigments while indoors I may use as many as forty colors.

Lately I have been combining colors I would not have imagined before. I put red into my blue skies to attain some warmth while partnering browns with my greens to achieve a rich, earthy color. Yesterday, I like the effect my rigger brush made when I dragged it across the page. This can be seen in the sharp-edged foliage of the tree on the upper right. 

Each time I play with watercolor paints something is learned. Even when a watercolor does not come out like I would like, I make notes to refine my approach.

Fresh tracks

(C) 2018 Dale DiMauro

These days I begin a studio painting with a specific approach. Lately, I tone the paper before I really start painting. In this watercolor which I am beginning to become excited about, a wet wash of cobalt blue was applied across the whole sheet. This way I can go cooler as needed for both the snow and sky. Yet, I can also introduce some warm color, in the sun, for example, if needed.

What attracted me to this scene is how the shadows draw the viewer right into the picture with such a rich blue. The other appealing quality is the shrubby undergrowth on the left in contrast to the blue-green evergreen massing.

I was looking to perhaps finish this painting today. However, the weather was so uncharacteristically mild that I had to get outside. Actually, I did paint a plein air while I was in Keene in the afternoon.

Along the Keene, NH, Rail Trail

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

This watercolor was started early this afternoon. I like where this picture is headed, however, my start was cut short by time constraints. Lately, I have become clear in my thinking as to how I want to approach the start of a painting. For example, there are occasions when toning the paper is beneficial, such as painting a winter scene. Other times I focus on the landscape and finish the sky later.

I have become more willing and even perhaps, more adept, at dropping in color when a section of the paper is wet. The fall colors were created this way. Fall foliage can appear fresh which I prefer, or can it become overworked, which I detest.

The way the big pine tree on the right frames the scene was the inspiration. In addition, I like the sharp contrast in light across the landscape.

Late Fall in Brattleboro, VT

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

This is a watercolor I have been playing around with, here and there, over the last couple of weeks. I was struck by the russet fall colors this late in the season, in combination, with the long shadows. At this time of year the light is changing so rapidly I had to take a photograph before the landscape was all in shadow. I would have preferred to work in plein air except the temperature was dropping rapidly, too.

I came back to this after several days when it dawned on me I have a little used pigment on my palette which is needed to complete this picture. That color is called brown madder, which is a red. I applied it on some of the trees on the forest edge which added a richness it was lacking.

This photograph came out more on the orange side than the actual picture conveys.

Plein Air Landscape

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

Late this afternoon I started this plein air watercolor. I was in Keene, NH, finishing some errands when I settled on this spot in the Asheulot Park. It may look a little amateurish, but I like the decisions made along the way. The days are getting so short that the window for painting is narrowing rapidly.

Since the yellow foliage was so fresh and dominant, I wanted to put down a vibrant wash and leave it alone. When plein air painting, it is important to utilize the old adage: warm colors advance. and cool colors recede.

When I started the sun was in my eyes with the landscape backlit, creating interesting shadow patterns and that mist-like quality on the right side.

South Pond

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

Often when paddling in the summer season, I am searching for places to capture in watercolor. South Pond in Southern Vermont, offers much to be desired for the paddler and the artist, simultaneously. Generally speaking, it is a quiet place, with minimal development and a variety of wildlife if you are paying attention. I have come upon cormorants, loons, red-winged black birds and numerous other birds that escape my identification abilities. My most spectacular experience, as I mentioned in a prior post, was when a deer with a full set of antlers swam thrashing across the still surface of the pond. 

Recently, I left South Pond, with my kayak on the roof of my car and this plein air in hand. In town it was one of those sticky, muggy days, which motivates me to seek a cooler setting. After an hour and a half of standing in the shallow water, I was pleased with the direction this picture was going. The light had changed significantly, but I like the greens and browns that were such a part of this small protected cove.

Stickney Brook Falls

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

I found yesterday afternoon to be a hot and humid day in Brattleboro, Vermont, so I escaped to these little falls not far from where we live. I love the sound of the falls, the breeze they create, and being able to cool down on a hot day.

It was a challenge to paint this scene. I had two rambunctious girls circling around me while throwing stones. At the same time their energetic dog was shaking water from its body right at my foot, and licking my knee from time to time.

With many plein air paintings, you don't really know what you'll get until you're done. I worked on this a little too much since the light had changed and the sun moved directly into my eyes. The cascading water that zig-zagged down the hill was at times invisible to the eye yet audible as it flowed from one outcropping to the next.

By the end of my painting time, consciously or not, I was exclusively painting in purples and grays or black. After I got home and took a second look with a fresh eye, I was pleased with my result. The rock ledges have a cool, shadowy quality to them.

Acadia National Park

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

My wife and I spent this week in Bar Harbor, Maine, and exploring Acadia National Park by car, foot and through swimming. We met up with relatives and friends along the way. We even ran into good friends from Vermont who happened to be walking along the sidewalk in the downtown area.

One of the hikes we took was around Jordan Pond, which was well traveled. This little plein air was done not far from the trail. It was a challenge finding a spot to get situated that was not in the sun. The Bubbles are in the background, which are two small rocky mountains. There was quite a bit of wildlife coming and going around me. There were many people, gulls, and ducks, as well as small schools of fish in the shallow water near my feet.

When plein air painting I seem to arrive at colors that approximate the natural scene. This is not easy to do as the light is constantly changing, so I am proud of that. However, I feel the foreground needs a little more work to solidify the picture. I could have worked a little longer, but my stomach was calling for lunch.

Along the Ashuelot River

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

Plein air painting can be a challenge with the changing light and weather conditions but lately, I have been embracing it. Also, plein air forces you to paint directly as you have time constraints. You get these rich colors down on the paper and it dries quickly. However, there are areas where the white of the paper shows through which can be advantageous, such as the reflections on the water, in this case.

When I am painting outside in the elements I am so focused on painting that all other distractions I am oblivious to. I am thinking about what area to focus on next or when to drop pigment into an already wet area. This free and wild quality I definitely enjoy when painting in watercolor. Often to suggest with pigment is more effective than covering the whole page.

What attracted me to this subject was the moving water against the backlit river vegetation. In addition, that band of spring green was stunning.

Ships at sea

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

There are some amazing marine painters producing inspiring work at their easels. Amongst others, I admire the work of Carl Evers and Jim Griffiths. Carl Evers was a master at portraying water and the many moods of the sea while Jim Griffiths captures historically accurate vessels from a different era with a fresh perspective. 

Both artists have been affiliated with the American Society of Marine Artists(A.S.M.A.) which paint historically accurate pictures of ships during their heyday based on considered research. There seem to be a limited number of these painters who work in watercolor. However, they are quite impressive.

In that vein, I was eager to attempt an ocean scene of my own, not expecting to achieve their prowess any time soon. From my own experience I do enjoy the atmospheric effects one experiences when in coastal Maine down by the docks or in a protected inlet. When you add the rich smells of the sea and the sounds of the coastal birds you can begin to imagine all kinds of history. 

Watercolor is a natural medium to capture the atmospheric effects of fog descending upon a ship or the last light of day. 

Retreat Field

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

This is a more completed version of my last post. As you can see I dropped in a figure looking towards the distant hills, as I thought the picture was lacking a focal point. The foreground has become darker and cooler as the individual is looking ahead into the distant light after exiting the woods. Making all of the various marks in the foreground I found very exciting to work on. For me they describe the season and time of day and give direction to the painting. This area has the most abstract shapes within it as I used a larger brush with greater pigment.

Getting the figure right took some effort as I drew on trace paper various figures and debated adding a dog to the left of the man. One of the critical decisions was how big to make the figure and thus, how much detail to include. I do like the man's posture and his clothing, plus how he is facing toward the other side of the field.

One of the qualities I was after in this picture was the way the late sun at this time year washes across the edge of the woods, a glow before the sun goes down.

Retreat Field(a work in progress)

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

The woods and fields of the Windham Foundation are traversed by many in Brattleboro who are trying to get a walk in. I have walked across these fields many times, in all kinds of weather. Over time I have learned to appreciate the changing light with subtle and dramatic changes in the sky.

As I began to paint this watercolor, it seemed to have the qualities of an oil painting. There is a build-up of paint in the foreground while the tree line to the right has a glow as if from the light you see in oil paintings. In addition, I tried painting the sky differently, giving the clouds a layered and hard edged appearance.

The ground plane has been a struggle to get just right. I have learned that the landscape needs to be a distinct value darker than the sky to give it a solid grounding and separation from the sky.

At this point in the development of the painting I have come to realize the foreground needs something to give it a spark. I plan on adding an individual to the right foreground, looking towards the distant hill. I might even add a dog in front of the person to strengthen the focus of the picture.

Fort Dummer State Park

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

Fort Dummer State Park is a great place to take a hike. Particularly, after it is closed for the season. Once labor day passes the hiker is free of any sort of fees. I have walked, hiked, run and cross-country skied on at least the park roads.

There is a secret little quarry with a little pond at the foot of these cascading rocks. The growth over the rock formation is real appealing to me. In the early fall I could not resist attempting to paint that rock face.

This watercolor started out rough but I think it progressed nicely. The surface of the pond is so still and murky yet it provides pristine reflections. I do like the opposite shoreline with it's warm pine needle color. To suggest depth to the foliage over the rocks I built up various washes of blues. 

I believe this picture is like no other watercolor I have painted. To me it is a pure landscape scene with no structures or people in it. These can be the hardest subjects to tackle without overdoing it. It is easy for it to become a cheesy picture or to lose the center of focus.