Hansa Yellow Light

(C) 2019 Dale DiMauro

This week I introduced hansa yellow light to my palette. I had been thinking about this pigment for quite some time as it's color mixing attributes are appealing. Throughout the fall I had been searching for an opaque green to use for tree foliage. With more experimentation I hope to meet this need. 

Hansa yellow light mixes well with a range of blues creating fresh, you might say, 'garden' greens. This versatility is useful when painting the landscape.

In the color swatch above I mixed hansa yellow light with ultramarine. The next swatch consists of hansa yellow light with cerulean. The third swatch down combines hansa yellow light with phthalo blue.

In my limited exposure to this pigment I have learned that hansa yellow light is useful whether in a thin or thick application.

In conclusion, I learned this pigment is not as available as some other colors. The one I purchased is from Daniel Smith. In retrospect, this post may not be the most exciting for the reader but I believe there is value in the information presented.

Little landscapes

(C) 2019 Dale DiMauro

Doodling little landscapes in pencil, pen and watercolor is a favorite pastime of mine. Each time I challenge myself with different color schemes or ways to to express atmospheric qualities. Along the way I hope to become more proficient with the the brush and paint.

When I have success in painting landscapes it is important to start with the sky and work towards the foreground. A weak wash to imply a distant land mass can be very convincing. This also makes the foreground vegetation stand out in contrast. The second wash over the water gives depth and makes the water along the shore appear shallow.

Over time I have learned it is best to establish a convincing horizon. Keep it simple and parallel to the bottom of the page.

Recently, I have been trying to achieve cleaner washes with simpler mixes and broader strokes. The bigger brush I use the better. It is also important to leave the wash alone once it is put down. You can always add a second or third wash if necessary after the first has dried.

Pencil study

(C) 2019 Dale DiMauro

Sometimes a pencil sketch says it all. A little drawing done in five minutes, with such simplicity, can communicate more than a large detailed piece. At least that is what I think when I come back to this drawing.

Without any color added, I feel the sun over the snow-draped landscape. Even the rough pencil marks remind me of the shaggy bark curling in every which way it can.

Originally, I was inspired by the sight of this deciduous tree with it's Winter silhouette, as I drove by my town's common. This tree has a life of it's own, just as each individual human being has a story to tell. From this experience I was looking to capture more of it's presence so others could notice it. However, I wanted to give it context and scale so I included the the woods in the background. I believe a painting will come of this but I am not yet completely sold on the composition.

Snow returns to Brattleboro, VT

(C) 2019 Dale DiMauro

Last week southern Vermont received  a major snowstorm. Even though we had an early start to Winter back in November, we really didn't have much snow on the ground to speak of. In fact, in early January you could hike through the woods without any boots on.

Prior to this snowstorm it had been a great season for ice skating. It also had been icy, in general. In fact, I fell twice this Winter just walking. The first fall was on ice buried under snow which I am certain gave me a mild concussion.

Needless to say, I was eagerly anticipating the landscape covered in powder. I had been longing to paint some Winter scenes with drifting snow and late afternoon light. I did get out and cross-country ski, though. Not long after the snowstorm, rain moved in before the ground refroze. 

In spite of the kind of Winter we have had, I have started a full-sheet watercolor from a local scene I came upon in 2017. It is a fresh winter scene with incredible light piercing across the landscape.

American Artist Magazine

(C) 2019 Photograph Dale DiMauro

As a birthday gift last April my father-in-law gave me several 1950 era American Artist magazines. Not only were there interesting articles on watercolor painting of the day, but the advertising was fascinating. 

Before the computer dominated how we communicated with each other, advertising was created primarily through hand lettering and drawing. Of course, this is not news to many of us. However, to page through these magazines you can really sense how important hand drawing had been.  

Not only were the ads created by hand but many of them were promoting drawing products such as charcoal, fountains pens etc., and how to use them. This appreciation of an aspect of the visual arts is no longer found in our current magazines.

Fortunately, there is in general, an increased appreciation for those with the ability to utilize freehand drawing.

The Connecticut River Valley

(C) 2019 Dale DiMauro

For this watercolor I am broadening my horizons. This birds eye view fills the watercolor sheet with characteristics of the regional landscape. We have the Connecticut River, fields, agricultural land and the distant hills of New Hampshire.

Viewing the landscape from a distance enables an artist to interpret basic shapes and then clarify them with values. I have been aiming to have clean washes of color where the open spaces occur. At the base of the wooded areas I have emphasized darker washes to give depth and height to the woodland edge.

There are foreground features I have yet to add which include two trees with their darker foliage and other foliage appearing above the river. I feel this painting has a good start and am excited where this takes me. 

Watercolor doodle

(C) 2019 Dale DiMauro

This is one of those watercolor paper remnants, after a painting has been cut down to size. It is exciting to draw or try out new color combinations, free of expectations. Often these are doodles when the mind is preoccupied with something else. 

Is the figure entering the picture or exiting the scene? Who is she? What is going on below her waist? These abstract qualities, for me, give the image all kinds of unforeseen possibilities.

I like to look at these images and ponder where I was artistically at this point in time. The other side of the paper is full of marks and images too.

Warmer horizons

(C) 2019 Dale DiMauro

After thoroughly cleaning my palette I am up and running again. I have introduced more warmer pigments as can be seen on the left. Yellows, I find useful in creating rich, vibrant greens as opposed to store-bought tubes of green. Nevertheless, french ultramarine blue is the pigment I use most.  

During the process of cleaning my palette I learned it was best to knock any dry pigment loose with a screwdriver or palette knife. Then, I had less pigment to deal with, which cleaned up well with a household spray. This approach was actually less time consuming, cleaner and used much less paper towels than any other approaches I have tried to date. 

Originally, it seemed necessary to clean my palette because there was a build-up of dry, cracked pigments. It was also an opportunity to introduce new pigments while parting with some that I do not use much. Since this change I am mixing more purples and a greater range of grays.

Recently, I started this watercolor on the right. This landscape felt more like a November scene than an early January one.

Late afternoon sun

(C) 2019 Dale DiMauro

At this time of year the setting sun can be magical. A slice of the late day sun across the woodland edge can warm the landscape and thus, your soul. It highlights and brings attention to an otherwise ordinary landscape.

When working on this watercolor I observed the sun warmed the landscape well up into the atmosphere. I put colors into the sky that I wouldn't normally consider. There is permanent rose, raw sienna, cerulean and a lemon yellow all in this sky. Regardless, the warm wash of the woodland edge against the cold landscape at this time of year radiates.

I have learned through trial and error that the landscape is best when a few values darker than the sky or the picture will come across as weak, lacking a solid footing. 

New colors for a New Year

(C) 2019 Dale DiMauro

This is a scene I have experienced throughout the seasons. I have recorded it many times on my camera and painted it on numerous occasions in watercolor, as well. It is good, I find, to go back and see things in a different light. 

Since cleaning and tweaking my palette as I entered the New Year, this is the first watercolor completed in 2019. However, the pigments used for the most part, have not been my usual choices.

In this case I used cerulean blue for the sky, which I find, is a pigment that mixes well with others. The combination of burnt umber and ultramarine, as a dark for the base of the woodland edge, I have been experimenting with a lot, lately. Perhaps, the most important pairing in this watercolor is indian yellow with winsor violet which provides the warm brown in the foreground. In the past, I could not for the life of me, come up with that foreground color. Now I am much more satisfied with the result.

New landscape horizons

(C) 2019 Photograph Dale DiMauro

As 2018 came to a close, I figured it was appropriate to thoroughly clean my palette for the New Year.  During this cleaning I realized it was a great opportunity to improve the layout of my paints as certain pigments are used more than others and thus, can be better located. As a result I have not painted much the last two days.

At the same time it dawned on me with this recent string of sunny days, I had taken some good photographs of the landscape. I keep thinking about these photographs as the Vermont landscape is stunning at this time of year with or without snow.

In this photograph, I love the character of the arched tree with its red buds, the swirl of grass and the distinct blue mountains in the distance. Clearly, it's worth getting outside into nature and putting aside that electronic device you have!

Reading the landscape...........

(C) 2018 Dale DiMauro

We have had beautiful, sunny days for the most part, to close out 2018. Lately, the landscape looks more like a late November day than some point in December. The snow has receded enough that I found I can walk through the woods without boots or the ice grabbers that often are required in the winter.

One can truly see the natural colors of nature if you really look. I hike through the woods and fields challenging myself. I ask myself what pigments on my palette would express these warm and cool washes found in nature. The long shadows are an important component of this landscape. 

I believe these colors tell us a lot about the regional landscape, the time of year and where we call home. Hopefully, I can manipulate these colors and patterns in subtle ways which will create stronger paintings and a greater connection to where we live and in the time we live.

And by the way, Happy New Year to you....

Latest landscape

(C) 2018 Dale DiMauro

Is Winter coming or going here in Vermont? It certainly has been cold. However, much of the snow we had last month is no longer with us. My wife and I did in fact, skate on the retreat meadows earlier in the day. We thought the conditions were great. The sun was out when we got there too.

This watercolor was started when we had more snow than we now have. I like the atmospheric qualities of this scene. There is an eerie quality in this watercolor which I find appealing. 

Often subtlety in the landscape speaks volumes. When there is a soft change in color or the edges of elements are less defined often make for a memorable landscape. When I think of these qualities the paintings of George Inness comes to mind.

Happy Holidays to All

(C) 2018 Dale DiMauro

This watercolor was inspired from a hike my wife and I took in 2017 on Mount Desert Island in Bar Harbor, Maine. For us the best time to hike is late in the afternoon during the hot, humid summer. At this time of day, the crowds thin out and we are not usually exposed to the sun. This is in part, because we favor certain eastern facing mountains. Of course, the view in all directions is stunning.

Hopefully 2019 will provide great opportunities to plein air paint along with some major studio works. As they say, you can't stand still. You gotta keep moving.

I want to wish all a Happy Holiday season and a great New Year. May 2019 be your best year ever.

Early fall field

(C) 2018 Dale DiMauro

In early fall while hiking I was struck by this scene. The grand vista across the field and into the distant hills with the varying degrees of light inspired me to try a much larger landscape.  

Throughout the summer season I painted many smaller landscapes. Each one I believe showed some sort of progress. Whether it was mixing richer greens or browns, more varied skies, or deleting unnecessary elements, to simplify the composition.

In this unfinished watercolor the middle ground is the challenge. It is important for the artist to make the viewer perceive the landscape clearly. This will require going back into the shadows and articulating some of the clumps of grass. In addition, the foreground will need opaque paint to suggest some of the blades of grass against the shadows.

Low light & long shadows

(C) 2018 Dale DiMauro

We are fast approaching the shortest days of the year. When the sun is in fact, out, I try to go outdoors and take in at least twenty minutes of direct sunshine, usually on a hike. Shadows so dominate the countryside at this time of year that it makes painting the landscape quite dramatic.

This is a plein air watercolor I painted looking through the bay window of our living room last December. The low light at this time of year reminded me of this picture. There is warmth and cool temperatures in this watercolor. Prior to painting this picture I toned the paper a warm yellow which gives the areas in the sun such as the snow increased warmth.

The slate-gray colored road at the bottom of the image provides a cool contrast with the vertical elements jutting up out of the snow.

Retreat cornfield

(C)2018 Dale DiMauro

This fall was really different here in southern Vermont. Or at least that is my feeling on the subject. 
At the end of a summer that brought many rainy days, the fall foliage was forecast to be quite good. However, the rainy weather continued. In fact, I do not recall many full days of sun or consecutive days with sunshine. After that, the early winter moved in.

I had hoped to plein air paint quite a bit as the humidity waned. The damp air and low light discouraged the outdoor painting I would do. I did paint, but it was mostly done indoors. 

This watercolor was inspired from a hike I took through the Brattleboro Retreat land on a pleasant late fall afternoon. This scene is what I think of when someone mentions fall in Vermont. It doesn't have the reds we tend to treasure but has much warmth in the landscape with the yellows and tawny colors.

Figures & Automobiles

In a previous post on October 31, 2018 I mentioned an admiration for the work of watercolorist David Curtis. He is an english painter steeped in the tradition of using neutral colors such as warm and cool grays with soft light in his work. I have his book titled, David Curtis: Light & Mood in watercolour and refer to it often. 

Figures and automobiles can provide a sense of scale in a landscape or suggest a time period. David Curtis paints these lovely figures and automobiles which appear so natural in his paintings.

I have been trying to learn his approach and color scheme where it might become useful in my work. These watercolor sketches are basically copied from his book. In addition, I have learned to appreciate the subtlety and range of grays that are available in watercolor.

Monument Square

(C) 2018 Dale DiMauro

This is a different subject matter than I usually tackle. It is both a large self-portrait and an urban scene. In addition, this painting has a lot of color in it. More color I believe than other watercolors I have done.

The background with all the angles and planes was challenging. There is a contemporary quality with the water bottle, chip bag and sunglasses which I like. In the end, more paint was lifted in depicting this scene than on any other watercolor I have ever worked on.

Except for signing the painting, it is finished. I must say when it rests under a mat it looks impressive, both for it's size and pleasing colors.

Practice sheet

(C) 2018 Dale DiMauro

Any scrap of watercolor paper is valuable to me, assuming it is good quality paper such as Arches or Saunders which have been manufactured for centuries. If I lose interest in a watercolor for whatever reason I often turn it over and paint on the back. The other alternative is to divide the piece into smaller remnants which I can use as a test sheet for sampling color mixtures.

This is one of those test sheets. In fact, in this case, I used Arches watercolor paper which is a reliable friend where an artist can achieve an unlimited range of marks.

I had started a portrait on the back but had lost the excitement of how this watercolor was developing. Not only do I experiment with new color combinations but sample different brush techniques. For the speckled area in the sky I was experimenting with dragging the brush across the paper with a sharp angle. 

It is fun to just play with the pigments and different brushes without any expectations. This intuitive approach is particularly rewarding as a way to loosen up if you have been away from painting for some time.