Recent Plein Air Painting

                                                                        (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

It had been a while since we had a beautiful sunny day. Even the weather forecast was for another cloudy day. However, one day early this week around noon the clouds parted and the sun emerged bringing a glorious afternoon.

I had been looking to squeeze in some plein air painting. This was painted looking outside a window in my house. I painted this in an hour or so. Nevertheless, the light changed a lot.

The winter light can be so captivating across the snow. I like the clean colors and warm light. This experience inspired me to take a walk and photograph this great light on the landscape.

New Year, New Horizons

                                                                      (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro

With the advent of a new year comes new resolutions. This first post of 2021 welcomes a better understanding of my palette. Over time I plan on mixing and painting with greater yellows and browns.

I feel like I hardly use yellow and browns in my watercolors. Some of the greatest watercolorists who have ever lived such as John Singer Sargent and Andrew Wyeth were masters of color even if they used minimal amount at times. For example, I admire Sargent's use of yellows and browns in his canal paintings of Venice. There is a historical quality to these images without the use of heavy shadows or strong contrast in light.

This watercolor sketch uses color mixes I do not utilize enough. One has Indian yellow and Windsor violet. Another has cadmium red and ultramarine. Another favorite is quinacridone gold and alizarin crimson. I think you get the picture. The more I play with them the better sense of how to utilize them will emerge.

On the Beach

                                                                      (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

Painting water in all it's forms has become very satisfying for me. I like the movement of the water and the changing light across it's surface. Also, I have become more daring in my color mixes. By accident I discovered a nice dark which I have increasingly been using. This dark is the result of mixing ultramarine blue, burnt sienna and raw sienna. To me it is a more natural appearing dark than payne's gray.

I feel that I got a good start to this watercolor. It was moving along well the other day but I just have not had time to finish it. 

Painting a beach full of stones can be a challenge. However, I think it could be an asset to this painting. Nevertheless, it is the greatest challenge for me in this watercolor. 

I like the developing warm and cool colors in this picture.

Holiday Watercolor

                                                                (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

Over the holiday I managed to paint this little watercolor swatch on the back of a piece of scrap paper. There is much saturated color in this picture which gives the image an overwhelming green quality. 

Often I pre-stain my watercolor sheet in advance of painting. The watercolor sheet here, was stained with a diluted cobalt blue. I realized the greens would have a bit of blue in them, just as the sky and water in the foreground. The saturation of paint through several washes enabled me to develop richer depth in the foliage.

Over time conscious or not, I have gravitated to painting with more and more Holbein paints instead of using the Winsor Newton pigments I have used in the past. I am particularly fond of combining quinacridone gold and manganese blue for vibrant Summer foliage.

Merry Christmas & Happy Hanukkah

                                                                     (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

Wishing everyone a happy holiday season and healthy New Year. Hopefully, 2021 will become a very different year than 2020 has been, full of optimism and a return to normalcy.

It is time to embrace the Winter season as it is upon us. The fresh snow has brightened up the landscape and brought a spiritual quality to the land. My wife and I went on a candle lit walk through the woods the other night which was quite a pleasant experience. 

At this time of year if the sun is out I enjoy the quality of light cast across the snow during mid-day. That is what inspired me to paint this picture. Also, the warmer light reassures us that Spring is coming.

Thoughts on Capturing the Figure

                                                                 (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro

Painting the figure is always a challenge. It is most rewarding though. 

If drawing is about seeing as they say, you notice things every step of the way. During the development  of your drawing you see certain aspects of the figure that need to be corrected. You truly see the posture of the individual as unique to that person. However, the figure becomes the focal point of the picture regardless of how beautiful you have portrayed the landscape.

This watercolor doodle I did on a piece of scrap paper. I like how the light comes from the left across the boys clothing and body. Against the white of the paper I find this image quite captivating. 

So often we cover the paper in watercolor with pigment when the unpainted surface has a lot to offer on it's own.

Living Memorial Park

                                                                     (C) Dale DiMauro
 

Due to COVID-19 I have visited Living Memorial Park, in Brattleboro, VT our local recreational area, more than any other year by far. Over the course of the various shutdowns and summer season I discovered how much the park has to offer. Not only do we have ballfields, hiking trails, a t-bar for skiing and a children's playground but a skatepark, dog run, and performance stage. There are numerous other activities I have left out.

Early in the season I played tennis many times in the park. I came to appreciate the changing light late in the afternoon, as noticed from the tennis courts. These experiences inspired me to try to capture the atmospheric qualities of this time of year.

This plein air watercolor was finished at home. I was struck by the interesting clouds and burst of greenery.

Pencil Studies

                                                              (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

Pencil sketches are a great way to record something you observe or capture an unresolved idea. This way you can come back to it at a later time, if necessary. I have learned over time it is best to make a strong graphic mark by pressing the pencil firmly on to the paper. These sketches are a quick way to jog your memory. Also, they advance the artist's mind with regards to composition.

These pencil sketches reference a beach scene I have been contemplating for a watercolor painting. However, I am not yet sold on the composition. In the meantime to get my juices flowing I have developed a series of sketches and some watercolor studies to spur me on.

A Local Landscape

(C) 2020 Dale DiMauro

Even though it gets dark early at this time of year there is something special about this period prior to snow and ice arriving. This is the time of year when all the colors fade away. The structure of the landscape reveals itself. Much of the bird activity is long gone.

However, the light at mid-day can be quite appealing. The siennas and ochres dominate the landscape.

Recently, I have been using mop or quill brushes more and more in my watercolor painting. They offer a variety of strokes from a wide wash to fine lines while maintaining a fine point. For some of these watercolors I use just two brushes.

Late Fall Landscape

                                                                   (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

Often I hike through various fields near to where I live. I observe the cloud patterns, seasonal changes and changing light. These fields become challenging to navigate as the snow, ice and mud develop during the winter months.

However, I don't recall walking this late in the season in these areas with such good footing. The other day the length and character of the shadows was so present.

I worked on this watercolor the other day, stepped back and was struck by the dramatic light. The low horizon with the tall sky really got me thinking. This strong composition I believe, is what landscape painting is all about. 

The Hudson River Painters certainly were masters at depicting the drama of light in the landscape. The large canvases immediately draw the viewer into that experience.

Sketchbook Drawing

                                                                    (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

Sometimes a drawing is all you need. Color is great but not every image requires it. A sepia painting can fit the bill. 

In this drawing I was interested in resolving how I wanted the landscape to be, compositionally. I like the inlet created over the paddler's head offering more depth and clarity to the shoreline. In addition, the kayaker is no longer lost in the foliage.

While watercolor is a wet medium when painting, drawing is a dry medium which makes it valuable when you have limited time or are traveling.

Landscape Painting

                                                                   (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

Heading out on open water is always rewarding. That is a reference to paddling on one of the many ponds, lakes and rivers we have at our disposal. During the summer, the color of the water, abundant growth and greenery make me want to be out in the landscape.

Before Thanksgiving I started this painting on the backside of a watercolor I didn't care for. It has a fresh and light feel as the colors are inviting. 

Most of this painting has been done with a rigger brush which provides this expressive line work and edge treatment. The canopy of growth above the view is unusual in landscape painting. It is usually cropped out or excluded. However, I feel it adds much to the scene.

Happy Thanksgiving!

                                                                    (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Hopefully this strange year will yield a much better 2021 in more ways than one. This is a collage of smaller watercolors done in the past year. With workshops, classes, schools, demonstrations and the like canceled, all I can write about is my own watercolor journey. It is better to include other events and shows on occasion, but this year most of those events have vanished.

For me I can look back at watercolors I have done this year and find new directions not to mention inspiration. Hopefully, you the reader can take on a new perspective as this year concludes. Regardless of the political climate and public health we have a bounty of beauty around us to appreciate and lead us into a new renaissance.

Gone Fishing

                                                                   (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

Painting a figure in your watercolor dominates the landscape. All eyes go to that person. What is he doing and who is that, are questions that come to mind. However, capturing an activity or posture can be quite rewarding. Including a person in your painting can also draw your eye into the picture, adding more depth.

This was painted on Arches hot-pressed watercolor paper. I have experimented with other hot-pressed papers but this was the first painting I would say I have ever done on this surface. The paint behaves markedly differently on this surface. It is smooth paper and the pigment sits on the surface. From my experience, you have to learn when to stop painting on this surface, or you can make your picture worse. However, paint on this surface makes interesting marks once you get a feel for how to move the paint around.

When painting on this surface I find there is an enhanced clarity of forms and more vivid colors. Some artists use this paper to develop compositional studies or quickly record the figure.

Vermont Countryside

                                                                        (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

Watercolor is such a versatile medium. You can go in so many different directions when painting with these pigments. In addition, the marks you make and the colors you combine, on the multitude of papers and textures, seems unlimited.

Originally, I was drawn to these two old apple trees full of character and that dip in the contour in the background. However, I carried this painting to a further state than I initially thought I would. I discovered trees and techniques that lent themselves to inclusion in this painting. 

In my travels locally, raw umber seems to be an important aspect of capturing the late fall landscape. Once the deciduous trees have shed their leaves, the tawny colors are prevalent in the changing light. 

Watercolor Sketch

                                                                    (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

Any scrap of paper can be a good source to capture a watercolor. This watercolor sketch was done on the end sheet of one of my watercolor blocks. This has become a valuable space to work out compositions and test color studies. Sketchbooks are another area I have painted watercolors over pencil and pen.

When visiting museums that display watercolors, I am always curious what the artist painted on. I have seen many Andrew Wyeth paintings in galleries and am convinced some of his images were either drawn or painted on tracing paper amongst other surfaces.

Recently, I have included raw umber in my landscape compositions. Some artists complain it is overused in landscape painting. However, raw umber has a greenish cast which I interpret out in nature. Thus, it has found its way onto these endpapers in combination with ochers and other umbers. I have learned this experimentation or record keeping is important in an artist's development.

Brattleboro Common

                                                                   (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

The weather Tuesday in southern Vermont was simply beautiful. The temperature topped out in the upper sixties if not seventy degrees. This is not what you expect in Vermont during the second week of November. 

I have to say this warm spell is quite disorienting. All this work such as raking the yard as we get our homes ready for winter and then we have Spring-like temperatures.

However, these higher temperatures got me out painting yesterday and I enjoyed every minute of it. The light and shadows on the landscape gave me more than enough inspiration. I really noticed how tawny the landscape looks at this time of year.

Plein Air Painting (watercolor study)

                                                                 (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro

With this glorious spring-like weather, it feels important to paint outside, whenever I can, before the winter sets in. I have to admit it is hard adjusting to this time change as it gets dark earlier and earlier in the late afternoon. However, it is hard to beat seventy degree temperatures in November here in Vermont.

I did not allow enough time to finish this watercolor. It is hard to know how much time I actually need at this time of year. Perhaps I will go back on site to finish it. There is something compelling about the reflections of colors and shapes across water.

For me it is important to mix colors observed out in nature. There is such a range of colors to draw upon on our palettes, but the colors of nature convey a mood specific to a setting. Also, mixing pigments outside expands our horizons in ways we cannot anticipate.

Majestic Maple

                                                                  (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

This fall during peak season in southern Vermont I worked so much I didn't have time to get out and see the fall colors as I usually would. The threat of COVID-19 played a role, too, particularly with so many events canceled this season. Yet, we had lovely weather in September and October, the best I can remember in years.

This watercolor was painted this evening. It was inspired from attending the local Dummerston Pie Festival in years past. One year, on my way to purchase one of their yummy apple pies, I parked across from this glorious maple during its peak color season. 

This seemed as good a time as any to pay tribute to this maple. Hopefully, next season, at least culturally, life can head towards some sort of normalcy.

Late October in Vermont

                                                                 (C)2020 Dale DiMauro
 

This fall in Vermont is ending abruptly as frequent rains and snow have entered the picture. Not to mention low temperatures. October had lovely fall colors and great weather but this weekend the changing of the calendar is sending us to the edge of winter.

Painting the landscape outside has suddenly become rather challenging. The diminished light levels and time change are forcing me to paint inside or at different times of the day.

The other day I got this watercolor in, with a view towards the west of Brattleboro, across a local field. Capturing some of the local colors can be challenging, yet satisfying. I feel like burnt sienna and raw umber are an integral part of the natural landscape at this time of the year.