Brattleboro Common

                                                                        (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro

The other day I was organizing stuff in my office when I came upon this watercolor that I painted last fall. There is a quality of light in this picture which I find appealing. I couldn't put my hand on what it is but I was struck by the quality of that light.

This was a watercolor I painted in about an hour, outside, at the Brattleboro Common as the length of day was rapidly declining. During this time of year there is a point in the afternoon(if it is a sunny day) when the natural light enhances the colors of the earth before the light fades to dusk and then darkness. I am not saying I captured it here but I remember the experience as such.

It is rewarding to look at what you painted while glancing over at your subject matter to see how you captured it in paint and what you left out accidentally or intentionally.

Imaginary Local Landscape

                                                                     (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

For months during lockdown and after with restrictions in our daily life I have been painting the landscape. During this time I have developed a keener eye for the colors and contours seen out in the landscape. 

This watercolor sketch embodies some of these qualities. First, I try to paint the colors I see outside and these are alway changing as the seasons and light are constantly in flux. The intensity of color and brushwork are applied in ways to strengthen the perspective or bring focus to a certain area in the land. For example, the brightest colors are in the foreground and then they fade to weaker pigmentation in the distance. In addition, the edge of the woodland has more articulated foliage then the general massing in the distance. 

One thing I like about watercolor or that I have learned to appreciate is how faint colors in the distance can generate a quality of fog or mist unlike any other media.

Hopefully, these watercolors will continue to develop a whole lot more down the road. Now I just have to paint them on a larger scale with a big brush so they have more impact.

Winter in Vermont - 2021

                                                            (C) 2021 Photograph Dale DiMauro
 

In spite of all the restrictions due to COVID-19, we have had a great Winter season that is if you like Winter. I have cross-country skied twelve times thus far. Also, I have snowshoed ten times. And that is just outdoor activities.

Indoors I have played tennis ten times and gone to the racquet club eighteen times. I am not bragging but this is how I have gotten through this Winter.

However, cross-country skiing for me is the most spiritual and physically challenging. To glide across the lovely landscape, looking at the distant hills while in the sun is a special experience. If you look - the natural light at this time of year is spectacular. 

I usually ski around five miles on a typical outing which makes me sleep like an infant. One of the most satisfying qualities is acknowledging that everyday is getting longer and warmer. We are closer to becoming vaccinated even though my shots won't come until Summer.

Vermont Winter Landscape

                                                                   (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro

Painting the landscape in Winter is truly a different experience. The light, shadows and energy are unlike any other season. There is no other time of year when you can feel the temperature of the air with such clarity.

This Winter I have become frustrated with my watercolor paper buckling or separating from a block early in my painting process. It has forced me to wet the backside of my paper and lay down books on it so it will dry flat.

As a result I have experimented with different kinds of paper and thicknesses. This paper is Waterford Saunders 200lb cold press paper. This paper is bright and seems to hold up well. It seems like a special paper when the watercolors are sitting on the surface, wet. I appreciate the lively colors.

Winter Landscape

                                                                      (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

While cross-country skiing today it occurred to me how the landscape is the opposite that of the Summer months. That may seem obvious to some people as the land is covered in snow. 

However, as a watercolor painter one is told or learns that the landscape is two values or so darker than the sky. This gives your landscape a sense of grounding or a foundation to rest on. 

The Winter though is another case altogether assuming you have snow covering the ground. In fact, from my observation being outside today, the sky and distant hills are a couple values darker than the snow covered fields.

To this point you don't even have to paint in the horizontal aspect of the landscape primarily just the trees. Naturally, the white of the paper is portrayed as snow. Now you can put in a wash in the foreground just to break up all the white with cobalt blue or raw sienna. Or even to suggest some shadows.

I travel around town thinking how I would paint certain objects or scenes and with which pigments. This revelation has been brewing for days as we have had many snow accumulations in the last month or so.

My Indoor/Outdoor Easel(For oil or watercolor)

                                                                 (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

Recently I have developed a desire to do some oil painting. What appeals to me is painting with a palette knife. The hard yet flexible edge of a palette knife can provide an artist with both a found and lost edge in one swoop. You can achieve a textural quality along the way on canvas which is appealing to me, too.

This easel or porchade box I basically earned through the health care provider I have through my wife's employer. They have all these incentives to encourage members to live a healthy lifestyle. The check I got nearly covered the cost of this. It folds down nice enough to fit in a basic shoulder bag. 

So going into Winter I was hoping to put this portability to use. However, I didn't anticipate the entire town would be shut down due to COVID-19 and then for as long as it has been. Originally, I thought I could set it up in any of the local libraries or cafe's and work on a small painting. 

Every time I look at this easel it reminds me of the frustration. I know I will get much satisfaction out of using this easel but for now it is on hold as so much of our lives are. Nevertheless, it is well constructed and nice to look at.

Landscapes, Color & Portraits

                                                                    (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

When struggling on a watercolor it is a good idea to utilize the side bar. I have posted on this topic before but it seems like a good thing to do. Most watercolor blocks come with a protective sheet that covers the glued stack of watercolor paper. You can use it as a test sheet to verify if the pigments you have mixed are what you want. Or you can draw or paint doodles on this area. However you use this space it is important as a warming up exercise which frees up your mental approach.

The watercolor on the right was done en plein air last Fall. I ran out of time and did some more work on it at home. I like the layers of growth and strong use of color. However, it needs more work to my way of thinking. I do learn and progress far more from painting outside than in the comfort of my studio.

The cover sheet for me, is valuable real estate, as I can work out details or address challenges during my painting process. Also, I find it rewarding to look back at these graphic marks to see what I was going through and what my approach was.

Color Swatches

(C) 2021 Dale DiMauro

In between paintings it is a good practice to paint color swatches. This enables an artist to expand their palette or at least increase their understanding of color theory.

These become reference cards not unlike index cards people use to to write down menu's for dinner options. Otherwise, it can be hard to recall what pigments you mixed to arrive at a certain color. 

In addition, the mixed colors dry very different from when they were wet. I even try these on different papers as a way to begin to understand the various properties of how the paper behaves with this moisture once they dry.

Anyway, this is something you may want to consider in your journey of painting.

Landscape Study

                                                                   (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

This Winter I have been drawing quite a bit. I utilize small and large sketchbooks in both pen and pencil. I seem to have improved in capturing the human form.

Nevertheless, it feels good to just let loose and paint. Sometimes the most progress happens in these moments. You mix colors and try techniques you may not normally use. 

Earlier this evening I did this study as I had a free hour or so. With the combination of cold weather lately and frequent snow accumulations it felt good to try my hand with a warm weather subject. Rich browns and vibrant darks have been on my mind a lot.

Popham Beach

                                                                  (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro

Popham Beach, in Phippsburg, Maine, is a lovely beach and recreational area which often has dramatic sunsets in the Summer months. In addition, the changing water levels makes it fun to explore the beach for seashells and tidal pools.

While I was excited how this watercolor was developing, the end was not what I intended. Often I apply a clear wash of water to unify an area. However, in this case, I put a wash of water over the sky and these yellow dots emerged. In the end I can lift them out with a scrubber but I did not have time today for that.

This was painted on 300 lb Arches cold paper which I have not used in a while. This paper gives you more time to work in the pigment before the paper dries then the 140 lb paper. The expansive and expressive sky was one of the appealing qualities in taking on this subject. 

The Winter Landscape

                                                         (C) 2021 Photograph Dale DiMauro

In the last ten days or so I have made a point of getting out in nature and embracing Winter. Instead of just going on walks I have snowshoed, cross-country and down hill skied numerous times. In the process I am amazed how late the sun is beginning to set, at least on days when it is out.

Before this last storm I took a walk and some photographs of the landscape in the late afternoon. The late day light was quite remarkable. I walked across this field to capture the fading light but it was well worth it.

I don't know that this photograph captures the magic of that fading light. The colors of the Winter landscape became so vivid before fading into the night sky. 

The blue hues cast on the snow were so fresh yet, varied in contrast to the brown structure of the growth on the edge of the field. Just to walk in that light felt special, partly because that moment was not going to last.

New Color Combinations

                                                                   (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro

Mixing the three primary colors gives an artist such a range of color it is mind-boggling. First there are so many pigments you can draw from for your primary colors. For example, for red you could select from burnt sienna, alizarin crimson, cadmium red or Windsor red, among many others. Then you can select your yellows and blues from a whole catalog of choices which gives you so many color combinations.

In this watercolor the vegetation is nearly black. And not a dull black but a lively one. It has taken years to discover this dark. I was experimenting the other day when I came upon mixing phthalo blue with yellow ochre and a reddish brown on my palette.

This is a dark you may see when you are driving along the Maine coast in the form of spruce trees, in the distance. I have learned that some of these colors are so ingrained in our unconscious mind from our experiences and memories of childhood. Most of these color associations originate in the landscape we call home or have lived.

Late Fall Landscape

                                                                    (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
  

Painting the late fall landscape can be a season unto itself. On one hand you have the last saturated colors of the season, while the low, long light brings much cool temperatures across the landscape.

This was the first painting I did on a watercolor block in some time. Usually I work on several paintings at a time. This way if I become stalled or not able to return to a painting I can remain fluid in my approach.

It may seem like an odd little picture but I was attracted to the lay of the land and the dramatic late season light. 

Painting the rich yellows and oranges of the fall landscape truly pushes your understanding of your palette. Some of the oranges I used here are seldom used on my palette. It is important for me to veer away from some of the gaudy colors which can cheapen the season.

Quill Brushes & Winter Landscape

                                                                  (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

Painting the Winter landscape has always been rewarding to me. However, this Winter with COVID-19, mask wearing and sparse snow accumulations, it has been rather uninspiring to date. When the landscape and buildings are covered in a fresh blanket of snow with the distinct light and shadows it can be quite a spiritual experience.

Increasingly, I have embraced using quill watercolor brushes. These brushes are so versatile for laying down big washes and fine detail with their lovely tip. When painting outside I seldom need more than two of these brushes. Thus, I find it hard to lose any brushes and it makes clean-up quick particularly with the challenges one faces working outside.

Finally, I am enjoying the increased length of day with sunlight beyond five in the afternoon. If it not a cloudy afternoon this is a special time of day.

STILL LIFE

                                                           (C) 2021 Photograph Dale DiMauro
 

Still life is a subject matter I have not painted in quite some time. At times it seems like watercolor is not the best medium to express this but then I look in watercolor magazines and view these amazing paintings by a wide range of artists.

One afternoon this stunning sunlight shone across the hardwood floor in my living room. I scrambled before the light changed to arrange this as a still life. I found clementines from the kitchen, pottery from upstairs and a basket from my office, etc. 

The next question was do I paint this as a plein air, over perhaps, several days or take photographs and paint from them? Soon we had a period of cloudy days and both my inspiration and patience had faded.

However, I am reconsidering painting a still life. But how should I approach it? That remains to be seen.

Hudson River School?

                                                                   (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro

Saturday in southern Vermont was a nasty day weather-wise with heavy snow. Shrubs and trees all over the region were bent over or crushed from the weight of the snow, in unnatural ways. It took me quite a while to free up the plant life on our property from the wet snow. From past experience, if not addressed, these plants sustain real damage in the form of damaged and broken limbs and severed trunks.

This watercolor was created between different stints of shoveling snow. So far I have only spent around twenty minutes of painting time. However, I like the start.

Since the New Year I am slowly transitioning to a larger palette, at least for the Winter - which is easier to clean. Instead of adding any more pigment to this established set, I have started painting until I use it all up. Along the way I figure this will force me to combine pigments I would not normally use thus expanding my skill and knowledge of color.

300lb Arches Watercolor Paper

                                                                      (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro

Arches watercolor paper has been one of my preferred surfaces to paint on. Both the sheets of paper and blocks provide a range of sizes and versatility to paint inside the studio or out in the elements. However, I am used to the thinner 140lb sheets. 

This watercolor was done on the 300lb cold pressed, Arches paper. It feels like a luxury to paint on with the texture and ability to retain layers of paint. Also, it dries a bit slower than the 140lb paper which can be an advantage.

I forgot what a treat this paper is to work on. This experience is making me reconsider my approach to watercolor. Generally speaking, I prefer using the thicker paper for when painting on a full sheet as perhaps it does not buckle as readily.

Local Field

                                                                     (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro

This is a watercolor doodle that became a landscape painting. Last Wednesday afternoon I turned on the television and saw the attack on the nation's Capital as many other people did. I didn't know what to make of the horrific news but I had to do something to distract me. I grabbed the largest brush I have and painted the sky before moving on to the rest of the painting.

For me color-wise this is a different kind of painting. Back-lit lighting can make for a dramatic scene but I have not taken advantage of this setting much.

The warm colors in the foreground add a lot to the feel of this scene. I even added shadows with warmer colors, too. In addition, the tree does not seem as dominant with it's reddish-brown cast.

For me it is ironic that all the cool colors are in the background because that is where the sun is. However, it is an optimistic watercolor which I find appealing both for the time of year we are in as well as for the political and public health crises we are experiencing.

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.