(MORE) PEOPLE IN WATERCOLOR

                                                                                       (C) 2023 Dale DiMauro
 

Well, I keep drawing the human form and painting people. I must add on a daily basis. 

My focus is to keep things simple and not overwork the figure or noodle around with the paint too much. Like I mentioned in my last post - I simply put the brush to the paper without any under drawing because I basically am drawing with the brush.

I have learned to leave the white of the paper at times both as a defining edge to keep the pigments from blending and as human proportional marks. 

I like the fluidness of the figures and I am curious where this takes me going forward. Along this process I am trying to paint these figures at a range of scales. Before long I will begin to include them in my landscapes.

PEOPLE IN WATERCOLOR

                                                                                   (C) 2023 Dale DiMauro
 

These are two of several quick sketch people I have been trying to capture in watercolor. I am trying not to dwell on the figure too much yet fit the size of the individual to the setting or landscape with a strong presence.

Observing an individuals posture and grasping a quality of their movement can be quite satisfying. I have been trying to portray a fluidity to the human figure which I have not painted in the past. 

Getting the drawing right is critical but in these instances I am not sketching out the figure in advance. I simply dip the brush and start painting. However, I do a warm-up on a piece of scrap paper. I am curious how this evolves going forward.

WATERCOLOR SKETCH

                                                                              C) 2023 Dale DiMauro
 

Painting landscapes is always rewarding for me. The sky is more of a challenge particularly if you try to paint the wide range of atmospheric qualities we experience. For example, there are so many different cloud formations and light qualities we see which project a mood over the landscape.

However, when you capture a convincing sky it sets a good start to your painting. I always paint the sky first even though I may add an additional wash later. Then the landscape needs to be a darker value than the sky to be convincing.

Lately, I have been working on putting down quick figures in watercolor. I try not to go back and noodle the figure - just live with the result. I can see some progress in that direction. This is the most recent figure. I painted the landscape in afterwards.

LANDSCAPE PAINTING OVER PRE-STAINED WATERCOLOR PAPER

                                                                                      ( C) 2023 Dale DiMauro
 

On occasion I pre-stain a sheet of watercolor paper prior to painting. This way I can simply dive into a painting. Usually I use a yellow or quinacridone gold when you want to introduce a warmth into a face or a sunlit field. Then one proceeds with their painting with those targeted areas preserved from too many layers of paint as the warmth projects through.

However, I had pre-stained this sheet, cobalt blue, several years ago. Since this is on a block and I had not furthered this painting I figured I could use it for this landscape. The colors and values will be much darker and vibrant than the cobalt blue.

At this point I have painted one wash on the cobalt blue and you can begin to see the development of a landscape painting. In addition, the painting wanted to separate from the watercolor block so I have used blue tape to secure the sheet to the edges.

Hopefully, this painting will evolve into a nice landscape. Actually, I have no reason to think it will not.

TWO-PIGMENT PAINTING

                                                                                       (C) 2023 Dale DiMauro
 

This is a small watercolor I painted a little while back. I was impressed because it was painted with only two pigments, burnt sienna and ultramarine blue. It is amazing what you can come up with when using a limited palette. Also, it is easier and quicker to clean-up when using just a few pigments.

This was painted on Arches Watercolor paper which is the surface I use most often. The smaller you paint I find the greater control I have over buckling when the paper is wet.

The landscape has become my favorite subject matter, not that I dislike portraits or still life's. Part of the reason is that I like to be out in nature and the other is that I have a degree in landscape architecture and have thus studied the landscape on a regular basis.

BURNT SIENNA & BURNT UMBER

                                                                                       (C) 2023 Dale DiMauro
 

Last evening I was watching the PBS lineup on Saturday night with my wife which included Father Brown and Death in Paradise. Then we migrated over and watched the current episode of Saturday Night Live.

As the evening progressed I kept thinking what would happen if I mixed the pigments burnt sienna and burnt umber. I certainly have combined the two in the past but I was curious what I could do with the mixture. 

So just before bed and after brushing my teeth I put this wash down. I made this landscape as I was mixing more of the pairing. It totally absorbed all my consciousness and I figured I would put it down and revisit the image in the morning.

I have not had time to add anything to this painting but it clearly is a local snow scene with the natural woodland in the background. Sometimes less is more, particularly when it comes to direct painting.

WATERCOLOR SKETCHES

                                                                                       (C) 2023 Dale DiMauro
 

This January I have been frequently visiting the local library. Primarily, to read Samuel Adams: The Revolutionary, by Stacy Schiff, one of my recent Christmas gifts. Books on the founding fathers I find hard to read as the time period is quite removed from our current times, so I need to eliminate distractions as much as possible.

While I was in the library I came upon an old book on the painter JMW Turner which stated he painted over 20,000 watercolors, many in journals. That figure doesn't escape my consciousness. That's a huge number which is hard to comprehend. I don't know where he stored all those paintings.

In that same vein, a few years ago I recall reading that someone discovered over five hundred watercolors attributed to John Singer Sargent's sister Emily, found in an old trunk.

These two watercolor studies I did as I often do by grabbing a sheet of paper when I am either pressed for time or inspired by something I see in the moment. There is a direct quality to painting a watercolor study with no hesitation that is quite refreshing. Much of the paper maybe left white while the brush moves across the paper at a rapid pace.

I hope that these watercolor studies are done in the same spirit as a Turner or Emily Sargent from an earlier period.

PAINTINGS & BOXES ETC.

                                                                                      C) 2023 Dale DiMauro
 

This winter I have been building small objects out of wood. In general, I love working with wood. However, with the mild temperatures and minimal snow I found I could comfortably work in my garage.

While I paint often outside during the warmer months I use reference photographs when I paint in the studio during the winter. Often I end up with 4" x 6" photos spread out on my table which can be a nuisance when doing other work in my studio. So I had been meaning a to build a little photograph holder for these pictures which was easier to access. 

I came up with this little box. The ends have cutouts so I can easily lift out the photos when I need to. Also, I built a longer, narrow box which holds pencils. It always feels good to work with my hands...

PLEIN AIR SUPPLIES

                                                                             (C) 2023 Dale DiMauro
 

With this mild winter and lack of snow I keep thinking about ways I can squeeze in some plein air painting. This has led my thinking to assembling and combining compact paint supplies. 

It can be rewarding to paint in a cafe or public library, particularly, if they have seating in front of large windows. In painting out in the public, in these locations, you observe and notice things you normally wouldn't.

In this photograph, except for paper towels, I pretty much have all that I need to paint a watercolor. One can see the travel brushes I have, which, when not in use, slide within each other requiring much less space. These are Tintoretto brushes which I like and use quite often

Watercolor Sudies

                                                                            (C) 2023 Dale DiMauro
 

Boy, I love painting with watercolors - everyday I see progress in some form or another. Sometimes it is simply experimenting with color, other times it is trying out different brush techniques.

These are imaginary landscapes but with the kind of Winter we are having they look like late fall local landscapes. 

The subtle little nuances with the brush and pigmentation(through drawing techniques) can really strengthen your painting. To some people there may not be much color in this watercolor, but I beg to differ. However, a small drop of red, for example, can really bring out the neutral color or make that color pop.

Watercolor Studies

                                                                                        (C)2023 Dale DiMauro
 

There hasn't been much snow to photograph or paint this "winter." Vermont doesn't feel like Vermont. There is still much beauty, though. This small painting was done from memory and imagination.

Through practice I continue to learn the value of leaving the white of the paper unpainted as it contributes so much to a painting. It can for example, suggest light reflecting off the surface of the water or lead your eye into the painting.

Recently, I have begun experimenting with the combination of tuscan red and phtalo blue which produces a warm gray or a dark. Often I paint over this combination, for example, when painting water and the reddish pigmentation bleeds through, which creates a lovely coloration

Light on the Landsape

                                                           (C)2023 Photograph Dale DiMauro
 

On my late afternoon walk I became impressed with the quality of the light that shone across the landscape. Lately, at least here in southern Vermont, we have had minimal sun and a damp ground with mild temperatures.

We got some snow during the day Friday, which helped to firm up the ground particularly during the evening hours. During today's walk the fresh snow brightened up my perspective and the late day glow was something I have been missing with the absence of any real snow accumulation.

Certain earth colors like the ochres, reds and browns, not to mention the blues were delightful to see. In this era of climate change you really don't know what the winter will be like and how to plan for it. So I try to get outside and appreciate whatever the natural world gives us when out in the elements.

This photograph is very busy due to all the brush. Deciding what to keep and what to remove is crucial in planning a composition. I like the small wooden sign post as well as the disappearing path. The shock of blue-white snow is also appealing and emphasizes the coolness of the shade while echoing the blue sky above. The streaks of light and dark in the foreground clarify the direction of the sun as it lowers early on this winter afternoon.  

RETREAT MEADOWS II

                                         (C) 2023 Dale DiMauro

 

My, how the weather has changed within the last week. The week between Christmas and New Years we had Winter-like weather here in Vermont. As I mentioned in the last post, the Retreat Meadows was a glorious place to skate and play hockey. 

Now it has a pool of water on it and the Brattleboro Fire Department is prohibiting anyone from going on the surface.

In the meantime, I added some touches of watercolor to the painting from my last post. The tall reeds are such a strong part of the composition and experience. I gave them a little more attention and painted a wash over the ice to give that more weight and depth.

RETREAT MEADOWS(Brattleboro, VT)

                                                                                       (C) 2023 Dale DiMauro
 

Skating on the Retreat Meadows, in Brattleboro, VT, right after Christmas, was such a delight. At mid-day, in the sun, the Retreat Meadows became such a community center. All kinds of people came out to skate, play hockey, ice fish and walk across the ice, some even in sleighs. Also, at least for me, experiencing the landscape with such a different perspective was magical.

This outdoor winter experience inspired me to paint this watercolor. I had never painted ice before in watercolor. Is ice in watercolor transparent or opaque or both? What color would you actually paint the ice? These are questions that came to mind.

Wherever I went the ice was the foreground(not the greens of the ground) of the landscape with many ochres and umbers in the distance. Ultimately, the sky and foreground have blue in them but not the blues of bodies of water.

BIG TREE

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro

Prior to Christmas I purchased a used book, called Color in Watercolor, by Wendon Blake, for four dollars at our local used bookstore. This book inspired this watercolor. 

It suggest's underpainting a big tree with a mixture of burnt sienna/ultramarine blue and a touch of cadmium red. Then painting over this wash with a combination of burnt sienna and phthalocyanine blue which conveys the dark branching.

I added the green horizontal ground plane to make the tree rooted in and of the landscape. After painting this I realized I love the graphic quality of this tree. I have begun to think the larger I paint this subject the more impactful it will be.

It was painted with a freedom of expression that I find quite rewarding. It was painted on Arches watercolor paper which is one of my favorite papers to paint on.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

                                                                                     (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Merry Christmas to all!

As in some previous posts I mentioned how I like to observe the light patterns and colorations of some of the local fields in the Brattleboro, VT area. Well, this is one of the fields along the West River Trail.

It felt good to paint this watercolor in one sitting. I seem to be introducing more orange into my watercolors when necessary. You can see it in the left foreground. That warmth seems to balance out the cools in this composition.

The foreground has a weaved layer of a cool green generated from the combination of quinacridone gold and cobalt blue.

WATERCOLOR STUDY

                                                                           (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Sometimes a watercolor study speaks volumes. An intuitive note, quickly put down, without any hesitation, one can build upon. At least that is what led to this image.

Usually I sample a color mixture to see if it is what I am aiming for. In the process I turn the wet pigment into a landscape. This way the color mixture does not sit simply on it's own.

The above tree massing color is the combination of raw sienna and Windsor violet. I have learned it is important in some way, to reference the shoreline in this case, with that horizontal section devoid of paint.

Watercolor Sketch

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Lately with all these winter-themed and Christmas-oriented tasks I have not had time to paint. So before I headed to bed I squeezed in time to paint an imaginary scene. With the snow and ice I am already looking forward to spring.

However, I am so glad we got snow to brighten up the landscape. For me the landscape seemed so dreary around 4 PM in the afternoon with the low light and setting sun.

I keep experimenting with this green made by mixing cobalt blue and quinacridone gold. It is useful in painting foliage, the ground and just about anywhere in the landscape.

West River Trail

                                                                                       (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

The West River Trail in Brattleboro, VT is a nice little path to get some fresh air and stretch your legs. I always bring my camera when I head out on the trail as there are many attractions along the way. Often you see some kind of paddlers along the way whether it's canoes or sculls in the summer season. I have seen all kinds of bird activity along the Connecticut River and even in the adjacent fields.

This watercolor was inspired by one of the fields you pass along the way. It is interesting to observe the seasonal change in these fields. Some months of the year it becomes a wide open field with all the growth cut down and then it fills in over the summer with eight foot high corn.

I like the distant hills with the changing of the light and ever-changing color patterns.

SKETCHBOOK DRAWING

                                                                                   (C) 2022 Dale DiMauro
 

Drawing in my sketchbook is a truly meaningful activity. It is difficult to maintain as a daily routine, over the summer months, but whenever I can, sketching is important. I see improvement every time I draw and it makes me a much better painter. Over time I can see I am getting better at capturing the human form.

I prefer to draw in the largest sketchbook, that I can find, that is practical. This forces me to draw as large as I can. The little notepad to the right I carry around with me at work to record ideas or sketch out little landscapes.

This above pencil sketch was done from a bust of a historical figure at my local library.