Brush Storage

                                                                                      (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro

Recently, when I completed my income taxes for 2020 it seemed like a good time to better organize my studio space. So, naturally I started thinning things out. In addition, it was a high priority to clear surfaces off so I can lay out paintings and watercolor blocks which would not hinder my creativity.

One thing lead to another. Soon I started entertaining the idea of storing my watercolor brushes differently. From my experience it is good to store your brushes flat so the bristles dry with a good point.

The issue became what to do with my large brushes which do not fit in most storage sleeves. Also, I was trying to get away from having brushes in contact with other ones. I am pleased to report this brush wrap was found at my local art store by chance. It has wide brush pockets and lays flat to my liking. Another benefit it that I am less likely to knock brushes off my desk which has happened on occasion.

Perhaps this is more information than you would want to hear about. However, I like this new approach to navigating my workspace. It gives me a fresh new perspective as I move forward.

Abstract Landscape

                                                                                (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

Watercolor is such a diverse medium. An artist is restrained only by their own limitations. There are unlimited ways of marking the paper or cropping a subject matter.

This sketchbook painting is the result of color mixtures new to me. It is a great opportunity to watch color bleeding into each other and observe what the pigment does. The use of warm pigments along cool ones, seem to be key.

For a change, it is satisfying to not apply paint to the whole sheet. As the paper begins to dry it is exciting to drop in richer pigment which gives greater depth and character to your landscape. Is that a reflection in the foreground or a massing of vegetation along the river bend?

Change of Season

                                                                            (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

This is a new watercolor I started a few weeks ago. I still am not convinced winter is truly over. In fact, tonight's temperatures in southern Vermont are expected to approach the upper twenties and snow is falling on the hills above us. Just when you think it's okay to put away the snow shovel, the daffodils disappear beneath the white.

I am inspired by the snow depicted in this scene and that blue sky. To me, light projecting across the winter landscape is special. Warmth in the chill.

Down by the River

                                                                                      (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

Recently, I have been filling up a spiral bound watercolor book with color combinations. As I mix pigments and progress through the book I began turning them into landscapes.

I realize there is so much more of my palette that I am not utilizing. It is a real learning process. I think of it as expanding my vocabulary, something a writer could relate to.

The first wash you put down in watercolor can set such a dramatic mood for your painting. It can really change your outlook. Also, it makes you consider how you want to proceed with your painting. I find this exercise really important for when I am painting down the road.

 

Winter Transformed into Summer

                                                                                    (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro

This watercolor sheet had a life of it's own before it became the image you see. Sometimes the most creative pursuits happen on the spot without thorough deliberations. 

A year or so ago I did a portrait on the back of a black woman. Fast forward to a few weeks ago when I was searching for a paper to quickly put pigment on. The darker value left of center was where I tried out some washes with a clump of grasses at the top. 

This image sat in my mind for several days partly because I loved the juicy quality of the washes. Before long I began to develop this image as part of a larger landscape. 

This is what I ended up with. Not bad since I really didn't have anything to begin with. No reference photographs to rely on. Or perhaps I was envisioning a summer scene after that dreaded winter which has ended so suddenly.

Brattleboro Retreat Ice Pond

                                                                                      (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

Saturday was a glorious day here in southern Vermont. I took the opportunity to paint my first plein air painting of the season. 

The ice pond on the Brattleboro Retreat trails I find to be one of the most appealing spots to pull over and take in some of the natural world. I set myself and painting equipment on the concrete wall so I could get a better vantage point and stay dry. As I painted the number of fish swimming below me was unbelievable.

I painted this picture in an hour as I had an appointment to have my winter tires removed. Other than wishing I had more time I am pleased with the overall watercolor.

Off Shore

                                                                                      (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

It is amazing what you can do with two pigments. On Easter morning I painted a bunch of color studies blending two pigments and this is one of them.

The pigments I used here are viridian and raw sienna. By varying the proportions of the colors, the values for the sky, vegetation and water all are clearly defined. In addition, if you don't overwork the painting, the marks left by the pigments on the paper can be quite interesting.

This watercolor reminds me, to some degree, of the old British watercolors you see in museum catalogs. They used such muted colors with such a range of grays which can be quite lovely on their own.

A SELECTION OF WATERCOLORS FROM THE WINTER.........

                                                                          (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

It is important to step back from a painting you are working on to see it from a distance. Likewise, it is important to view some of your work as a collective effort so you can get a broader perspective.

During these challenging and isolating times I find it necessary to notice the progress you are making and which pigments I may be favoring over others on my palette. In another words, what direction am I heading towards.

Earlier today while acknowledging it is Easter Sunday, I painted some simple color swatches. For some time I have been seeking mixes of rich, lively browns to use in my watercolors. At this time of year many of the local rivers have rising water levels which stirs up the stuff on the bottom. This stuff on the river bottom is often a variation of browns. Also, I admire the way John Singer Sargent used browns in his paintings.

Fields: Clark Art Museum

                                                                          (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

It has been written that John Singer Sargent used only one green in watercolor painting and that was Viridian.  So I have been experimenting by mixing viridian with yellow ochre amongst other yellows to see what I come up with for a range of greens.

In this scene I have added in a mature tree in the watercolor posted last week. In fact, it needs more touches of paint to get the depth of foliage I am after. However, as one can notice a tree adds so much to a landscape. Originally, the trees and view are what drew me to this subject matter.

This one tree frames the view and lends much character to the landscape. It is such a spectacular focal point one could easily imagine pulling up a lawn chair with a book in hand and sitting under the canopy on a hot summer day.

Across the Common

                                                                      (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

What a wonderful stretch of mild weather we have had. Much of the snow has melted and it feels great to be out in the sun. 

However, for me it all seemed so sudden and disorienting. I was counting on a few more outings on the cross-country skis with less layers of clothing while soaking up the sun. Also, not being vaccinated reminds me that I can't gather or do things with people. Nevertheless, I did manage to paint this little watercolor before the seasons start to change. 

The bulbs and perennials are starting to burst through the soil at our house. My wife and I look forward with anticipation as over three hundred bulbs I planted last fall will shortly populate and color the front yard.

Landscape Painting

                                                                            (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

Through many annual visits to the Clark Art Museum in Williamstown, MA I have come to appreciate the surrounding landscape. I really only visit the museum in the summer months with my wife but it is such a lovely setting that it has become quite memorable.

This watercolor was inspired from one of my more recent visits. If you take one of their walks above the museum you will find yourself amidst a sweeping vista of the valley below with the Berkshire Mountains in the distance.

The colors of late summer are quite appealing, at least for me. You can see the ghost of a tree trunk towards the left of the picture. Clearing the painting is not finished but I feel that I made great progress today.

Pencil sketches

                   (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro

 

Pencil sketches can bring about real satisfaction. Primarily, I draw either to improve my understanding of the human form or as a means to develop a composition. This winter I have done both a lot.

My drawing and recording of the imaginary or literal landscape has improved too. It seems the clearer the drawing is the better the painting will likely be. 

I have wanted to work on a full sheet watercolor(22" x 30") but have not settled on a subject. So this sketch as it developed got me going in that direction. Also, portraying a figure in the landscape is important to me.

BAOHONG WATERCOLOR PAPER

                                                                              (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

Yesterday, a Baohong watercolor block arrived, as most things these days, by a delivery to my front door. Baohong is a Chinese watercolor paper which is becoming rather popular, particularly among noted and prolific watercolor painters. Some say it does not buckle as readily as other watercolor papers.

It has been mentioned that it takes some practice to become familiar with the characteristics of this paper. I ordered the 140 lb cold pressed paper as I am most used to this surface. 

This winter landscape is my first attempt at using this paper. I can't form an opinion yet of the paper as I am too new to this. However, it is an economical option.  If it truly doesn't buckle it will be valuable for plein air painting.

Watercolor Doodle

                                                                        (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

In watercolor painting artists are instructed to layout their scene in advance and then transfer their image on to their final paper. Then you can start painting as it can be hard to make corrections in this challenging medium.

However, this started as a pencil sketch and soon became a watercolor of sorts. I like the cool foreground in contrast to the warmer background. The fence and tree trunks captured my imagination too.

It is always refreshing to find unconventional or at least original compositions which you don't come upon every day.

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.