Wednesday, December 9, 2009

fog series and love of exploration

pastel and watercolor on Uart

large value painting 20.5x21.5 on BFK

Monet  Branch of the Seine Near Giverny

As a child Monet was my favorite. Still he is one of my top twenty artists (dead ones)... especially his water paintings of the Seine and the waterlilies. When creating the top painting on location I couldn't help but think of him. This is a site where I have painted frequently in the past 4 years.  The paintings are large and small.  A few of them will be in my solo show in May (I need 32 paintings so I have saved a few special ones)
I love the way the fog sits on the water with the trees. On site I was able to get it. With the value painting I was not as successful. Temperature of color made to color version succeed .Warm near cool.  I think I will use the value painting as a grisaille, fix it and then paint on top. 
Later......After seeing it here and then posting it I can't stop thinking that I should work on it more before using the fixative. Did I ever say how much I love to paint and explore???...never a dull moment!

11 comments:

Double "D" said...

Good Morning B,
Both the grisaille and the color version have
their own beautiful qualities. The grisaille has a
much softer feeling which I like. The pastel version excites with the color temperatures complimenting each other. As you say your exploration will take you where you need to go. I think Monet would be proud of you. I know I am.
Your painting buddy.

loriann signori said...

Hi PB,
Thanks about both the color and grisaille. I think I will work a little more in the tree area in the value piece. I can't even put color on till I reach some satisfaction.
Your wonderful encouragement is always helpful... remember to feel free to critique as well, k?
b

Double "D" said...

OK, the part of the grisaille and the Monet that's strikes me most is how soft the edge of the trees are.
It seems to represent fog better than the hard edges in your color version. Also in the Monet piece the reflection is lighter than the actual trees which adds to the fog feel. I like the color version because of how bright it is. k?

loriann signori said...

Now we're talking PB. This I learn from:-) This is food for thought. You're wonderful!

SamArtDog said...

Your grisaille looks greenish/reddish which makes for a good complement. I don't do well with rules, so it's nice to see it doesn't have to be strictly gris, i.e., charcoal. I've used browns, even blues, but I like your combo a lot. Also like learning from DD's comments. Nice guy.

SamArtDog said...

And did you say FOG?!? Did you see Astrid's Dec.8th post? My o my o my.

loriann signori said...

Hi Sam.. you are right PB is a good guy. he's fun, supportive and so smart that he can offer a good critique. Check out his blog. Yes, I have been watching Astrid's beautiful ethereal fog paintings. So fine.

Jala Pfaff said...

Lovely palette! Light.

That Monet is great, I didn't know about it. Have you seen it in person?? It reminds me of Astrid's post today! You're all 3 on the same wavelength.

loriann signori said...

Hi Jala,
I have seen these beauties and many others in person. The one that is at the National Gallery- downtown is different....higher horizon, more green with yellow... no tree in the corner. I love the waterlies and search them out at the moma, the orangerie (ooolala) and in chicago. I can only hope to be on the same wavelength!

Brian McGurgan said...

Double D gave you great feedback here and I'd agree with it. I like both the color and value studies very much, although the grisaille reads to me more strongly as a foggy setting. I think that this is both because of the somewhat harder edges in the color version (as he noted) but also the warmth of color - particularly in the sky. That said, those greens, violets, and oranges are just gorgeous and it's a beautiful painting.

loriann signori said...

The painting was done as the fog was lifting ad the grisaille shows full fog. Keep working, eh?....that's today's work