Path around Big Pool

9x12 pastel and watercolor on Uart paper $100.
photo of big pool taken from the spot where I stood

I have had some requests to post the photo of the area from which I paint. This morning I waited until the black ice was gone before going out. Cold and windy.
My challenge today was the area of interest (focal point) and how its friends, the sub areas, lead the eye through the painting. I wanted to choose something that was not so obvious. This lead me to the beautiful white of the sycamore trees, the orangey path and the reflections of big pool to function as the main area. It hopefully leads to the distance and comes back to be grounded in the darker ripples of the bottom left water. (Sorry the colors of my jpeg are dulled...I am still working on that.)

August 7, 2008 Violet Pines

9x12 pastel on board
Back to Big Bend, I am trying to create different compositions and play with the area of interest.
Today I finally bought a gray card and have leaned to adjust my white balance in my camera for more accurate photos of my paintings. Wohoo..let's see what I can do with this now.

August 5, 2008 Violet Bend

about 12x13, pastel and watercolor on wallis board
Quiet morning before the rain and I decided to enjoy one of my favorite spots on the canal. I call it Big Bend.

Welcome to all my new subscribers! Thanks for joining my blog! Back to the studio.

July 29, 2008 Lock House

9x12 pastel on board
Late yesterday afternoon, after a day of studio painting, I decided it was time to go to the river. I made it as far as the canal as the light was hazy-beautiful.
Unfortunately, I couldn't seem to get a good photo of the painting. The light really has a pretty orange.

April 20, 2008 Canal Early Morning

9x7, pastel and watercolor on marble dust board
Spring's challenge is all the wonderful green. It's worth it.

April 12, 2008 underpainting for canal painting

14 x17 oil underpainting
I realized that I was making a big mistake once I took out the oils.....mixing the local colors. Daag...I can't believe I did that! An artist's job is not to just observe and record (anyone can do that! Instead it is to feel and create a feeling. So I started with a sketch and some photos from the canal. I love the foggy peaceful feeling the canal has when it is empty and the sun peaks through the fog. A feeling of possibility for the day to come and wonder of what our world really is. My compromise to oils was to under -paint on my favorite prepared board. This is that under -painting. My goal was to get the feeling with just the oil alone. Now, let the pastels begin!

March 15, 2008 Overlooking the Potomac River

5x7, pastel and watercolor on board, $100. plus tax and ship
Sometimes the impression of the scene is beautiful and I just go for it even though the whole thing is just so confusing. This was one of those. It was overcast with rain coming in soon. The icy green Potomac glowed through the layers and layers of spring pink trees. A strip of land (Virginia) was in the far distance and the towpath was down below the big hill. I simply put in color notes, not painting things at all. It was more like sculpting with color.
This trail was a brand new to me. I love exploring new land.... maybe I should have lived in the 1700s.