Thursday, January 30, 2014

Delavan and Lincoln Hill Day 2 recovery from the snow bank.

26  F sunny and warm! no wind!
Here is where I ended up today, it might need some tweaking, (the snow bank in the foreground doesn't look right)   but it's the first 2 day painting in a long time.

I allowed more of the "tone" of the canvas to show through in this, mostly in the road. It was the right color and worked, why not?

This is where I started today, it was just before 1:00, there was some grit in the paint that I carefully removed, and did my best to get the sky back to where I wanted it.

The sky and light were very close to yesterdays. The blue wasn't as intense I decided I liked that quality of the sky and not to "make up" clouds, the intensity of the blue would carry the sky (or not).

 I spent some time on the middle ground trees, trying to get that delicate tone just right..... and on the bits of snow that's seen through the trees in the mid and far ground.

If the painting hadn't gone over, I would have given it another 15 minutes  or so and been done, but whenever I go back, I always spent way more time, today I my session was 1 1/2 hours!

The sun was bright, and I had to keep moving the panel so the light didn't "drag" across it.

I did this scene (or something close to it) last march, the silo in the background it the same as the one I did today. It's presence in the landscape is cool.

Here is my set up, I really like my new "paintmobile" luxurious in a grungy sort of way. (it's getting paint on it of course)

Here is the view looking the other way.  This is beautiful White Creek NY, near Cambridge, in Washington County. It's  beautiful all year round!

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

One Year old today, this blog is walking!, Crash into a snow bank!

18  F  sunny, windy!
Just about 2:30 today, I was about 15 minutes from completion!

14 x 16

It all started just fine....

Lots of sky, may need some clouds, cobalt and titanium.

Snow, the brightest first, I've got the perfect tone, right in the middle.

I had to back track the darkest color I put down.

I was feeling pretty good at this point, I felt warm (at least not frozen) and I was working along, then came a gust of wind (see above photo!)

I parked right on the corner, often after snow falls, it's harder to find a safe place to pull over. Corner of Delavan Rd. and Lincoln Hill Rd. White Creek, NY.

Here is my scene, Ill go back tomorrow to finish.

Today this blog is exactly one year old!, I've had 14,500 page views, and want to thank each and every one who's made this possible. It's been a great first year, and like any one year old, it's just the start!

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Hoosick River, frozen @ Buskirk's Bridge

13  F  sunny & windy 
Today was brutally cold, it was the wind, it cuts right through! The sun was gorgeous and it brought so much color out, how can't I get out and paint it? 

9 x 12 

I didn't have much time, even though I knew I wouldn't last long with the wind chill. I had tried to find a spot by Eagle Bridge, but it wasn't right, and I had it in my head to come to Buskirk, so here I am. 

The light is on my canvas, which I rarely do!  I couldn't fool around with spending too much time to get my to my spot, and I found this opposite bank,/bridge abutment, Which I had done Sunday @ the Battenkill River, so I guess I do what's familiar. 

I brought the sky down so I could get some of it in my picture, (felt like I was cheating a bit), I eliminated the house, (not enough time).

This is after about an hour of painting. Even though the wind was mostly at my back (maybe why I chose to look that way?) my face and eyes were getting past their workable place, under these circumstances I just have to go on instinct.

I liked the colors, the red, didn't seem as red as it does in the photo, but the contrasts were fantastic and the white snow on the river, was remarkable, with the blue shadows on it, the sky blue and the trees.

I'm standing on the south bank, under my easel is a large chunk of ice that remained there after the river receded from this height. 

This bridge was restored not long ago and I'm so glad it's really a beauty! 

I love these places! 

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Battenville revisited, first hike-in arctic blast

13  F  gusty wind
Last fall, September, I think, I did this bridge from the other side of the river, today the light was so crisp and the new snow was so bright, and  I wanted a water scene, I knew where to go.

8 x 10

Here is my scene, I had to hike in probably 100 yards, there was fresh snow but it wasn't deep and I was able to park close to the bridge.

It always takes a few minutes to decide where to start and stop the view, I don't want to do a portrait of the bridge, and I didn't want a miniature, where the image is so condensed  that there is no intimacy with the elements, so I did something I felt comfortable with, the opposite bank with the landing and part of the bridge.

I work differently in this cold, I'm squinting more, my movements are erratic and focusing becomes a huge challenge, but that's what I'm there to do, so I'm letting other details go, and there are lots of details.

It was a very black and white day, so I got those in first, it made a lot of sense in the cold, I welcome a strait forward approach, even if it doesn't last....

Sky and some reflection, It's at it's most weird place, and is the time for my muffin brake!

 The air is so clear on a day like this, there is so much detail, so much has to be ignored! I'm working fuzzy.

This is where it ended, I had been out about 1 1/2 hours, and the cold was really seeping in, there was a bit of wind at the start, but it had died down just a bit, but still, the wind on my face was a factor I couldn't ignore.

My scene.

Looking across the river, an old mill crumbles....

Looking up river, so many good scenes......

Friday, January 24, 2014

Belle Rd, ring it!

14  F  sunny, light breeze.
9 x 12. don't know what happened out there today.....

Here is my scene, I never got a finished shot/scene, the light was getting low by then.

It was in the teens today. I started putting paint on at about 3:15 and finished at about 4:45 so I was out for about 1 1/2 hours. By the end of it my feet and fingers are wicked cold.

 Sky and brightest snow.

In this place you get to see a lot of the far hills, (there are even more to the left of the scene).  I love the delicacy of them right at the horizon.   I  also really liked the road, it automatically leads you into the picture. It's a complicated picture and I don't think I had enough time to fully develop it.

I'm working on trying to get the snow in the shadows to read properly to the darker tones in the sun, Whaaat?

This is one of the longest sessions of the super cold days, Usually I can't make an hour.

Of course the light had changed a lot since I started, and it's right in front of me, changing the shadows, and I'm forgetting where things were when I started.

I can see it needs tweaking, but my shop is unheated, and that's where I work on them.....

Here is my new paint mobile! I picked it up this morning, and was anxious to take it for a paint. I think I can make this work.  It's new terrain for me, 32 years a full-sized General Motors truck owner........

Thursday, January 23, 2014

View from out back: George and Mary's house.

11 F  sunny,
The sun had gone down and any pretense that it was bearable was over. With the longer days I get more time right when I need it, I painted for 50 minutes, spent about 20 minutes getting set up and taking it down....

This is my scene, when I started the sun was just above the hill. the white house is George and Mary's, they moved to Florida in the fall, and are greatly missed! The chicken coop and my shop are on the right. I liked the cedar tree (next to my house, to the left if it)

Sometimes I wonder why I do the darks first. I actually like the tone, and the middle value is perfect.

There is a lot of squinting to get it this fuzzy.

I only got three photos.

I bought a new paint mobile today!  I'll get it on the road tomorrow, and maybe I'll paint with it tomorrow too.