Sunday, January 17, 2010

Four Seasons Complete

Four Seasons is now complete and ready for the exhibition. They were really a challenge to create. The biggest problem to solve was how to get them to read well together as a whole. I ended up warming up winter by bringing some of the creams, yellows and pinks from the other paintings into the whites.
Apart from the obvious change in the weather I wanted to create a feeling for each scene. It sounds funny but the watching the weather out there is like watching a movie. Although the central characters are the same - evergreens, maples, pond, cat tails, grass... every few moments the lighting and colors all make things look so different.



Friday, January 1, 2010

Four Seasons Progress

Here is what I have so far of my Four Seasons Pond Series.

All four are about equal for completion. Fall and Winter have given me the most challenge. The process consists of many many layers of thin color glazes mixed in with more opaque top colors. Each painting has been accomplished using some similar techniques but some areas require new ways of interpretation. For example, the trees all have different numbers of layers and very different techniques. The winter tree line has been the most challenging - the fall tree line has been the most fun.

I am attempting to create a unique feel for each season even though the landscape is the same location. I am aiming for greens, drama and water movement on spring, soft and quiet on summer, color burst and that yummy ultramarine water on fall and that pristine beauty on that first winter snow.

About 85%. I have gotten allot done so far this week. Please excuse the glare. I decided I wanted to see them all together so this poses a greater lighting problem.