Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Finished- Late Summer Field

Just finished. This afternoon I enhanced the main field and darkened the midground trees. Tonight I darkened the midground trees more, touched up the field a little more (adding flowers/color), worked the right field, and did the stone path. The path has a violet/gray underpainting layered with lighter violets, very light blues, and grays. A dark red brown was added to the path edges and the whole path got some light blending/smudging while still allowing the underpainting to come through. The shadows under the midground trees are a Diane Townsend Terrage, a very deep blue, blended out towrds the path. Finally I lightly blended the distant portions of the field to give more depth.
I used Great American and Mt Vision with Diane Townsends for the darkest darks. There are a few flecks og Art Spectrum and even less of Mungyo. Paper is white Colorfix (27.5 x 19.5) which held all of the layers with no issues and took 2 good fixative (SpectraFix) soakings.

My reference photo was of a stone road, not path, that was winding down through farm fields of corn towards a white house. The road is Culvert Rd in Shelby, NY. I just had a little freedom with it. What was cool about the trip was finding the tunnel built in 1823 that goes underneath the Erie Canal! The only tunnel under the canal, it leaks like crazy! the clearence is a short 7' and a few inches. Very cool.

Whats next? I have a few ideas and a request from my wife. I am thinking of doing the project she would like and using liquid pencil as a base. I want to start exploring with underpaintings of watercolor and acrylic for my pastels. Liquid pencil is waterbased so it will be a fun expirement!

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Late Summer Fields

Near complete for the left field. A little more color in the background is needed. Tonight I also darkened the edge of the tree line using purples, blues and browns. The stone road received an underpainting of a light purple, and a good dose of fixative. It is starting to take shape.

Monday, September 5, 2011

Next phase- added detail to distant tree line. Laid base color on trees to right and began detail. I decided not to include a house that is in the distance and corn fields, but to instead paint fields of wild flowers found in Western NY during late summer. I put down an underpainting of a golden-brown and sprayed with a fixative. Next will be the flowers and some added details to the foreground trees. 

Saturday, September 3, 2011


My current project. Started 9/3/11. It will eventually be a scene from Orleans county, Culvert Rd near Shelby. I was captured by this stone road curving through farm fields. The sky was spotted with clouds but I decided to go with just endless blue. The paper is colorfix 27.5x19.5. I will be using Mt Vision and Great American pastels. I drew a very rough outline, I like to see were it takes me without too much early details.