Making it up

 There are times when photo reference can aid in paintings and times when it is less than helpful.

 

This is one of those times. Unless I am purposely focused on a uniquely beautiful sky, in many of my reference photos the sky is unremarkable or just dull. While few paintings require a stunning sunrise or sunset, an interesting sky can be an important feature in a piece.

 

 

This is the upper part of one of my reference photos for my current painting.

The sky is "eh."

 

 

Fortunately, this is a place I have spent many days. When I refer to "making it up" that presumes a knowledge of the subject and an inherent perception of what could be possible if you had the "perfect" reference.

 

Current upper part of the painting. (quick phone photo)

 

The painting's setting is in Vineyard Haven harbor on the island of Martha's Vineyard. I have often watched banks of clouds develop over Cape Cod (which is the land in the background.)

 

I've used a technique I often employ for skies. As you've seen from my other paintings, once my drawing is complete, I use a light yellow ochre turpentine wash over the entire painting. This not only "locks" in my pencil drawing but also adds warmth to the white gessoed board. (Since I knew I would be winging it for the sky I didn't draw anything above the horizon land line.)

 

When I start painting the sky I mix several colors on my palette. Between the upper most color of the sky and the warmer color below it I left a small gap. With a very soft blending brush I blended most of the two colors together but left gaps where the wash underneath is visible or shows through the thinner layer of paint.

 

As I worked my way down the painting I kept in mind how clouds can form in this coastal area. After blocking in most of the colors (making sure the uppermost cool color appeared in long streaks in the warmer bank of clouds) it was time to use the blending brush again to soften any rough edges.

 

I wanted the clouds to be more interesting than any of my reference photos for this day but didn't want them to take center stage in the painting. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finished

 

Buoyant

18" X 11"

Original oil by Linda Besse  

 

 

 

 

More color

 Almost all the "non- white" color is in at this point. Why won't each buoy have color? It would be too much, a cacophony of color. And, not all buoys have a color other than white.

 

While this might seem like a jumble, it's an ordered disorder. 

 

 

 

Buoys

 Usually I paint background to foreground, top to bottom. Not here. I'll skip around the piece, choosing the next buoy whose color I feel like mixing.

  

 

 

 

 

In the Meantime...

 While waiting for the darker grasses to dry before adding the lightest layer of grasses on my leopard painting (see previous post), I am working on my summer Sea, Sand, & Shore collection for the Louisa Gould Gallery on Martha's Vineyard.

 

So, something completely different!

 

 I thought a window reflection would add a different twist to the piece.

 

 

 

 

The colors of the buoys will give me a chance to mix colors I don't often use in my wildlife paintings. While tempted to start playing with them right away I want to finish the shingles first.

 

 For the shingles I have three main colors mixed. Using strokes of cool and warm and playing with the shadows on the shingles will give the buoys a more 3-D look on the wall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foreground Grass

 

The foreground grasses are going to take some time.

You can see in earlier posts that I painted the base layer of the sunlit section. I wanted this to dry while I worked on the leopards. I've now added some depth with some mid and darker grasses. Most of the grass will be very light and bright which will also increase the feeling of shadow underneath the trees where the cats are lying.

 

I'll wait for this to dry before adding the final grasses.

 

Note: it is difficult for me to wait. My main method of painting is to work wet-on-wet but there are some times when that is not the most effective way to achieve certain looks. For me, grass is one of them. While waiting I have four more paintings drawn and only have to choose which one to start.

 

 

 

 

One cat almost finished

 

Next up, the female.

This photo was taken with my good camera, rather than my phone.