Kicking Off 2012 . . . .


"Morning Tide"
Watercolor 22 x 30 inches

Following a challenge by my friend and colleague, David Lobenberg, we have been both painting the same subject from the same photo. When the challenge was issued (by Dave) I wondered about making changes to the composition. The lighting, the value and color changes in the rocks, the foam, the waves, the sky all presented different challenges. I couldn't wait to get at it! It has taken me nearly a week to complete this painting. One of the reasons it took so long was that the original photo had the bottom 1/3 of the image solid dark rocks. In my humble opinion, the bottom part of the image needed a passage of light in order for the eye to get into the body of the painting. So, I created the entire lower third of the piece to bring that about.

I might have jumped the gun a bit, not waiting to see Dave's painting, but have been so deeply involved in "getting it right" that I could not wait to post the results. I am expecting Dave to post his piece any day now.

For those who are wondering "how" this piece was done . . . . . beginning with the sky ten to fifteen graded washes were glazed over each other, using red, yellow and blue. The big rock in the mist was laid in part way through the glazing process then repeatedly glazed over with the various washes in order to 'push it back' and envelop it into the colored mist.

I had a lot of fun working this piece as it was a return to a level of concentration which bordered on being in a trance. . . . . . .which is the probable reason most of us painters paint.

Happy New Year to All for 2012 !

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