Rocky Mountain Stream Demo
As per previous posts, I’m working on some paintings based on my reference photos and sketches from Rocky Mountain National Park. I hope these are helpful. I should probably take more photos in between stages, but here’s at least three.
Here’s the drawing. I focus on general shapes and identify the darkest area of the painting. For these underpainting darks, I mix Sap Green and Alizarin Crimson until I get a neutral between the two, then I mix a little “California Blue” (a custom mixture of Phalo Blue and Garbazole Violet, a wonderful really dark blue when Ultramarine is not dark enough…BTW, I got this mixture from Brigitte Curt, who in turn got it from Ovanes Berberian).
Here’s the underpainting. I use a medium (again Ovanes Berberian’s, 40% linseed oil and remaining Damar Varnish and Gum Turpentine). I focus on bright color underpainting, varying warm and cool. I don’t focus on values, which is difficult to do.
And, here’s the final painting. I wonder if the water is too garish/saturated? Perhaps I should neutralize these blues? What do you think?
Jo Castillo said,
September 6, 2006 @ 4:50 am
Hi Ed, I have been enjoying your blog. Congrats on the Estes Park painting. I do think this water is a little bright.
Maybe nearer the sky color with a little green reflection in the shadow on the left as you look on the computer.
Nice painting,
Jo
Bart said,
September 6, 2006 @ 11:48 am
Hi Ed… Thanks for the demo and info!
I must say that my immidiate thought was that the water was too intens -but the second reaction was that of looking again… thinking that in real one can get surprised like that.. so I saw it as a sort of experiment and thought it was a nice surprising element, making f.ex. the mountain look further away.
Now that I look at it longer I wonder whether making some of the vegetation directly around the water somwhat more saturated/contrasting would be a good idea. If the light is so powerfull as the water suggest to me, maybe it does reflect some more on the vegetation as well…??
Jeff Hayes said,
September 6, 2006 @ 10:05 pm
Hey Ed,
I would agree with you that the water is over-saturated. As a very strong note, it seems out of accord with the more subtle color scheme of the rest of the painting. If I hold my thumb over the water, the light on the first hill seems quite bright, but when I remove it, the water overpowers that light.
Look forward to seeing the finished piece!
-Jeff
Malcolm said,
May 8, 2007 @ 1:05 pm
Basically it gives the painting a lift and turns an ordinary (good painting) into
something better than average - the blue may need to be toned down - but
only a tiny fraction. There are so many ordinary painting about you have to
put some life into them to do any good. I am having to face the same problems. I stopped painting for 40 years…..I will probably never catch up.
Keep up the good work, Malcolm.