Snow Sketches

While waiting to pick up the kids from school, I have been doing a bit of sketching using my Altiod Palette and a tiny (3.5" x 5.5") sketch book. I keep these in the car, but today I decided to bring them home for cleaning and to scan a couple of the sketches. Here they are. The top One I call "Dropped it"; the bottom is "Plum Tree Park".

These are really tiny sketches. So one is forced to stay loose and enjoy the quick process.

Traverse Sketch/Study

Still studying Winslow Homer, and inspired by his work, I have created this sketch/study. This is not a copy of any of his work. It is an original and I intend to make a full sheet painting of it as soon as I am satisfied with the color, depth and composition...which I am not so far.

I need to do a grading on the mountain trees. My initial problem is that I wanted the light to go from cold in the valley to warm on the top, but without letting the warmth of the top bring it forward. With grading the color, I think I can counteract that...or can I?

The foreground water should be much darker. On sketch paper, that was not possible, but I can do that on better paper.

Composition? I have to sleep on that a bit. Pin it on the wall and look at it some more. I am not sure if the red canoe is right or if it's placement is correct. I know I want a human element in this vast wilderness. I want it to be tiny to dramatically show the scale of the scene.

Green? 'nough said!

All thoughts and suggestions are welcome!

After Winslow #2

Ok, This was not good, but I am learning what he did with the water. I shouldn't paint after a long rough day, but I am so excited with this porject I can't help it.

((After Grand Discharge, Lake St. John)) Butchered, but I think I will try this one again soon.

After Winslow #1

I'm treading very lightly here. But after weeks of not touching my brushes, I decided to plunge in (excuse the pun) and try walking in Homer's shoes.

I am reading an excellent book: American Tradition In Watercolor" And was just itching to try a Winslow after looking at his turbulent seas.

Admittedly this is just an tentative sketch, but it felt exhilarating to try his method. I think I will do more of this!

Winslow Homer's Pallete

Another great watercolor artist is, of course, Winslow Homer. Here is his pallete:

Antwerp Blue
Aureolin
Bone Black
Burnt Sienna
Burnt Umber
Cadmium Yellow
Chinese White
Chrome Orange
Crimson Lake
Green Earth
Hooker's Green
Indian Purple
Indian Red
Indian Yellow
Prussian Green (a mix or Prussian Blue and Gamboge)
Payne's Gray
Scarlet Lake
Sepia
Vandyke Brown
Vermilion
Warm Sapia

As you can see, Homer's Pallete, as opposed to Sargent's is decidedly cooler.

John Singer Sargent's Pallete

I am always interested in finding out the colors that great artists use. Not that duplicating them would give one their ability to use them, but just knowing the pallete is a great insight into the works.

So here is Sargent's Pallete:

Alizarin Carmine (Newman)
Brown Pink (Newman)
Burnt Sienna (Newman)
Cadmium Yellow Pale (Newman)
Cadmium Yellow #2 (Newman)
Chrome Yellow (Newman)
Cobalt Blue (Newman)
Gamboge (Weber)
Lamp Black (Winsor and Newton)
Rose Madder (Winsor and Newton)
Ultramarine (Schminke)
Vandyke Brown (Newman)
Scarlet Vermillion (Winsor and Newton)
Deep Vermillion (Hatfield)
Viridian (Winsor and Newton)

This is mostly a warm pallete with 3 or 4 cooler colors only (Alizarin Carmine, Cobalt Blue, Rose Madder, and Viridian) I am so glad to see Lamp Black there. I love the color and its effect. A much better choice than the other blacks out there. It has a lovely texture and granulates beautifully.

Mohan

Today the world lost someone very special. Yes the sun will rise tomorrow and most of the world will not notice that my friend Mohan doesn't walk with us any more, but the sun will be a little shade duller and the waves will be a little less bold, because they don't have Mohan to paint them.

Mohan came to Canada a long time ago. As a youth, he longed to be an artist, but his family, a traditional Indian family wanted him to be a lawyer and so, after suffering their cage as much as he could, he left India on a ship to the west and freed his soul. He has again freed his soul from the burdens of the physical world and I am sure he is dwelling in a peaceful place were beauty is cherished and his work is admired even more than it is here.

God bless you Mohan. you have touched so many with your serene work. May god embrace your soul and tenderly place it in his keep. For us who stay behind, we have a part of you that we will always cherish. Your art.

Painting by Mohan
Mohan's last works
Mohan's story

Searching for the perfect light

What do you use as light in your studio? Under what light do you paint at night or on overcast days?

I have tried several of the spiral bulbs, but non have worked for me. Some turn my browns to green and others are too cold and blue. I am still looking for the elusive light that will not shift the actual colors that I use and surprise me the next morning.

Please write and let me know your secret light formula.

Watching Charles Reid

Not inspired to paint much lately, although it is finally winter here and we had our first real snow. Somehow I have been too lazy in the evenings and the weekends just whiz bye.

So I have been watching Charles Reid's latest DVD "Watercolor Secrets". I personally love Charles' style and method. I never tire of watching him paint and I learn something new every time. Nevertheless, I was a bit disturbed by the seeming departure from his excellent taste in making this DVD. Secrets? Come on Charles. Et tu?

If you are looking for "secrets" you won't find them in this DVD. What you will find is a wonderful artist painting. Really painting. He makes mistakes, corrects them, brushes the wrong color on then changes it and ultimately comes up with excellent paintings and vignettes. The kind you would proudly frame in your living room. So while there are no "Secrets", there is a lot of honest painting. No retakes here. This is a DVD alfresco.

(A-)... the minus is for the title. The A is for the reality.

2 sketches

2007 is starting slower than expected. I haven't painted a single thing so far, and my sketches are nothing to write home about. Which begs the question: Why am I posting them here? Don't know! Here are two anyway.

The shelves were done from bed in ink. The kids were so focused on the computer game. It was easy to sketch them!

SAND CASTLES AT SUNSET

Here is a poem I wrote a few years ago. For some reason, I find it easier to share paintings than poems. Anyway here it goes:

SAND CASTLES AT SUNSET

If time walks with me, dare I slow my pace?
I watch the menacing waves.
I will not plead with them.
They will not spare me.

I string the walls with
Mother-of-pearl, and lilac, and purple shells.
The sun ripens, and the tide...
I will not plead with them.
They will not spare.

Last night my mind ran through your hair.
I touched your lips and kissed your eyes.
They haunt me. They will not let me go!
I will not plead with them.
They will not!

What happens when this castle falls?
How sad that day will be:
Sand through your fingers. But
I will not plead with them.
They will

Look radiant--palms stretched in the sand.
I long to hold you again.
My hands tremble. They are so afraid.
I will not plead with them.
They

Have swept down your back and
Lingered on your velvet skin.
They will not spare me.

Zan Barrage

Notes from my 2006 sketchbooks

I am getting ready to put away my 2006 sketchbooks and thought I'd take some of the ideas that I jotted down in them and put them here over a few posts. These are quick notes. If you have faced the same problems you will know what I mean by them. If you don't, post a question and I will answer you in more details.

• To blot a perfect straight line, cover a ruler with tissue paper and blot out color while it is still partially wet.


• In water remember that you have both shadows and reflections


• Use a dipping pen for details. Fill the nib with watercolor by feeding it from a brush.


• Paint at an angle, but also be ready to tilt the painting to drive color. Never fix your board to an easel or table and lose the ability to drive color by tilting.


• Start by painting the shadows when working outdoors. They are fleeting.


• For best shadows work or take stock photos in early morning or late afternoon


• Yellow traps pencil marks. You can't erase what is under yellow.


• Work with two brushes; one for color and one for clear water and lifting.


• When making swatches or color studies work with two brushes. Fill each with a color and feed one from the other for off page mixing.

Note on Watercolor sable brush care

I have several brushes that I have accumulated over the years and I tend to rotate their use. Sort of like one would rotate their tires to ware them evenly!

One of the problems that I have is how to protect the brush tufts while putting them on hiatus. I am always afraid of moths, dust and accidents. I don't particularly like laying brushes flat. I don't like to have any flattening pressure on tufts.

When I want to put brushes away, I put a dab of very mild hair conditioner in a small bowl and gently pick some of it in my brushes. I work the conditioner into the brushes, shape them carefully and let them dry. When they are dry they have a stiff tuft just like they did when I bought them and I am not worried about the moths, dust or accidents any more. All I have to do when I want to reuse them is to wet them gently. When they are flexible again I rinse them to remove all the conditioner from them and they are as good as new!