Saturday, April 8, 2023

Buildings and trees…


 Just started working on this today in the art class time slot. It’s 11x15. I like where it’s going. And yes I’ve probably painted this scene a million times over the years. But I was listening to a podcast interview with Hazel Soan, a watercolorist who also paints the same subjects over and over. She said, “I’m not using watercolors to paint a subject. I’m using a subject to paint a watercolor.” 


This is 7 x10, from a photo I saw online. I was attracted to the sky and all the straight lines. I kind of like it but painting those huge swaths of field and grass was hard. I don’t really know how to texturize large areas and I’m not sure I want to, but keeping them all one color looked too abstract and boring….


One last look at this cityscape. I darkened the buildings and street with some dark blue- not sure if it’s pthalo or Prussian. It’s looking more interesting imo. I might do this again, maybe without the cars…

5 comments:

  1. The new window looks very clean. Starting to develop a little story now.

    It is hard to make these expansive areas look interesting. That’s why I have so much trouble with golf courses.

    I like the feel of the last scene but I’m lost on the bottom.

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    1. It’s the crosswalk in front of our car, which was stopped at the red light when I took the photo. Perhaps I should add John, Paul, George & Ringo…

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  2. That would be funny! Add them! Seriously, I like the window, especially the slight angles to the lines which add energy. I like the fields too. The lines on that one are fascinating, creating focus on the tree as they do. They're so angular, but I also see rolling fields. Texture is hard... it's so easy to go one step too far. Interesting observation by Hazel Soan--I like her!

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    1. That comment was from Elaine, not anonymous! I stand by my opinions.

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  3. Yar I hate big stretches of the same color. Less is less, not more, and it just wastes a lot of space and paper. Couldn't agree more with Hazel. The subject is the least important part of a painting, it's the paint and the treatment that counts.

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