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Time Lapse of Landscape Painting

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  Time Lapse Video (First attempt so pardon the quality) of blocking in Beaver Pond Reflections First pass complete - 45 minutes in Final Painting for sale

Beaver Pond Reflections Final

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Beaver Pond Reflections - Crawford Maine Acrylic 12" x 16" Below left was the painting before final adjustments for color and composition.  Subtle differences in the height of the background trees.  I developed the trees on the island and the shape of the island a bit more and, lastly, added some detail and color contrast to the pond, reflections, and foreground. I particularly enjoyed painting the foreground.  When exploring the Maine streams and woods in the summer or fall, you will often see trees and driftwood deposited by the spring runoff  high among trees or high up on river banks.  That was the inspiration for the tree in the lower right foreground.   A small thing, an incidental accident, almost unconscious but as soon as I made the first brushstroke - there it was.                                 The other challenge I run into when painting is to find the proper balance of detail and impression.  I prefer letting the imagination fill in detail whenever possible. Whi

Process versus Spontaneity

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  Acrylic 12" x 16" This is an update on the progress of Beaver Pond - Crawford.   This represents about 45 minutes of work with Acrylic directly on canvas to block in the composition and then about 10 minutes on another day to begin to zero in on correcting colors.  (2nd pass) My favorite type of painting remains on location painting, starting and finishing in one session - generally about two to two and a half hours.  However,  when I don't have the time to paint on location I'll use on location sketches and trips as inspiration.  I've documented this elsewhere if you are interested. In general my method in these types of cases for acrylics is Compositional Sketches (very loose - mostly line drawings) Larger Charcoal Sketch to work on values Then onto working with Paint: 1st Pass  Covering the Canvas in Paint                     Blocking in the composition rapidly                     While attempting to get colors and values correct at this stage - but         

Fall Reflections by Elmer Ham

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Watercolor by Elmer L Ham I love the light and the sense of atmosphere captured by Ham in this watercolor painting.  While this is likely a painting executed in studio - it clearly demonstrates to me the lifetime Ham spent studying nature and painting and sketching on location. This is most likely a Maine or Massachusetts scene by Ham.  I've seen landscapes and florals executed by Ham in Watercolor, Pastel, Oil, and Pencil.   Working as a sign painter and painting outdoor advertising murals allowed Ham to pursue his love of painting throughout his life.  Ham exhibited paintings in Boston, Provincetown, and Springfield Mass, and Ogunquit and York Maine as well as in competitions and local venues throughout New England and California.

Elmer L Ham (1884-1978) Two Seascapes

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  Elmer L Ham painting a seascape on location (en plein air) location unknown Discovering this photo of Ham painting on location confirmed what I had expected when I first saw one of his paintings. There is something about painting on location which I find intoxicating.  As I've written elsewhere, I came across a few old beaten up black portfolios thick with paintings tucked away in a corner in an upper floor amongst overturned furniture.  When I opened the first portfolio I was mesmerized by the painting after painting, which had the life, movement, and crispness of having been painted on location or at least having been painted by someone who was a student of both nature and painting. Here are examples of a couple of watercolor field studies done on location by Ham.  Ham often traveled and painted on location with his life long friend - Vladmir Pavlovsky (1884-1944).  Ham and Pavlovsky shared a studio in Boston on Newbury Street. Watercolor Seascape by Elmer L Ham Watercolor Seas

Beaver Pond - Crawford - in progress

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  Beaver Pond - Crawford Charcoal - 18" x 24" The above charcoal is part of my process in what will be one of my next paintings.  I stopped on my way home from a trip Down East at a little roadside rest area in Crawford.  The play of light through the thick trees and the reflections in the beaver pond on the far side of the brook running through the rest area. There were so many potential subjects to paint.  In years past it would have been overwhelming. But I've learned to just take a deep breath and to simply soak in the sights, sounds, and smells.  I had the place all to myself for nearly twenty minutes.  I took a few photos for reference as well as I didn't really have the time to sketch as much as I would have liked.  For me, photo's have become a way to take notes at times when there is a fleeting effect in nature, or as in this case, an area that is not one I'm likely to get back to very often. I suspect I'll never see this place looking the same wa