This painting was started and completed in one session in my studio. So it took me 51 years and two and half hours to paint!
The inspiration for this painting (Acrylic 12" x 16" on canvas board ) came from trips along the mid coast and an acutal location in Brunswick Maine.
While I often paint on locations that I've never been to before, when I do studio work I try to link it to actual on location sketches. In this case I'd done an on location pencil sketch and some larger charcoal drawings where I attempted a number of different compositions which both simplified some elements of the landscape and elaborated on other elements of the scene as it existed.
We just returned from a vacation to Pennsylvania where I completed a few quick sketches and attempted one painting on location but, to be frank, the Pennsylvania landscape and conditions kicked my a$%. More on that for another post.
What I did do differently in this painting was that I painted over the Pennsylvania sketch with burnt sienna which gave me a more fully prepped and smoother surface to work on. I also liked how that base helped warm the painting up more than simply using a white canvas. Have seen a number of artists do this, but I'd never tried it before. Something I definitely will continue to experiment with.
If you've never tried painting outdoors - I encourage you to do so. Check out John Stobart's "The Pleasures of Painting Outdoors" and "Worldscape" series one and two. I had the pleasure of meeting John a number of times on his trips to Maine and he is such an inspiration to so many!
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