Baileys Island #2

Have spent the last couple of evenings/sunsets at Lands End on Bailey's Island.  It's amazing how different the sea is every day.  The first day the water was as smooth as glass and the reflection of the sunset was breathtaking.  Even got to watch a seal for awhile just off shore.

This sketch was completed from the parking lot.  It combines different elements that are present at Bailey Island, but not in the composition rendered below.  This composition combines the gnarled pine trees with rocks which dominate much of the landscape and on the horizon line is the lighthouse thats visible to the right of the island directly opposite the end of the road.

A sailboat happened by while I was sketching so I did a quick sketch of it, the outline of the memorial for those to who were lost at sea and the edge of the island with the lighthouse in the distance.

My wife laughed at me because, although I was at the seacoast I was sketching the pine trees in the parking lot - but that is sometimes how it works.  I found them to be so interesting visually that thatis what I was drawn to initially.

Am looking forward to painting some seascapes this fall and winter.

Portland Rooftops1

This is a sketch of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland ME, from Marginal Way.  I've always been fascinated by city skylines and rooftops.  This cathederal is also where my sister got married which is why I chose this subject to sketch.

The day itself had some incredibly dramatic lighting - clear skys one minute, rain the next and ultimately a thick sea fog which obscured the top half of the steeple.  I didn't have the time to try some of those different lighting patterns, but will another time.  As we say, if you don't like the weather in New England, wait a minute.

This was also a subject to work on how to indicate the substantial nature of the construction of the Cathederal without indicating every little detail (It couldn't be seen at this distance anyway - at least not with my eyes).  A few seagulls showed up and further illustrated the scale of the building.  They can barely be seen around the steeple on the left.

I'll adjust the building lines as necessary in any future subjects from this sketch but its enough for me to work on later.