Evans Notch, Revisited

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While readying paintings for submission to a juried competition, I decided to take a break to make some painting notes.

In short, as I've painted over the years I've gradually moved from a frenetic non-process of painting on location and,thanks to haphazard storage, I seemed to spend as much time looking for my materials than I did painting, to a fairly consistent process.  I've written about the development on my preferred working method over time, if you are interested in that topic, I've included some links below.

This particular notebook is a small portfolio that I've not written about before.  Each page of the portfolio is filled with index cards.  Each card has its own idea for a painting.  In some cases its just a quick phrase scribbled down (Orange Moonrise / Trees illuminated from behind).  In others there are no words and just a quick pencil sketch of a composition.  In other cases the card references other studies to utilize to complete a new subject.  Some of the cards are a critique of a painting completed much earlier.

Lastly, and the subject of this post, are notes about paintings that I'd completed to a point, but didn't know what to do next or how to complete the painting at the time. 

This painting  immediately below was the first pass of an oil of "The Basin" in Evan's Notch. 



The true first pass at the painting didn't have the Birches, Spruce, or Moose in front of the pond.  I then added these elements but I knew that it was in its final form - I just wasn't sure what that finished state would be so I set the painting aside - for years.

Below is the painting with my latest revisions.  I added texture to the mountain as well as different colors.  I added more value to the shadows on the mountain peak and exposed rocks.  The birches received the bulk of the work - literally adding bulk through structure modifications as well as color and value work.

Lastly the water seemed more dull that I liked, so I added some lighter reflections from the sky on the left and green reflections on the right.


I may have gone a bit too far with the brilliance of the trees, but they are glowing at times, so I'll set this aside a take a look with fresh eyes soon (not years from now).

Below are a few links to earlier posts which describe the evolution of my working methods.

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https://robertkahlerlandscapepaintings.blogspot.com/2017/01/where-did-that-idea-come-from.html

 https://robertkahlerlandscapepaintings.blogspot.com/2018/07/where-to-shop-for-good-ideas-anywhere.html
https://robertkahlerlandscapepaintings.blogspot.com/2017/10/rugged-coast.html


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