Beaver Pond Reflections

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.

While reading a book of Rusty Heurlin's with his notes in the margins - he had underlined and noted the importance of simplification in his work.  "Simplify, Simplify, Simplify....   Put in only what is necessary in a picture and no more."

Easier said than done but the experimentation is fun and remember - there is almost nothing that can't be undone!

Process versus Spontaneity

 

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 

                     not worrying if the colors are off 

2nd Pass  Fine tuning painting for both color and composition

Set aside for a few days (or months or years in some cases)

3rd Pass (if painting is not completed) further refinement

I resisted developing a system or process for years.  I just wanted to get out and paint.  While that helped me develop as an artist in many ways, it was also frustrating for me as I often spent as much time searching for what I needed, often wasting what little time I had for painting.  

I've slowly come to realize that even on a day when nothing goes as planned with a painting, if the results are horrible and in no way reflect what I am trying to capture - it's fine.  I still have learned something.  

It took me years to establish a system that works for me with the time I have that still allows me to maintain a sense of spontaneity and excitement when I'm painting.

I also have a "go bag" (three actually) for Watercolor, Acrylic, and Charcoal in addition to my main paintbox which I will switch out between all of the above and oil paintings.

Fall Reflections by Elmer Ham

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

 

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 Seascape by Elmer L Ham

Beaver Pond - Crawford - in progress

 

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 way again.  The water was so low due to drought so what was normally out of sight in the middle of the river was front and center.  Judging by the river bank, I was standing high and dry in what was normally chest deep water.  

Below is a page from my sketchbook.  I made the two compositional sketches on the left with a few notes from my recollections.  I wanted to paint some compositional sketches but I simply didn't have the time to paint even small sketches.

The first few compositional sketches were closer to as the scene really was, but in order to capture the feelings I had while there, I needed to rearrange the elements and open up the composition as in the larger charcoal sketch.  I've grown to really enjoy working out compositional issues in these quick sketches.  It's almost like completing paintings except that it's much quicker and I haven't spent two hours painting something to then discover I've got to start over if I want the effect I was pursuing.

Am looking forward to launching into a large watercolor of this subject and smaller oil.  I am also thinking of painting this view as a fall and winter subject as well.

Sunset Paris Hill Pass 2

 

This is today's pass with Gouache over the charcoal sketch below.  The Focus was mostly on the sky and distant mountains.  The house had a particular shade of blue which is work for another day.  Feels great to be painting again.

"Just Paint"

Charcoal Compositional Sketch
18" x 24"

I fell into my bed - exhausted. Drifting off.... "Just paint" 

It could have been the tinnitus, but the voice was persistent. "Just paint" 

I dragged myself out of bed and stumbled down cellar to my studio where I had previously taped four blank note cards to my easel. 

 For a host of reasons, I've been unable to paint for quite awhile - too long for my liking. But where to start? "Just paint" 

Many years ago on Paris Hill a particularly striking sunset looking west from the village green beyond Hannibal Hamblin's house to the mountains beyond was seared into my mind. It was breathtaking.... I soaked up every minute of that sunset. 

 "Just paint" 

 I did a few quick Pen and Ink compositional drawings and then broke out some gouache and did these four quick compositional studies.   From the top left to right - sketches 1,2, and 4 were closest to the actual scene as it was. Three was a combination of the scene with a cloudscape at sunset from a different time and location. 

The color was way off (off-full you might say) but for my purposes it didn't really matter. I just needed to push some paint around and work out a few ideas that though they would not be exact representations of the scene but that would capture the feelings it provoked in me. 

In looking at the sketches - a combination of numbers two and three let to this larger charcoal sketch (18" by 24") which will be the basis for a finished painting

These are all quite loose for sketches, but each one informs me a bit more and helps me catch errors in composition before being heavily involved with the final painting.  

I thank God I'm no longer held captive by the thought that each and every painting and drawing must be perfect and "finished."  It relieves so much unrealistic self imposed stress to not make any "mistakes."  I wish I'd figured that out well before my mid 40's 

Each and every effort informs the next one and so on.

Just Paint!