Got off to a late start today as I had to take my DW Melissa to the airport in Albuquerque. She is flying back to New England for a book signing at the book store in her home town. This is a very big deal for her as she use to go to that book store quite often as a child and when a teenager, she had visions of writing a book and having a book signing in this store. Well, her childhood dream has come true, on Saturday 11/12 my DW will have her book signing. How's that for a dream coming true!!!!
WOO HOO!!!
After coming back from the airport, I had some errands to do, so my painting day did not start unit 4:00.
I'm on a 5x7 kick thanks to my RV friend who just happened to mention that 5x7's might be a better size for RVs as there just AIN'T much wall space in RVs - even in the BIG MAMAS!!!
So I did another beach scene! As I mentioned, for 7 or 8 years I supplemented my retirement selling paintings in my own gallery in East Boothbay Harbor. I painted 100's of lighthouses, beach scenes etc etc and I have to say that I got BURNT out on ocean scenes. These last few that I painted over the past few days are the first ones I've done in in almost 12 years. I've got to say I'm enjoying it!!!! Never did work as small as 5x7 until my RV friend mentioned it.
Soooooo enough of the jibber-jabber - on with the next painting. This was done very quickly wet into wet on heavy linen paper using my faithful friends my big TVH brush (I love that brush) and of course my well worn fan brush.
The key word in that last sentence was "QUICKLY!" Sooooooo my friends do not expect a lot of Blah - Blah - Blah. This is a painting presentation that will not last very long - but the finished product is all that counts as most of you know my painting procedure better than I do. Some times I think I suffer from CRS!!! :>)
The only thing I draw on the paper is a reasonable straight horizon line. I was once told that a crooked horizon line is SINFUL!!! Well most of the time I would agree - but I have found that a somewhat crooked horizon can introduce interest and intrigue into a painting. But that's me!
The sky goes in first so I can establish a reference point for the ocean and land masses.
The horizon line is a tad above the bottom of the sky so when I paint it in, there will be sky above the horizon line and some beginning of ocean below the horizon line. Thereby my reference point is established without being anal about the whole thing - pretty clever --!!
Soooo with a much darker blue, the horizon line is established and I also quickly with a speedy hand and my big TVH brush I create the beginning of the ocean and some suggestions of wave action. I also bring the water line down into the area where I will develop the land mass - in this way I don't have to worry about blending in as portions of the land mass will TOWER above the end of the ocean!
OK - I develop the land mass and I also put just a touch of detail into the wave - otherwise the viewer would feel compelled to focus on the land clutter. I want the land mass to be seen, but not focused on. Also, I've designed the wave in such a manner that it should direct the eye of the viewer back to the land clutter. This is called a "POINTER." Otherwise, the eyes of the viewer could end up going to the horizon - up the sky - and OFF the paper!!!! This would be a bad thing!!! The painter should develop a way by which the viewer's eyes are lead through and around the painting without going off the page. Once the eyes go off the page, they never return and the viewer goes onto the next painting to be viewed!!!! DUH - LOST SALE!!!!!! :>(
Soooooo my friends we have
"SUMMER DUNES"
5X7
Until next time, I hope you have a wonderful evening - I may paint some more as when my DW Melissa is away, I tend to paint-paint-paint -- Tis me own Ting!
JR :>)
