Cobblestone Alley, 20 x 16, UART 400

Underpainting with alcohol

I spent a lovely day at the studio today while my car was being serviced.  Took the picture of the underpainting that I forgot last week, then worked on the painting most of the day.  I spent time at the beginning correcting the drawing of the church on the left and I was happy with it when it was done. Also made sure that the garage looked right, shortening it, and extending the roof up on the right side.  For the sky, I used a light orange to begin with, then later went back with the lightest Ludwig violet and yellow. I thought it was looking too one-dimensional and the violet helped (but I doubt that you can see it in the photo).

My Blue Earth pastels really came in handy in this picture. The tree at right is almost all the green set, and the street is mainly the warm neutrals, along with some blue and pink Giraults.

My husband suggested adding a bush in front of the wooden fence and I put in a rose bush with flowers that pick up the reds on the left.  I like to think that I would have thought of this myself, however, I want to give him credit.  (He once read a whole book on composition so as to better give me comments!)  The last thing that I changed was the building in the distance on the right. I had made it green, as it was in the photo. But I decided that reddish brick would be better to help balance the large amount of it on the left. I used a soft pastel and used it right over the soft greens that were there, which helped dull it.  I think that the picture hangs together better with it and it ties together with the rose bush as well.

I was a little intimidated by the idea of indicating both brick and cobblestones in the foreground, but it really wasn’t so hard. I used browns and violets to fill in the area first, then the lighter Blue Earth neutrals to make the stones.  I didn’t want to over do it, but I think that it’s obvious what it is and it’s much more interesting than the newly paved alley up the street!

I won’t be painting much this month. I’ll be off to the pastel convention in Albuquerque (IAPS) next Tues. and coming back on June 14. Then I leave for Mass. on the 19th where I’ll be bringing paintings to galleries, giving a one day workshop, AND celebrating my mother’s 98th birthday!!!  We have looooong genes in my family!