This painting began as a demonstration for the Chevy Chase chapter of the American Association of University Women. Some of you will have seen the post on Facebook. However, I did more work on the picture so the second image here is different! When I went to post it, I wasn’t happy with the water and the amount of darkness in the painting. The painting was begun from a black and white photo but I used the color image at home. I did two small color studies, playing with green grass (what was actually there) and red violets in the first, and yellow orange grasses with blue violets in the lock and dark areas. I really liked the red violet best and went with it. The initial painting was done very quickly while talking a lot! I used opposite colors in the underpaintings–orange in the sky, dark greens in the lock, and red violets in the grasses. Not sure what I used in the water! Probably a darker aqua. My enhancements at home included adding an additional post of the lock (on the right), adding brighter greens to the grasses, as well as some orange grasses on the far right, improving the rock, and doing a lot more with the background and water. I’m still not completely happy with the water! I think the light color in the initial picture looks better than the brighter, but darker greens in the finished image. However, I have to go off to class and have decided to call this one quits! Will be doing another version of it (horizontal) for a demo on Friday in Massachusetts. We’ll see how that one comes out!
I decided to do a series of 11 x 14 paintings of the canal at Great Falls as I think they make nice studies of an area that people here really love. In the past, I did not paint the river or the canal, feeling it was overdone. But I like the challenge of finding new views and small details to bring out. There is another on the easel now, that I hope to finish today.
And–I see that the IAPS site is finally up for registration! I hope that some of you who are going will consider taking my Sunday workshop. This is my first workshop at IAPS and I’m excited, but a little nervous too!!!
Late Day Light, C&O Canal, 14 x 11, UART 400
Late Day Light, C&O Canal, 14 x 11, UART 400