" Autumn In Whitney-Algonquin" 30"x 40" O/C I thought that I would try another painting using reference material. As it turned out , the only reference I had was a plein air painting that I had painted in the fall of 2005 in the small town of Whitney, Ontario . As bad luck would have it, no photographs.
Whitney is at the southern entrance to Algonquin Park. As I mentioned in a previous post, Algonquin Park was one area painted by Canada's famous Group of Seven painters and Tom Thomson.
This plein air is 10"x 12" and is the reference for the above painting. I think that it turned out quite close to the original. I do not know if that is a good thing or a bad thing. That small painting must have had a very strong influence on me.I prepared my canvas as I would normally do with the gesso coatings. The thing that I did different in the next stage was to add different colours to the canvas as apposed to just one overall colour.
Looking at the small painting, I tried to imagine the outcome of the final painting on the blank canvas. In doing so, I applied complimentary colours to the canvas in varying values. (what a mess!) I used medium to make the colours "soupy" or "runny". I left this stage dry before actually starting the final painting, and in this case, was done "alla prima". (in one go) I felt that the base colours would give the final colours some punch.
The palette for this particular painting was my typical "limited palette" plus some additions as I felt necessary.
(for a larger image of painting-left "click" on the original painting)
'til next.
5 comments:
Frank, did you paint the underpainting using a fast dry medium, so it would dry faster and avoid creating mud? I use a mediun of 100% Gum Turpentine, boiled/refined linseed oil and Damar varnish that I describe in my Ovanes Berberiam demo on my blog, and it dries quite quickly. Another option (from Sergie Bongard) is to first spray your canvas with retouch varnish. It becomes tacky quickly and dries the under-painting.
Hi Ed.
My method for studio paintings is basically the same as it would be if I were doing a plein air.(one over-all number five value colour)
In this particular painting, complimentories that were used were acrylic and applied over the gessoed surface of the canvas as one would watercolour,one colour (number five value)at a time. There was "running" and "mixing" as you can imagine. I did use a hair dryer to aid in the drying. It was a mess but made a nice surface for this particular piece. This was my only underpainting.
I use very little or no medium in the painting process. When I do, I use OMS (odourless mineral spirits)My panels are heavily textured with gesso and I have never felt the need for a "tacky" surface as you mention.
I have in the past,if memory serves me, used your recipe in some form for glazing.
I have not tried the Bongard medium. Will do...
I hope that I have answered your question. Anytime..
Take care
I would like the prices on your works. Is there a price page or another way to contact you? I have a "trash email" that I use when I have to post an email. It is horswomn@aol.com
Lovely painting
Cathy
Frank.. That is a pretty nice painting. I'm amazed you can pull something like this off without any photo references.. and just the PA ?? wow. I really love the spontinaety of the plein air piece.. and you have kept that feeling in the studio piece as well. kudos. BTW.. can I ask.. do you do your own framing?
Hi Mike
The original plein air of this painting was painted in the rain. I was sheltered in a gazebo at the time..I think (..or I hope )that it has the look of being painted in the rain. The enlarged painting does not show very well in this blog. I may change that.
To answer your question in a word, "no". The gallery that reps. me do the framing.
Thanks for the compliment and for your interest, Mike.
Take care,Frank.
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