Progress: Wilton House Museum, Side View

Another of the Wilton House Museum and part of a three-peice commission of various vistas of the Wilton estate.

I really like the lines in this piece. The elements (building, pathway, chimneys, tree trunks & bushes) arranged in this manner direct your eye to travel through this scene so directly. I like when I can frame a subject within a composition like this (i.e. edge of the red brick building, tree trunk, chimney & sidewalk framing the yellow house.)

And the summer greens are just delicious. I was trying to capture the reflective light on the house -- a warm invitation to enter. This was such a fun piece to paint.

20x16, oil on canvas

December Dusk

Last week I posted photos of this painting in progress...

...and asked for guesses of the painting location on facebook.

Those who guessed Midlothian Turnpike in front of Sycamore Square were correct!

There is something about the lighting of the trees & shops at Sycamore Square in December that kindles that festive, Christmas excitement.

December Dusk

Sycamore Square, Midlothian, VA

16x16, oil on canvas

Wilton House Museum

Richmonders, have you visited the Wilton House? Gorgeous 260 year old plantation home overlooking the James River. The house was host to some of the founding fathers and other elite travelers of years past as they traveled through Richmond.

Wilton House Museum

Richmond, Virginia

24x20, oil on canvas

This piece was part of a three-painting commission I recently completed. Stay tuned for photos of the step-by-step process of one of the other pieces from this commission.

Happy New Year!

I want to start out 2013 with a few seasonal paintings. I love the cold light of winter, the simplicity of color, the barren branched trees and that I don't have to wake up quite so early to see the sunrise.

One draw back to this beautiful time is the lack of daylight. I work pretty much exclusively by the light coming in our large sunroom windows. It can be pretty frustrating when I'm just getting to the "good part" in a painting and the sun sets & my light is gone. I'm hoping to invest in some good full-spectrum lights that will allow me to paint more in the evening.

All that to say, I was hoping to post a completed seasonal painting that I was working on yesterday. Sadly the sun set & I didn't get to finish the piece.

I guess you'll have to check back to see the final. :)

Here are a few shots of the painting in progress:

Here's the 5x5 inch "study" painting. I was working out the composition (general shapes, sizes and placement of the objects) & values (how light or dark the objects are in comparison to each other).

 This is an 18x18" canvas. Here is the first layer of color over the brown underpainting.

More definition to the shapes using the blue of the sky & brown.

Adding in the greens. 

(The wet paint strokes on the tree caught quite a bit of reflection. It looks a bit goofy in the photo, but it's all I have for now.)

Adding in the warm colors (reds, oranges, yellows) & the reflections on the sidewalk. 

TO BE CONTINUED...

If you're familiar with the Midlothian area you may recognize this scene. 

 I'll post the location when I post the "final reveal" next week.

Until then, any guesses on where this is? 

Process: Mine Shaft Ruins

Each of my paintings live quite an extravagant life before they are finished and displayed in a gallery/on my website/in someone's home. Some of you have mentioned you enjoy seeing the "behind the scenes" of how my paintings come to life -- or rather, to their final life. Here's the evolution of one of my most recent paintings.

Phase 1: On a gray toned canvas I drew the coal mines structure and positioned the trees, stakes & shadows.

Phase 2: After sanding phase 1 with a medium grit sandpaper I refined my dark lines & defined the highlight areas with flake white. (The mustard yellow color is from a failed painting. Instead of ripping off the canvas and re-stretching I started this painting over top of the previous one.)

Phase 3: Giving the stones & tree trunks some color, darkening areas and a thin wash of warm color over the weeds/undergrowth.

Phase 4: More color added -- greens & blues in the background, browns and reds in the foreground.

Phase 5: This was when I was trying to decide if the trees in the background should be lighter or darker than the stone archway. I also added some variation of color to the stones to show the light reflecting around in the shadows.

Phase 6. I decided my previous decision to lighten the background wasn't looking right -- so I pulled out the sandpaper again.

Phase 7: Another attempt to achieve the right background value.

Phase 8: Still experimenting with the background. Building up the foliage as well.

20x16, oil on canvas

sold

Phase 9: DONE. The background goes dark again. Glazed the stones & emphasized the reflected light with cool blues and warm pinks/browns. Gave the tree trunk in the foreground a pretty, sunny vine. Darkened the dark areas a little more. Tried to balance out the rich warm colors (of the archway & the tree trunks) with some rich cools (violet blues in the deep shadows around base & cracks in the stone structure). A little red "a" in the corner & she's done!

I'd love to hear what you think of the final or any of the steps along the way. Thanks!

Midlothian Mine Shaft Ruins

Mine Shaft Ruins

20x16, oil on canvas

Below is a close up & shot of the piece framed.

       

Sorry for the stark lighting on the second pic. I had it framed for an incredible price at the Collector's Gallery and took the photo in the parking lot after I picked it up. I don't think the picture does it justice, but I had to post it anyway. :)

Tomorrow I'm hoping to post the progress shots of this piece. 

It had quite the life leading up to this point. Check back soon!

New painting, old subject: Train Bridge Over the James

Train Bridge Over the James

24x12, oil on canvas
sold