Stained Glass Tree

Stained Glass Tree, gouache, 2.5" x 3.5" on Arches 300 lb. c/p

A little bit of  departure from realism, though factually based, of course. I simply decided that the distant trees could be massed together to form a slightly darker shape, focusing on the interstices of the tree and the light of the sunset behind as my subject matter. I used a touch of fine point black Sharpie in the tree trunks.

Favorite part: The deeper peachy color of the sunset next to the purples and red-violets around it. That kind of analogous color always pleases my eye.

I'm glad the lake allows a hint of the sunset into the foreground or it would be too blue and white. It took some subtle shading to accomplish the snow banks and water/reflections, keeping the values similar enough to remain flat.

Winter Meandering

Winter Meandering, gouache 2.5" x 3.5" on Arches 300 lb. c/p

I'm interested in how to portray the dense winter background of tangles snowy tree branches and bushes without overdoing it. I think it began to work out in this one, though I have more ideas to try. When enough snow falls and ice coats everything the landscape changes so radically it takes another way of thinking to paint it. Snow changes all the value 'rules' that generally work. The land itself becomes the lightest value of all, in cases like this one. Part of the challenge is not to let the bluish snarl behind look too much like sky.

I bet I reshaped that stream a dozen times in different ways. I generally favor creating a sense of depth by simplifying a river or stream so that its widest point is at the bottom of the composition, but one can fall victim to over-simplifying. So in this case I decided to let it meander out to one side, but it was a bit of a fight! That's one thing I particularly like about gouache--it's opacity means I'm able to fight the painting without it showing too much.

Favorite part: The reflection of the large tree and the nearby bank in the stream. That's what gives this painting depth, I believe. It's nice when a plan works out.

Etched in Snow

Etched in Snow, gouache, 2.5" x 3.5" on Bristol Vellum

As we travel through this snowy landscape, I've noticed how one or two nearby trees are covered with a coating of snow that stands out against the darker woods behind. They're larger trees that catch the snow more than the snarl of dense growth behind them. I've wanted to explore the interesting white calligraphy they create, and I'm quite pleased with this painting.

It's hard to convey the size of this small painting, due to the size constraints here, so I shot this photo to help illustrate how small it really is. It's a little larger than your business card.

People often marvel that I like to draw and paint such small pieces. Many folks my age lose the ability to see details, but that's no problem for me. In fact, I'm most comfortable there. My nearby vision is excellent, although anything beyond my fingertips is blurry without glasses. It's convenient to work so small, making the dining room table my whole studio.

I added a touch or two of brown fine point Sharpie marker to this one. I rather like the resulting lines. I've always been a purist, thinking I had to use gouache alone, but in the last couple of months I've joined several online groups of painters working in art journals and my attitude is shifting, as a result. Why not make these mixed media? Whatever works! I expect you'll be seeing a few more such experiments in the future, although the vast majority of each one remains gouache for now. I love the versatility of this medium!

Favorite part: The falling snow effect that I was able to achieve using spattered paint. It's always a bit of a gamble to do this, but on the Bristol Vellum it works pretty well. The paint stays on top of the paper, not soaking in, as it will on more porous papers,. My technique here was to make a creamy thick mixture of water and Zinc white gouache, a paint that's more transparent in nature. I used a half-inch flat brush to spatter the paint with my thumb, and then placed a clean paper towel on top to remove the excess from the surface. I think it worked very well to give the impression of near and far flakes falling, as they have continued to do so often around my home lately! I can't deny I'm looking forward to spring.

Snowy Lady

Snowy Lady, 2-4-2015, Moleskine sketchpad 3.5" x 5.5"

This tree looked like a snowy lady standing in the forest. I enhanced the slopes in front of and around her, to give subtle action to what could have become a static composition due to all the strong verticals. I think these slopes enhance the interesting angles of the branches weighed down by snow. 

I live in snow country now, although I'm a recent transplant to Western New York. This is my first winter here. Recently, as the snowfall continued into the second month, I caught sight of some pine trees garlanded in snow. It popped into my head that all those Christmas cards with snowy trees on them weren't just made up, they were really draped in snowy mantles like that! It's particularly beautiful when the sun shines, adding sparkle to the view. 

Favorite part: where the lowest branches on the left-hand side kiss the snowline, which then obscures the branches to the right side. I had hoped for that but it seemed to happen almost despite me. 

Snowy Two-track

Snowy Two-track, gouache on Arches 300 lb. c/p,  2.5" x 3.5"

I liked the two curves in this one, the road and overhead branch. My theory is that when one has a strong visual pathway like this you must give the viewer a treat at the end of it, so I made sure the road points to the big tree, and the overhead branch and light in the distance culminate there. I think it works.

I also used Doug Dawson's approach to the color of snow, mixing more turquoise into the lighter foreground snow and keeping the distant trees in the upright plane more cobalt in color. It makes sense to me, since yellow appears nearer and purple recedes. I scumbled in a bit of whiter snow with a dry brush right in the front to create the snowy look there.

Favorite part: the look of dense twiggy trees on the left side that came about using a funny brush that's squished and crazy looking. It makes good random lines when turned different directions. The darker value served well and the multi-directional strokes read as snowy little branches.

I'm really enjoying the exploration of snow here in Western New York. I get to apply a lot of the theories I developed over the years when I painted with pastels. Here's a link to my chapter on snow, in my book, Landscape painting in Pastels. It's specific to pastels but contains a lot of thoughts on how to paint snow regardless of the medium you use.

January Riverbend

January Riverbend, gouache on Arches 300 lb. c/p,  2.5" x 3.5" 

Sunset and snow are a marvel, and not easy to paint--but quite a lot of fun. I set up my paints and paper at my dining room table, with a lamp casting its hundred watts on my butcher's tray palette and view the photo on my computer. I open the photo in GIMP so I can tweak it, changing the contrast or levels so that I can view various aspects more clearly when needed.

I'm exploring icy edges where the shallow water freezes first. The ice is a pale gray, reflecting the sky.

Favorite part: The little patch of light through the trees on the right-hand side. It was incidental, but when something serendipitous pleases me I'll make sure to keep it.

Lake Effect

We had a band of lake effect snow come through during the night, leaving about 8" of snow on the ground when we awoke. This afternoon, with the sunlight streaming on the reflective snow, bouncing even more light into my living room, it was a good day to paint.

But then any day that I open my paint box and apply gouache to paper is a good day.

Lake Effect, 2.5" x 3.25" gouache on Arches 300

This one I titled Lake Effect because I composed it while watching a video of the lake effect snow that's common around here. You might recall that just before Thanksgiving, Buffalo had a storm drop 7 feet--you read that right, 7 FEET--of snow. That was an extreme example of lake effect. Far more typical is about 5" or 6" of snowfall per hour.

Lake effect is caused by arctic air crossing over warmer lake water, sucking up the moisture and dumping snow. We really do get these weird bands of dense snow, like a big finger reaching off Lake Erie. We'll see blue sky above the snow band's lacy edge, gleaming in the sunlight ahead, as snow begins to fall.

If you're interested you can read more details about lake effect snow from NOAA, Warm Water and Cold Air, The Science Behind Lake-Effect Snow There it says:

Within the band, snowfall rates may exceed 5 inches an hour and be accompanied by lightning and thunder, a phenomenon known as thundersnow. A band of snow can hover over one location for several hours, dropping several feet of snow; however, 10 to 15 miles on either side of that narrow band skies may be sunny with no snow at all.

The only thing odder than driving from the sunny landscape into a visible snowstorm is to arrive there and encounter lightning and thunder! As I heard someone say, it's as if the weather is throwing everything in its arsenal at you at the same time.

Favorite part: The gleaming white snow band at the top, suggesting the bright sunlight on this side of it.

I also like the way the spatter worked to suggest snow. If you ever do this in gouache, make a slurry of water and white paint (I used Zinc, which is more transparent) that's a little runnier than toothpaste. Let the spatter set slightly, but before it's dry mist it with a light spritz of water from a spray bottle to soften and blur it slightly. Then step away from the paper until it's dry!

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I decided to add this photo when I saw how HUGE this little painting looked on Facebook. I re-sized the image above so it's closer to the real thing until you click on it. Here it is in scale for you.

The color of the image at the top is far more accurate, but this gives you a sense of its actual size. Normally I paint ACEO/ATC size, 2.5" x 3.5" but I had some odd pieces with the deckled edge on them and grabbed one for this experimental painting.

Last of 2014

Fir, Moleskine sketchpad 3.5: x 5.5"

I admire the evergreens I see everywhere in western New York, especially with the snow decorating their branches. This one seemed almost like a sculpture standing atop a pedestal, posed to paint.

I actually used two different photos for this one, grabbing the line of background trees from a shot that was exceptionally boring. I keep such photos for just such a use. Let me show you.

Not exactly inspiring, is it? But I bet I'll use some of the various parts of it in several different drawings. I always start with what will stand behind the subject. After all, you have to draw what's behind first! I don't detail it much, but I get shapes and values in place to some degree. 

And this is the snowy fir tree in the original photo. I shot it for the big tree with the snow between the two trunks. Again, not what I'd call a compelling photo, but there's actually a lot there to work with. I bet I'll use the icy driveway in sunlight/shadows in a piece at some point in time, not to mention the other, taller pine, and perhaps the tall tree, as well. 

Presumably this will be the last drawing for this year, unless I get inspired to do another one today. You never know. We're under a snow warning and I'm snuggled down in my chair, tea at hand, a fuzzy blanket over my lap, enjoying the companionable peace and quiet. 

I'm looking forward to what 2015 might bring, as I mull over in my mind the many blessings and challenges I've had in 2014. Sometimes the difficulties bear the greatest blessings, but it takes time and distance to perceive that. In 2014, my husband and I moved to three different locations, shedding layers of possessions each time, finally transplanting from Albuquerque, NM to Amherst, NY with a ten-foot trailer full of our things. We left behind our family and friends, our church family, the ministry we were doing at The Albuquerque Rescue Mission, our jobs, our car (long story), and many, if not most of our possessions and furnishings. May I just say it wasn't easy. But hard things to do aren't necessarily bad things. They're just difficult.

We loved living in New Mexico, calling it home for 35 years, but now the Lord has moved us on to something new. We're taking care of my mother-in-law, who needs a bit more help as her health has worsened. She has relocated to a new apartment we all share. The Lord Jesus has given us grace and peace here, as we settle in to see what comes next.

We've found ourselves reaching out with the gospel to a lot of our new neighbors, all Chinese nationals living here as they attend grad school at the University of Buffalo. The new year may be very interesting.

Meanwhile, I'm enjoying little drawings and contemplating some paintings I may do in the coming year. I wish you a creative, inspiring, and refreshing New Year!

Icy Tree

Icy Tree, Moleskine 3.5" x 5.5" 

Another quick little landscape drawn from a screenshot of something I saw during the epic Snowvember storm. This icy little tree looked like a dancer twirling around, arms upraised, casting a lacy shadow.

I'm happy to report that I'm beginning to become somewhat acclimated to the colder-than-I'm-used-to weather. At least I was willing to go out today when it was 28F without too many layers. Of course, the Buffalonians say it's warmer than usual at the end of December. My husband and I will take the blame for that. Both of us have been praying there would be no snow! Ex-pat New Mexicans will do that, you know.

But I will say that from the warmth of our little apartment with the lovely scent of Cranberry Vanilla Tea wafting near, I'm perfectly happy drawing the contrasts in the snowy landscape. It's beautiful!

And if you're interested in more details about depicting snow, check out the chapter devoted to snow in my online book,  Landscape Painting in Pastels. 

Only 2 Feet

Only 2 Feet, Moleskine 3.5" x 5.5"

"Only two feet of snow," said the caption on this resource photo of a house somewhere in Buffalo. If two feet of snow fell in New Mexico the whole state would close down until it melted! Here it's only a little. Well, I guess because 7-8 FEET fell  three weeks earlier it lent a different perspective to things. That and Buffalonians are inordinately proud of the depth of the snowfall here. (Ahem. They are situated very near Canada. That's all I'll say.)

On a side note, I enjoy the little iron fences and gates that are so common in this area. They're rather delicate looking alongside the clapboard siding on the old houses The snow added a nice punctuation, creating visual contrast.

Deer

12-5-2014 Moleskine 3.5" x 5.5"

The image size of these drawings done in my Moleskine is actually 2.5" x 4.25" inside the border.

I posted this deer on FB, but later I realized how much it looked like a llama and edited it. This version looks a bit more like a white-tail deer. Keep in mind the whole deer is less than 1/2" wide. (Is that an excuse? I prefer to think of it as a reason, if you don't mind.)

Did I mention that my kneaded eraser is a valuable and much-used tool? Nothing else works like it. If you haven't discovered the joys of using one, I highly recommend it. I shape it to a small point, flatten that point out, and use it to correct my drawing mistakes and erase the smudges along the edges. I even sometimes use the whole eraser, flattned out on one side, to lift off some of the pencil, lightening the value of an area. When the eraser gets too black I simply knead it over and over until it's clean again.

Lucy's Snow

11-26-2014, 3.5" x 5.5" Moleskine sketchpad

Lucy is visiting from China. English speakers find her given name unpronounceable, so she's chosen the American name Lucy. Since the University of Buffalo is within walking distance of our apartment there are many graduate students living here. Lucy's daughter Cindy (her Americanized name) is working on an MBA. We've enjoyed getting acquainted with Lucy and Cindy, and the others who share their apartment.

I can't quite recall why she shared this photo with me, but I cropped it considerably to focus on the grove of trees behind our apartment building. That grove isn't going to last long. Construction has begun on more apartment buildings. At the center of the complex is a small lake around which the buildings circle, called Deer Lake. It seems a shame to remove all the trees. The deer will miss those trees, but there are plenty more nearby. I'm the one who's really going to miss them. I like seeing the deer grazing nearby. How sad that the natural is giving way to the manmade. I guess it's the way of the world--but that's sad, too. We'll have to rename it "No Deer Lake" soon.

I enjoy the layers of value I can see here. At home in New Mexico, it's so dry the view is crisp and hard-edged all the way to the horizon. Atmosphere adds...well, atmosphere to the piece. The values recede quickly, the edges soften, detail is lost, in fact, things in the far distance simply disappear. I like seeing and drawing that.

I recall years ago in Albuquerque a traveling artist held a plein air workshop at the foot of the scenic 10,000 foot Sandia Mountains. Hailing from the northeastern parts of the US, he taught what he knew about painting receding planes: softened edges, less detail, lighter values. One of the students, a friend of mine, grew frustrated. Pointing to the top of the mountain as he stood at her easel, she asked, "Can't you see the trees on the top? I can." Apparently he looked up, gazing there for a few long moments, and conceded that he could see them.

It was an object lesson on painting under different atmospheric conditions, not to mention a cautionary tale for those artists who travel to teach workshops in various parts of the world: Paint what you see, not what you know! 

MORE Snow

11-21-2014, 3.5" x 5.5" Moleskine sketchpad

Yes, there was plenty of snow. Abundant snow. Plentiful. Excessive. Lots and lots.

Streets were so deep in snow, with so many cars abandoned where they stopped, that they had to dig them out one at a time by hand and tow them away, before going on to the next one. Again, a screenshot from WIVB in Buffalo.

Somehow a vertical format seemed to express that depth best.

Favorite part: that one little branch photo-bombing the picture. Somehow it enhances the sense of deep snow. Such bits have always been a compositional no-no for me as a rule. I lectured my students not to include little overhead intruders, which occurred in photographing the scene--a dead giveaway that you used a photo as your resource, I said. True. But out here in the treed parts of the world overhanging branches are expected and common. And in this case the branch adds height, resulting in depth. I like that. (Old dog learning new tricks, I guess!)

By the way, please expect to see more snowy landscapes here. You won't be disappointed.

Snowy Drive

11-19-2014, 3.5" x 5.5" Moleskine sketchpad

I used another Snowvember storm mystery shot gleaned from someplace in passing. The storm was actually named Winter Storm Knife, but that will only be used on insurance claim forms, I suspect.

It just kept falling and falling. Ten miles away. Not here.

Thank God!

Snowvember Storm

11-19-2014, 3.5" x 5.5" Moleskine sketchpad

A storm of epic proportions dropped no less than 7 FEET of snow on the towns in the southern reaches of Buffalo, NY, starting on November 18, not more than 10 miles from our doorstep. Happily, we received only 8-10".

Lake effect snow is very capricious, it turns out. Frankly, this New Mexican transplant was extremely glad not to have to deal with that much snow! However, some of the photographs that resulted were quite engaging.

I honestly don't recall where this one came from. I perused a lot of the weather sites where people were posting snapshots of all kinds as the snow accumulated, and grabbed a few of those. From there I cropped and flopped them, jinking the contrast to arrive at images that pleased me. I rarely paint the exact photo I'm viewing, usually changing the composition to please me as I go along. (But if this is a drawing of your place, let me know!)

Just to give you a taste, take a look at this screenshot from local channel 4, WIVB, in Buffalo.

Yeah, a lot of snow fell! Even the birdfeeders were loaded down, but at least one little bird found a feast.

I counted my blessings, snug and warm in our apartment, looking at the lacy edge of the hovering cloud a few miles off, where the snow was adding feet every day.