I have some catching up to do with the On the Easel posts. I painted Airlie Beach in August and have done a few since then. I traveled to Airlie Beach recently with my brother and father. It’s a stunning place in the Whitsundays, within reach despite the world’s travel restrictions. We were blessed with … Read more
I have a few recent paintings to share. Here’s one of them, Impressions of Noosa. I had mixed feelings about the outcome of this, but it’s come to grow on me. Something different at the very least. I also think it’s worth sharing paintings that didn’t go exactly as planned as this gives you a … Read more
Clouds are a staple of landscape painting. You can use them as the key feature or idea of your painting (see Issac Levitan’s Clouds below), to create a sense of moody atmosphere, or simply as a composition tool for their dynamic shapes. Many artists struggle to paint them. That’s perhaps due to their transient, organic, … Read more
Here’s the latest painting off the easel, Tree in Perspective. This is one of the largest, if not the largest painting I have done, coming in at 24 by 30 inches. It depicts a tree from an extreme perspective with a background of deep blues. A simple yet challenging composition. Reference Photo Here’s the reference photo … Read more
“As the woods are the same, the trees standing in their places, the rocks and the earth… they are always different too, as lights and shadows and seasons and moods pass through them.” Emily Carr Trees are an endless source of inspiration for me. So many unique combinations of color, light, shadow, form, and other … Read more
I came across Edward Theodore Compton’s work the other day. I’m surprised he eluded me until now. I’ll keep this one brief. Sometimes, it’s better to just sit back and admire. Here are key points about his life: A man of many titles: landscape painter, illustrator, climber, and art teacher to his children. He studied … Read more
(My “On the Easel” posts give you a behind-the-scenes look at what I am working on, what went well, what went wrong, and things I learn). Reference Photo You can download the photo here. Feel free to paint it for yourself. Details Oil on stretched canvas. 16 x 20 inches. Main colors: Ultramarine blue, permanent … Read more
(My “On the Easel” posts give you a behind-the-scenes look at what I am working on, what went well, what went wrong, and things I learn). Details Oil on canvas board. 12 x 16 inches. Main colors: Ultramarine blue, cobalt blue, cadmium red, yellow ochre, cadmium yellow, viridian green, raw umber, titanium white. Refer to … Read more
“Russia – country of landscapes… I hope the time will come, when all Russian nature, alive and penetrated by spirit, will look from canvases of Russian artists…” Ivan Shishkin Few have captured nature’s delicate beauty like Ivan Shishkin. A Russian master who tasted the rare fruits of an artist’s success but also bitter tragedy. I … Read more
This is a rather detailed guide to the concept of foreshortening as it relates to art. I cover: What Is Foreshortening? Foreshortening in art refers to the way we perceive an object as it recedes in space. It is perhaps best explained visually. Take a moment to do the following: Place your arm in front … Read more