Hi Subscriber,
Many artists I know do small messy color studies like this 5x7 inch as a way to work out composition and color in thin layers before committing themselves to a larger canvas and lavish amounts of expensive paint.
The small size reduces the temptation to get too detailed and helps us concentrate on the overall effect instead.
A color study can be as simple as blocking in the major areas of color, playing around with light and temperature so we can decide which pigments to use to get the effect we want.
Here's a little of the backstory.
Wes and I spent a weekend this past August on Michigan's West coast at the home of some old and very dear friends we recently reconnected with.
While there we visited the Grand Haven Lighthouse pier. Just as the sun was approaching the horizon, a man started casting a net off the pier. I watched fascinated at the process he went through.
I moved around to view the scene from different vantage points and was awe-stricken by the intense light and the way the colors seemed to dance all gold and violet over the wet concrete pier.
I asked the gentleman if I might capture some images and use them as reference material for a painting. He gladly gave his permission.
I culled out more images from my phone afterward than I can count and I still have a couple dozen good shots and video clips.
I do plan to paint this a little bigger, maybe 20x16" or 14x11,"...enough to capture more of the detail.
I'll keep you posted on its progress.
Take time for birdsong this week!
Jan
P.S. No word yet from the Giveaway winner, so I pulled a second name. G.B. has until Monday to claim her tiny fall painting.
