On a day like today, my thoughts are about how I understand why the Impressionists did, and painters still do, head to places like the south of France, Tuscany and the Islands of the South Pacific to paint! It’s not because they went looking for dull, flat light! I found that today and it lasted all day until the last hour or so. I’m not complaining, but from a painter’s point of view, today ranked up there with the kind of day that, if I wasn’t doing this project, would find me in the studio painting... or something other than painting outside. Oh well, there’s always the next 17 days!
Lot’s of questions about where to go to purchase these paintings, so one more time... The ONLY place that you can purchase these is at My Website. Once there, open the Paintings page, then open the ‘April Painting Marathon’ page. Click the thumbnails to see if a painting is available or sold. If it’s available, there will be a PayPal ‘Buy Now’ button. If it has sold, there will not be a ‘Buy Now’ button. Thanks.
“Rising” oil, 5x7 © Marc R. Hanson 2009
With the overcast today I was really working hard at where I would go to start this day. If we even had the slightest little bit of spring color at the ends of tree branches, or on the ground... somewhere, the overcast would be welcome. Color is nearly always enhanced by the overcast skies and can make for some great color combinations. But it’s usually a bright overcast. Today was dull, period. But this morning the sun was trying to make an entrance. That’s what this painting is about.
“Dry Creek Gulch” oil, 5x7 © Marc R. Hanson 2009
Oh boy! I was about to go home and paint an orange or something at this point. Seeing this arrangement of pattern and foreground weeds is what saved me from caving! In the end, I liked the way this one set up. I’d prefer sun, but this is what was up today.
“Tin Barn” oil, 5x7 © Marc R. Hanson 2009
Here’s a complimentary color scheme if ever there was one. Blue barn, orange trees. Interesting barn. The farmer, who’s land I was parked next to, stopped to see what I was up to. We had a nice conversation once he realized I wasn’t up to something, other than “Painting... Did they ask you to paint the barn for them?”. He told me that this barn is about 85 years old and that his farmhouse, which I should paint next time out there, is 120 yrs old. I asked if it had always been in his family and he said no, that he’d purchased it in the early 80’s and then bought all of the adjacent land to make it one larger farm. At that time I would guess that he didn’t pay much for all of that land. I hope that these people realize how lucky they are to have what they have. I know it’s a lot of work and hardship, but to be the caretaker of that much earth is such an honor. This is all beautiful country up here. I see and hear so much wildlife constantly, today pheasants everywhere. Roosters in full courtship colors, strutting, crowing, chasing hens in almost every field that you look in. Such beauty. Okay, I’ll forgive the flat light now that I think about it.
“Little Lake Sundown” oil, 5x7 © Marc R. Hanson 2009
Finally...some color!?!? I looked directly into the bright reflection of the sun on the water to paint this. It’s an interesting exercise to try. At first everything except the reflected sun is dark. A painter who’s more Tonalist inclined would paint it very dark and reserve the light for the reflection. I’m more of a colorist and prefer to play up the complimentary contrast and vibration of color that I sense in the scene. I don’t know if it’s as effective, or if it works, but I had a heck of a good time with it. This happens fast and it’s a race to instinctively mix color, put it down and see what happens.
