My original idea with these was more in the direction of Bob Burridge abstracts. I have painted in that style before. Still, I am enjoying the process. I continue to be puzzled with seeing values. I get it, what they are, how to make them. In watercolor at least. But I still somehow think that lighter colors are lighter values. And that is not always true.
Take a look at this painting with the colors taken out, below. Now I would think that the bright turquoise is a light value, the same perhaps as the container. But it isn’t. It is a mid-tone.
Right?
Now going back to the painting, I can see that the turquoise section of the leaf is clearly darker than the container. But my eyes fool me. Or is it my warped color logic? Haha.
Day 2 Desaturated
To see a world in a grain of sand And a heaven in a wild flower, Hold infinity in the palm of your hand, And eternity in an hour. William Blake
I am laughing at myself. I got all excited about the snow. Little did I know a blizzard was on the way. The beautiful scene above is from two days after the storm. It may not have been a blizzard officially, but we were asked to stay off the roads for about 24 hours. We had a good solid day of heavy, blowing snow. It was AWESOME!
Blustery, blowing and snowing. 1.25.21.
My window was covered in a layer of ice.
Veil of White. 1.25.21, SMD.
Powder Coated. 1.25.21, SMD.
I’m sure this is the most snow we have had in the 5 years we have lived here. Scottsdale and Phoenix even had a dusting! Wowzers! By the second day, roads were dry and clear in our area.
Drift Away. 1.26.21, SMD.
Two of a Kind. 1.26.21, SMD.
Clouds lifting, 1/26/21, SMD.Clouds rolling in 1.29.21, SMD
We had more snow today, briefly. Then the sun came out and the cleared a bit. There was a roll of clouds hovering over Mingus. Then it spread out and moved forward, closer to us. I looked again, and it had collapsed, and was in the original hovering position.
Orange light, 1. 29. 21, SMD.
I increased the vibrancy on this photo, but the clouds really were blindingly orange. It has been a BeAuTiFuL week in Arizona! Amen!
Silently, like thoughts that come and go,the snowflakes fall, each one a gem.
William Hamilton Gibson
I’ll soon be there with snow, I’ll wash my hair with snow, And with a spade of snow, I’ll build a man that’s made of snow, I’d love to stay up with you but I recommend a little shuteye Go to sleep, And dream… Of snow. Snow, from White Christmas, by Rosemary Clooney.
We had decent snow overnight. Mingus remains under cloud cover. But our streets are dry and the snow is making a quick retreat. We may get lucky though, and have more snow tonight. Fingers crossed it will start early enough to be viewed.
2 pm, Sunday Afternoon.
Making more starts. Honestly, no idea where this will all go. But that is part of the fun, isn’t it? Claro, Que si! Yes, but of course!
Sketchy starts.
I painted over my HUGE canvas. And I will paint over it again. My effort was not successful. Haha. I took the palette knife and played at the end, knowing it was a loss. The colors are off. I need to make a run to Micheals.
I decided that the colors I had on it before were just to, harsh. I want something more restful. So I will keep trying. Still inspired by Hiroshi Matsumoto‘s abstract landscapes.
The other idea I have long had is to do something like van Gogh’s Almond Blossoms. But there too, it is bold, strong color. I love it. But maybe one of the softer versions would work. Suzette Rothlisberger gifted me with a tube of Thalo Turquoise. Thank you, Suzette! I also have a tube of Turquoise light. Thinking on it.
Whoa, someone turned the lights down! Clouds are moving in and Mingus has disappeared again. Yay!
Happy last week of January to you! Can you believe it???
How did it get so late so soon. It’s night before it’s afternoon. December before it’s June. My goodness, how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon? Dr. Seuss
