"A Time for Us" (a.k.a. I sure wish I was there!)

We could all use a little peace and quiet in our lives.  Sometimes, it's my paintings that bring that feeling to my collectors who are busy, busy, busy!  

I painted "A Time for Us" after taking a walk at #CharlestowneLanding in #Charleston, SC.  The mood was serene and the water was calm, reflecting the beauty of the Spanish moss hanging from the live oak trees (for those of you that are not familiar with the term "live oak", it's actually the name of the tree and doesn't mean the opposite of dead oak, thank goodness!)

If you follow my blog, you know that I love to show work in progress whenever I remember to actually take pictures.  So here's the progress on this one.  The earlier images are bluish in cast...sorry about that.  I took them in fluorescent lighting and forgot to change the setting on my camera.

p.s.  those of you who know me and my style will recognize that I've used a lot of masking fluid again in this painting.

Here I've applied my first wash (or layer of paint) over my somewhat detailed sketch.

I've started adding paint to create negative shapes and to start defining the masses of shapes.  It gives me a blueprint so I can more easily determine what to do next.  Although these dark shapes look pretty darned dark on your computer screen, they're really only a middle value at this point.  The contrast of the camera was too strong.

More middle values being added.  Again, to help me determine what I need to do in the lighter areas.

Here it is in a yellower cast once I adjusted the White Balance in my camera.  It's still not "right on" in color, but much better than the bluer ones posted earlier.  

Here's the final result.  "A Time for Us" (watercolor, framed size 31" high x 41" wide) by Helen K. Beacham
(Note:  Professional image provided by Fine Art Reproductions in Charleston, SC)

(Who doesn't love adirondack chairs?)
My goal, in a scene like this, is to give the illusion of distance and perspective.
I accomplish that by showing:
1. overlapping objects (palm fronds in front of trees, trees in front of other trees...diminishing sizes)
2. by the use of color (warm tones in the foreground, cooler tones in the background),
3.  by subtle things like bigger brushstrokes for movement in the near water, as compared to almost no visible strokes in the water furthest away.
4.  Texture in the nearer trees.  None in the background.

Do you use other methods to show distance in a painting?

Come with me (Helen K. Beacham) and Kelly Medford to paint Venice this October...

Just 2 Oil Painting spots left in the workshop.

Click HERE for details!

SEE MY LATEST POST HERE.

Tippette #15 - Mixing the Right Values

Tippette = Snippet of a Tip (in watercolor).  One per day...during April...right here!  Tell a friend!

In my April 13 POST, I touched on the subject of Value and promised I'd spend more time on the concept in a future post, so here we are.

Mixing the Right Values

Value refers to how dark or light a pigment is.  You use value to accomplish contrast.

High key:  When a painting is mostly done with pastel colors like this one.

Low key:  When mostly dark colors are used.

Some artists rely on as many as 10 values in their paintings.  I suggest you not worry too much about keeping up with that.  I do, however, think that you need at least 3 values.  You need lights, mediums and darks.  So let me show you how to quickly create each.

I like to tell my students that a "dark value" has the consistency of cream when you create your puddle.  The "middle value" has the consistency of 1% milk and the "light value" has the consistency of tea (very see-through).  Easy, right?  If I know I need all 3 values, I mix my dark first.  Then I pull part of it over to the right and I add a touch of water (with my brush) to slightly thin it out. Then I pull some of that second mixture on over to the right again, and add more water.  That's it!

Creating 3 values of French Ultramarine Blue

Below, I'm showing you how my 3 French Ultramarine Blue values look when painted first into clear water (wet into wet) in the top row, and painted on to dry paper (wet into dry) in the bottom row.  

Dark, Medium & Light Values
Row 1:  I wet the paper first.  Allows softer edges but the paint is also lighter than when painted on dry paper.
Row 2:  Painted onto dry paper.  Ends up with harder edges and resulting color is darker (or at least more solid) than in Row 1.

If you want things to look closer to you, paint them darker.  Conversely, things that are further away should be rendered with paler values.  All this supports the concept of aerial perspective (a future topic?).

Come with Helen K. Beacham and Kelly Medford to paint Venice this October...

click HERE for details!

www.helenKbeacham.com

                                                  READ MY LATEST POST HERE