Developing a commission

The Comox Glacier is iconic to our region. It is just across the estuary from our home. Every local takes a crack at painting it and so there are many interpretations done.  Because Glacier paintings are so plentiful locally I chose not to try my hand at it.

But in October 2010 I was up and out early to do some sketching. It was a cold clear morning and it had snowed the night before in the mountains. While we don't get much colour on the trees on Vancouver Island, this year the colour was unusually strong and tended to hang about.  As I was passing by the Glacier  the early morning sun suddenly struck the trees across the estuary and I stopped to photo what I was hoping would be a very colourful and unusual image of the scene. The photo that resulted excited my interest to try my hand at making an abstracted painting of the estruary and the Glacier.

Comox Glacier, estuary and town of Courtenay

So I set out to make different interpretations, all acrylic, on different sizes and formats. I began with smaller pieces and graduated to those below. Each was done with a slightly different palette and different under painting. This was the first time I really tried to "push" my painting. And at the time I thought I had pushed the colours too far. But my wife said no- leave them.  Once framed in a warm dark frame the strong colours seemed to work - and they all sold.

24x24

18x24

24x36

18x24

18x24

A few weeks ago I was asked to make a commission of the Glacier, similar to one of those paintings that they had seen on my web. And they "needed" a painting with red in it. They also needed a different format: long and narrow - 18x36. I was not sure I could flatten the scene out but promised to try.

Below is the development of that painting:

Water soluble pencil used for initial sketch, then used Montana Acrylic marker, then wash off  with water. Foreground light, mids and darks sketched in with Montana pens. 

Wash using medium, water and orange liquid acrylic 

Redefine glacier shapes using yellow Montana pen 

adding controlled lines using making tape 

Light magenta glaze on glacier then redefined highlight area with white acrylic marker 

Many back and forth with light glazes and opaque areas of colour 

Glacier Morning  Acrylic 18x36 2014

Where it sits at the moment. Away for a few days so will reconsider when I return.

Making this recent painting, four years after the first, had me thinking of how different I now paint. Interesting to think about it. And it now has me rethinking other composition ideas  from the same source. 

That one photo proved profitable and fun and  great learning. 

Preparing for Plein Air Workshop May 2014

Have you always wanted to paint outside but did not quite know how to start? Or, have you tried plein air painting and found it difficult, even overwhelming? This two day acrylic/oil Preparing for Plein Air workshop will give you the tools you need to paint out of doors with confidence.

Saturday is indoors. It begins with a presentation, discussion and demonstrations of the methods and approaches used for planning and developing plein air paintings. Saturday afternoon participants will work with approaches to planning, choosing and simplifying subject matter and producing small paintings from references provided.

Sunday morning will include a review of Saturdays subjects and a planning and painting demonstration. Participants will then have the option of painting out of doors, close by, or staying indoors to further strengthen their basics - both under supervision. Sunday will end with a review and question and answer session.

The purpose is to expose participants with the skill they need  in preparation for the plein air season. 

Next scheduled workshop. May 3/4 2014 in Qualicum Bay B.C. 

For details visit Island Arts Magazine Worksops