Combining Elements From Photos

On a trip to Selby Gardens in Sarasota, Florida with my friend and playwright Connie Schindewolf, I fell in love with this gumbo limbo tree.  I took several photos of it and the surrounding area.  In one, I liked the photo of the tree.  In another, I saw some tourists posing.  And finally I liked the house in the background.  I borrowed something from all three photos, and came up with this composition.

My point is, don't feel bound by one photo.  Use elements from several shots to form a composition that works.

Starting Up Again

                                   "Wharfside #3"

After a month of not painting and re-adjusting to life in St. Louis, I finally got my brushes wet again.  It's a bit intimidating after such a long break, and there's a bit of fear that maybe I've lost my mojo.  How to solve that problem?

I decided that I would pick up where I left off with a dockside scene.  Familiarity breeds confidence!

Color choice became my first and major concern.  I resorted to a tried and true process that I used many times this summer.  I chose to make my focal point a warm pinkish tone.  That meant that my first wash - the sky- would provide a complementary cool hue that leaned toward a greenish blue.  

Continuing with the warm tones under the dock further provided a contrast with the neutral blues in the water.

Sorry for the long absence.  I hope to be posting some more paintings on a regular basis.

Farewell, Maine

                                                            "Grimes Cove"

I'm back in St. Louis after a long drive home.  I had a very productive summer, completing 41 paintings and almost as many sketches during my four month stay.  

This is the painting I did on the last day of my workshop in early September.  Come join us next summer.  Farewell, Maine, until next year.