Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Let there be light... Pushing ahead







As I promised.. an update on the progress on the new Algonquin piece! It didn't take long to get into "The Flow"... and by the end of day one painting session I felt that I definitely had a handle on things!


Day#1-Tuesday, January 11Th

I decided to work up the lay in in the entire sky area first for a couple of reasons. Firstly... by putting in the differentiated sky areas for each season, I would create visual markers to orient my development of the four basic panels. The cloud formations and the sky colour are recognizably different for each season. Secondly... I could get the higher reaches of the painting as a whole developed enough... to permit me to elevate the entire piece early in the process by about three feet... therefore taking away the tedious and back-breaking work to be done in the lower reaches of the painting.

I accomplished the full lay in stage for the sky by the end of the first day- a good feeling and encouragement to get right back at it fresh in the morning. I will certainly have to "tweak" areas and modify tonal values all around... bit for the most art ... I'm satisfied with the good start and the direction I have !


Day#2-Wednesday, January 12Th

Today I decided to simply slip down to the next horizontal plane below the sky, which would allow me to establish the transition of each season... beginning with Spring on the left, working my way through the seasons in sequence... up to Winter of the right hand panel. I tried to show the "overlap"... or gradual time lapse between each season and did so reasonably well I feel. I will certainly adjust values and "push and pull" the boundary between the seasons as I wish later on.

I decided near the end of the session to push downward when I reached Winter to try and establish a feel for how the Autumn and winter will look... and how the bottom painted... will compare top the top. Surprisingly... I feel it is still moving as I had planned... or at least hoped for.

I will stress the point that the "Idea" for this painting has been in my sketchbook... and been distilling for nearly twenty years. Life is about "readiness"... whether we talk about child growth and development... marriage... or taking on a larger-than -life challenge such as this one for "Me". Planning is everything in making paintings. Working plein air for my entire career as an artist has taught me that at least. Nothing is more discouraging than failing to hit the mark... when you have "bitten off ... more than you can chew." I started with 11x14 panels in the beginning to paint on location... moving to 16x20 canvases and then 20x24 canvases and panels (now my preferred outdoor format)... was a HUGE leap of faith.

Tomorrow... I will move forward to hopefully lay in the middle ground area completely across at least... maybe further... but no rush. I have two weeks to complete the project... and I'm certainly on the money right now at least! Fingers crossed!

Thanks for all of the comments and support from my Followers! Hope that these posts encourage you... to broaden your own horizons... and to take reasonable risks in your own journeys! Stay tuned for further updates....




Good Painting to all !

10 comments:

  1. Snap! How did I miss your first post about this?! Bruce, this is such an undertaking-how invigorating and exciting! Wow, wow, wow! It's thrilling even in these small pictures. You are doing a fabulous job. I look forward to seeing it finished! Happy painting to you!!

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  2. Bruce, I am just awed. The light is fabulous!

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  3. wow what a project!
    looking good so far bruce

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  4. Hi there Kim!... Thanks for dropping in... and for the enthusiatic comments!

    Good to see "You" busy as well... the preview of your International Women's entry was very striking! A winner for sure!

    The project is indeed both exhilarating and at the same... quite a challenge. But the complete freedom one experiences when painting so BIG... is so refreshing. It's like the old childhood evening game.... "Hide-and-go-seek" in our neighbourhood... full of excitement... the fear of getting caught... and possibility!

    Shouldn't that be what painting is about Kim? I know that "You" agree fully with that!

    Art is all about... "joie-de-vivre" .. as they say in Charlevois, Quebec... and "I" am most certainly feeling the Joy in this porject!

    Look forward to seeing you at AyrSpace and getting caught up!Hi to Harry!

    Good Painting!
    Warmest regardfs,
    Bruc

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  5. Thanks Autumn... for your visit and for your continued interest and support in the blog and this project!

    The light really is very catching... due a lot, I think... to the strong contrast against the black ground colour of the panels. Hope my success to this point... and my enthusiasm continues.

    The back muscles have been doing a lot of complaining... but I take short breaks every 15 minutes or so... just to evaluate... and to give the back a rest!

    Glad that you're enjoying the project too! Thanks for stopping by and commenting encouragingly!

    Good Painting and Writing!
    Warmest regards,
    Bruce

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  6. Hey there Rob!... Thanks for the morale boost! It is plain to see that "I" am truly excited about... and fully enjoying the challenges... and the Joys of this project!

    A great way to kick-start the 2011 painting year! It's really cold here... so being in a warm studio is easay to take... and the smart thing to do. I have a three day winter plein air workshop to conduct at Bark Lake at the end of February... which includes an evening landscape demo. This will more than prepare me for that! HAHA!!


    Good painting!
    Warmest regards,
    Bruce

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  7. Bruce it's already breathtaking. Once again your work and the progression of your work is inspiring. Every time I visit your blog, it leads me to my own work and how I can explore different options.
    Thank you for sharing.

    All the best to you.
    Joan

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  8. Hi there Joan!... Thanks for the visit... and the uplifting comments and encouragement!

    Love your new piece... it has a very real wintry... outdoor feel to it... even though it was accomplished thru' your dining room window! The outdoors is the only real great teacher for my money Joan. One learns at one's own rate... in solitude... where one can more easily get in touch with one's inner Self... uninterrupted... or "corrupted" HAHA!!

    Good Painting!
    Warmest regards,
    Bruce

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  9. You are boldly moving forward Bruce and what a difference once the sky and pine trees have been painted in. I am still wondering if the four seasons will look good together but I think if the gradation is soft then it should work out ok. Did you do a smaller painting with the all the seasons in as a rough plan of action? I know you have painted each of the seasons separately.

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  10. Hi Caroline!... Thanks for the visit and the input!

    Since this has been distilling for such a very long time... it is very clear inside "Me" at least... where I want the painting to go. The beauty of the project is that I totally "own" it... regardless of the outcome... or whether it is (to be)sold finally. There are some things as artists... that we simply must do ... for our Selves.

    If you check back at the beginning of the project... you will see that I included a jpeg of a rather loose colour sketch/digital image "collage" which basically brings together the concept... again for "Me". Call it a "shorthand" guide... but it was all the study I required to step up to the easel.

    You are quite right in saying that the transition between seasons has to be softly treated... and I believe that so far at least... that I have fully achieved that. The next update will show that I think.

    Thanks for the interest and good comments!

    Good Painting!
    Warmest regards,
    Bruce

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