Sunday, August 25, 2013

Early Saturday.


Early Saturday on 6th   12X16" Acrylic on Canvas

 I started this one Saturday morning.  I chose the smaller canvas thinking that I first needed to establish a rhythm of painting.  Initially  I couldn't picture in my head how the painting would work, but I kept going.  I added layers to the foreground, established some lines and kept adding layers.   Eventually I was able to work thru the problems and it emerged quite nicely.   I'm learning that you can't paint as freely with Acrylic as you can with watercolor, unless you don't mind wasting a bunch of paint.  I usually mix colors on the fly, but I don't expect them to dry out in 10 minutes.  I know there are ways to make them last longer, and I'll have to look into doing that.  I do like that you can layer them as well as make them opaque.  Well, its on to the next canvas.  I need to do a larger painting.  This one's 12X16"


6 comments:

  1. Beautiful painting! I very much enjoy the contrast!

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    1. Thanks, Celeste. This is one in a series I'm trying to complete on a short deadline. It took me awhile to find the right subject to paint, but I was really pleased with how this came out. I now kind of wish this was a larger scale. But I have confidence now to do more like it. By the way, thanks for the inspiration . I used some of your plein air paintings as examples to pinpoint what I wanted in scene.

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  2. Hi Kevin,
    This is one of my favorites of all your paintings I've seen. I would never have guessed it was on a small canvas. In my always humble opinion, achieving this great sense of space especially on a small format, is one of the things which make a land, or cityscape great.
    I think you also nailed the street lamp's glow--another tough challenge to get right. The perspective is well done, too, because I didn't really notice it. When it's wrong, I notice.
    The light blue marks toward the top of the painting, as well as, the reflection on the street nicely balance the warm light of the street lamps.
    It's really good, Kevin...really good! I hope you can squeeze-in more easel time! :)
    Sincerely,
    Gary.

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    1. Thanks Gary. I think the Portland signature street lamps make this painting. I didn't have to try to get the odd glow given off by our standard lamps. (Though they are there as well, it's not as noticable)
      Perspective: Had to "go back to school" (you tube)after this one so I wouldn't struggle as much with the perspective in the next one. I finally got it to work here.
      Which brings me to your easel time comment. I have more paintings on canvas to do. Another cityscape, maybe more than a few. I'm hooked on canvas, I think. I like that I can try something, then go back and change it completely if it doesn't work. Thank you.

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  3. This looks bigger - it really holds its own. I don't often care much for dark paintings but this one works and makes me wander around the scene, looking, seeing the little things you've done to make this one work so well. As Gary said, a great sense of space in this one.

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    1. It kind of kills me... I struggled to find a scene that would work on a large scale, so I tried a small painting and it would have worked large scale. But the success of this can propell me to the next bigger painting. Another cityscape. Keeping fingers crossed. You and I differ in that I have a strong affinity for dark paintings. I love night scenes. I always have. Not sure why. One might say that it stimulates the imagination if you leave details slightly hidden in the dark. I don't know. Thank you RH. My wife gave a big thumbs up to this one too.

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