Saturday Painting Palooza Vol.341

Hello again painting fans.

This week I'll be starting an entirely new painting. Once again, the setting will be Sedona, Arizona. The photo that I am using is seen directly below. I'll be using my usual acrylic paints on an 10x10 inch canvas.

This photo shows the dramatic vista seen when traveling north into the touristy area of downtown Sedona. Touristy or not, it is undeniably dramatic. I am taken by this view every time I'm there. This photo was taken from the car through the windshield as we moved northward.

I started by outlining the major elements. I've even sectioned off the dark and light areas of the central butte. Note that I've only used blue, red and white in this early "sketch". There is much to do but I'm happy with the placement of the elements on the canvas.

The current state of the painting is seen in the photo directly below.

That's about it for now. Next week I'll have more progress to show you. See you then. As always, feel free to add photos of your own work in the comments section below.

Earlier paintings in this series can be seen here.

Saturday Painting Palooza Volume 340

Hello again painting fans.

This week I'll be continuing with the Sedona, Arizona painting.  The photo that I am using is seen in the photo directly below. I'll be using my usual acrylic paints on an 8x10 inch canvas.

When last seen, the painting appeared as it does in the photo directly below.

Since that time, I have continued to work on the painting.

I've made a number of changes this week. First, about those very green bushes in the foreground. Well, they're still very green, but now the balance of green to blue (shadow) is now more to my liking. There was just a bit too much blue. I believe that it works much better now. To the rear, I've revised (but not heavily) the blue shadowed areas of the buttes. There is now some subtlety to those shadows and not just a monolithic blue dark spot. I've also painted over the mesas to the extreme rear. Above, the sky has been entirely painted over but its overall appearance is not vastly changed. The painting is now finished.
The current and final state of the painting is seen in the photo directly below.

That's about it for now. Next week I'll have a new painting to show you. See you then. As always, feel free to add photos of your own work in the comments section below.

Earlier paintings in this series can be seen here.

Saturday Painting Palooza Volume 339

Hello again painting fans.

This week I'll be continuing with the Sedona, Arizona painting.  The photo that I am using is seen in the photo directly below. I'll be using my usual acrylic paints on an 8x10 inch canvas.

When last seen, the painting appeared as it does in the photo directly below.

Since that time, I have continued to work on the painting.

I find that in painting these pieces over a period of weeks it usually takes a little time before I feel truly engaged in the process. That is, in starting a new painting I need a little time before it becomes truly interesting. Those first few sessions with a painting, while crucial for certain aspects, are often done without the interest/passion that will arise at a certain point in the painting process. At that point, I have a hard time turning away. I will find even small amounts of time to work on the current project. With this painting, the point came much earlier. You'll see that below.

I wasn't exactly sure how to proceed with this piece. But, as is sometimes the case, the painting directed its own progress. I added what seemed some rather garrish colors expecting to adjust them later on. Each time I did this the unexpected happened. I found that I liked the bright colors. I also found that they worked well together, and looked different on canvas (and better) than when emerging from their tubes. The pink of the buttes is one example. I thought of it as a starting point for the body color of the buttes but found that it worked well with adjacent blues just as it was. No adjustment needed.

And as more things worked I found myself spending more time with the painting. The result is a quantum leap since last time. Note that the buttes have a body color and highlights. The bushes in the foreground have also received highlights and shadow. The structures to the right have been revised. All of this happenend rather quickly and without the handwringing that sometimes accompanies the progress. I am pleased. It's not done but completion is not too far off.

The current state of the painting is seen in the photo directly below.

That's about it for now. Next week I'll have more progress to show you. See you then. As always, feel free to add photos of your own work in the comments section below.

Earlier paintings in this series can be seen here.

Saturday Painting Palooza Volume 338

Hello again painting fans.

This week I'll be continuing with the Sedona, Arizona painting. The photo that I am using is seen in the photo directly below. I'll be using my usual acrylic paints on an 8x10 inch canvas.

When last seen, the painting appeared as it does in the photo directly below.

Since that time, I have continued to work on the painting.

I started the next phase by breaking down the blue area to the rear into a number of component features. The various buttes have been separated and a bit of color has been added. I'l continue with this process in the next installment. (Each of the buttes in Sedona actually has a name. I'm not sure what these individuals are called.)

I continued into the foreground further refining the house a bit. There is more work to do on the house but details will remain limited. I prefer that the buttes are the center of attention.

The current state of the painting is seen in the photo directly below.

That's about it for now. Next week I'll have more progress to show you. See you then. As always, feel free to add photos of your own work in the comments section below.

Earlier paintings in this series can be seen here.