Sunday, December 27, 2015

Playing with Blues - Five Works in Progress

Today I didn't know what I wanted to paint so I decided that I would play with the different blues in my palette.

For the first painting, I used Cerulean Blue for the sky, being careful to leave some areas of white for the clouds.

I started with a darker blue in the top of the sky and gradually lightened the colour with water as I worked lower.

When I reached the horizon line, I decided that it would be a snow scene and I put a few shadows across the snow.

Cerulean Blue

For my second painting, I used French Ultramarine Blue.

I kept the painting darker at the top of the sky and gradually lightened it as I approached the horizon line.

Using horizontal lines I indicated a lake using a medium wash of blue, followed by putting in the waves with a slightly darker blue and lifting highlights with water.

Ultramarine Blue

For my third painting I used Antwerp Blue.

Into the sky I brushed various strengths of Antwerp Blue with diagonal strokes, trying to give the illusion of cirrus clouds.

I left a small area of white just above the horizon line for mist rising off the lake; and below it I used horizontal strokes to indicate the almost calm surface.

Antwerp Blue

On my fourth painting was a mix of Cerulean Blue with Antwerp Blue.

I started with a darker mixture into the top of the sky, leaving some areas white and softening the edges of the clouds.

As I worked lower in the sky I lightened the mix with water.

I put in the lake with a combination of the light and dark blue colours.

Cerulean Blue and Antwerp Blue

For my fifth and last painting I used a mix of French Ultramarine and Antwerp Blues.

Once again I used diagonal strokes to create cirrus clouds, keeping the top of the sky darker and lightening the colour toward the horizon line.

I wanted this piece to be a snow scene, so I left a small line of white, followed by running shadows across the snow.

French Ultramarine Blue and Antwerp Blue

I will post each of these paintings at a later date, once more work on them has been completed.

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