Painting on location, there are many artistic choices to make.
First, there’s the light. I enjoy the effects of light: the colors it changes and the distinct shadows it creates. I prefer painting this scene in morning light, particularly from 9:30 to 10:30 AM, because the light falls on the front of the house, breaking up the building.
The lighting in this piece, combined with the tall trees, provides the scene with a canopy, which coupled with the blue sky, gives the painting a cuddled feeling. Ultimately, I want the centered tree to appear round and to display the pattern of the tree bark, as this pattern of strokes appears elsewhere in the painting and would help to pull together the entire piece.
The bright lighting, on the grass under the house, makes the piece pop. The shadow of the centered tree should end under itself, but I don’t want to interrupt the painting. By bringing the shadow behind the fence, I simplified the painting, tying the piece together and providing a nice contrast and accent to the fence posts.
Second, I try to capture my interpretation of an image on the canvas. For me, my interpretation of a scene is more important than creating a photo realistic image.
In creating my interpretation of Grob Farm, I’m struggling with whether to create the whole piece on location, or to further develop the painting in my studio from photos and smaller paintings I have previously completed of the location.
Third, I try to move the viewers’ eyes through the design of the painting, keeping them on the painting, not off the canvas. The top left tree pops off the canvas nicely, but creates a bad vertical thrust, taking the viewers’ eyes off the canvas. Unfortunately, I have to fix the vertical thrust from the left tree in order to re-focus the viewers’ eyes.
I need to correct some problems within the piece in order to see what to fix next. But I’ve been told that sometimes the area you want to fix is right, and everything else needs to change to balance out the painting. Although this advice further confuses me, I am starting to agree with it.
My next challenge is to pick the right place on the canvas to alter during my next sitting. To make this decision, I need time to think and get in touch with my emotions. Knowing when to start and stop a painting is the most important thing, as you have to be in touch with all of your emotions to paint.
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American Oil Painter Daryl Urig is a member of The Portrait Society of America, Oil Painters of America and Cincinnati Art Club. He has taught at the University of Cincinnati for over 8 years and is president of Total Media Source Inc.
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