Grand Canyon IV

[CarlOwen]

Good morning. Posting four images to show process and an unexpected discovery. The first post is laying in the titanium white around the tree area. I chose to use a small pallet knife and just go for it direct on the canvas with the idea that when I over struck upon the tree form I would simply scrape that section of paint off. It worked. I had considered spraying the whole picture with a light coat of clear varnish. Nixed that idea as some past pictures showed cracks in the paint when dry. Thought about using masking tape over the form with tears and cut outs. To time consuming and there would be paint build up on the tape edges. Nixed that thought. Considered doing the forms first and then lay in the sky. That would have proved to be a disaster. Learned a long time ago, backgrounds first with the next layer laid over the background to give the distance perspective while maintaining a sharp crisp edge in the foreground. So I decided to just go for it as I have in the past. Somehow that enhances the fresh image immediacy of presentation of the painting. When I finished with the tree side I decided to use the same size pallet knife on the open sky space. I think it worked. It provides visual consistency in the sky and to my surprise a feeling of distance. Apparently when there are life forms in the painting another set of visual mandates are in play. Or, when the painting is in accord with the 1/3 landscape rule a different visual value is in force. I will have to study that for awhile. But moving on now here are the posts.

[www-ksart-se]

Awesome job Carl. Looking forward to follow the painting process. Hoping you share that with us to. =)

[CarlOwen]

Good morning. Thanks for your comments Kristian. Posting 3 progress images this morning. After the titanium white was laid in for the background work for the sky I am starting the background colors for the canyon mostly vertical wall planes. It helps me to block in the spaces on this painting. I have left one thin horizontal strip at the bottom of the sky so that I can work on it after the white dries. I usually have to revisit the sky three, sometimes four times. You will have to click on the square symbol on the enlarged image to get to the really enlarged image in order to see the deep dark rich colors of the canyon walls. I will revisit these a few times also before the painting is done.

[CarlOwen]

Good afternoon. Did some study on Flemish painting techniques this morning. It brought back some old memories from an art class. Never hurts to refresh though. Did some more work on this today. Added two more base colors to the cliff lines. Counting those lines and the positions so as to not violate, at least to much, the natural striations of the different eroded land levels through time. I have learned that if you keep the layer strata consistent that a more realistic display results. Had to put in a flat plane form so I would not get lost in all those zebra type strips on the canvas. It worked. It helped me get a sound footing within the painting. Read a few articles on composition and the Greek golden rectangle theory of composition. Again, remembered some old training stuff. They were smart, to bad wars killed off the best of them through time, well maybe. Thoughts starting to wander if no one has guested yet. Part of the process as most of the time the thoughts come together enough so I can see the next step. Moving on. Here are the three posts.

[CarlOwen]

Good morning. Next post. It may be difficult to some to see the update as I mostly used grey tones in the forward cliff tones. There is only one post because this step required more visualization thinking than doing.

[CarlOwen]

Good morning. Three more updates. I am working on the canyon section just so I can continue to work while the white background dries. It takes between two to three weeks for the titanium white to dry enough for me to go to the next step of laying in the blues and greys. And because there is plenty of work to do in that canyon area I am attending to that space that does not touch the sky. The tree will be laid in after the blue and grey dries.

[CarlOwen]

Good morning. Had a good day yesterday. I am now at the point where I have to consider balance between the reds and the greens. Have to picture the total color percentages in the whole painting before I continue with the canyon.

[CarlOwen]

Good morning. Had a another pretty good day yesterday. Here are the four updates.

[CarlOwen]

Good morning. Two posts from yesterday. I pretty much have in mind what I want the canyon to look like, so now it is the fine tuning stage which to me means sailing through the doldrums with nothing to really do as I work through tedium and boredom. This painting is far from finished. It would be nice if I can finish before the end of February. I think I can.

[Singular]

very nice life in this. love the contrast in colors.

[CarlOwen]

Thanks Joe. Will post today's work tomorrow morning. Tired. Boy was I ever wrong about the doldrums thing. I decided to let the painting "talk to me". It kicked my you know where. Worked on it for seven hours today. It was a very good day.

[CarlOwen]

Good morning. Here are the four posts from yesterday's work. I am now picturing which would be the best way to do the tree and leaves. Tree first, or leaves first or a combination? I'm thinking of a long needle style for the leaves and have to review and consider the trunk and limb colors. Have to be careful not to muddle the colors as that would kill the vibrancy of the painting. As I am writing this I have decided to go with browns on the trunk and limbs as I think there will be enough greys in the animals and the dead limbs at the bottom of the painting; I think. Going to work now and having a conversation with the painting.

[CarlOwen]

Well, succeeded in getting about five and a half hours in today before I went brain dead. Maintaining the composition, use of colors, shaping forms, experimenting with forms, visualizing the light source, adjusting shadows, and maintaining structural control. Glad I am the boss here. It lets me say when it is time to quit. Will post the progress images tomorrow.

[CarlOwen]

Good morning. I have five posts this morning. Didn't realize that I went through five different decision gates yesterday.

[CarlOwen]

Good morning. Next three progress posts. As you can see, the closer the forms, what the mind interprets as closer based upon the context of the scene, the more shape detail is done. To me it is important to keep in mind that what I am painting is an illusion. With use of line, shadow, shape and described plains I am representing a three dimensional space on a two dimensional surface. There are limitations and perception rules that must be followed such as a general perceived light source upon the subject matter, a sense of proportion, and a sense of perceived depth be it two or even three point. I might get some more work in today. I have to dance around the painting now as there are many wet spots that I do not want to disturb.

[CarlOwen]

Good morning. I have four posts today. It appears the green leaves were dry enough to paint over. I originally thought I would use a brush for the leaves. Didn't work. They were flat and out of character with the rest of the painting. So, back to the pallet knife. Used one I had altered by bending the blade so the front tip was only about 3/4 of an inch long. It worked. Lots of concerns doing the leaves. How much on each pod, what actual shape did I want, how much sky to let through between the leaves, was the long pine needle really such a good idea, and how many colors to use in the leaves were thoughts and considerations. After a few strokes I stuck with my original decision. Got in about 5 and a half hours on it this session that involved more staring and thinking than paint slapping. Going to work some more today on it after this post.

[Singular]

Hey Carl,

When this is done, I am going to link it to our home page. I think artists would love to see the progress of this and how you went about doing it.

all the best,
Joe

[CarlOwen]

Thank you Joe. I feel honored. Sometime tomorrow if you reconsider and change your mind I will still feel honored.

[CarlOwen]

Good morning. Worked on the tree and foreground light colored rock area yesterday. Burnt sienna, raw umber, yellow ochre, titanium white, Prussian blue, cobalt blue are the base colors used in this painting. Small amounts of cadmium red and yellow were mixed for those areas I felt needed a little more red in the rocks and more of a forest green for the leaves. That beautiful olive green area that reminds me of a military green is mixed cobalt blue and yellow ochre. Prussian blue is added to darken the green and cadmium yellow is mixed in to lighten the green. I don't use a formula. I just look at it and mix until I get what I want. The flat rocks at the bottom are yellow ochre and titanium white mixed together in various amounts to get the different hues. Here and there I mixed in burnt sienna. Moving on. Here are the three progress posts. I hope to work on the tree trunk today.

[CarlOwen]

Good morning. No painting yesterday. I had to be a grownup. Took care of house biz, paid bills, taxes, etc. I hate being a grownup. Starting work on the painting now. Hope for a good day, and of course hope everyone has a good day.