It was gorgeous today, clear and sunny with temps in the high teens... a perfect day to get out and paint, we were in heaven!
The choice location was along Chauncey Creek on Kittery Point, Maine. The challenge was to find a place to park and not be in the middle of the road.
I drove half way into the drift and set up comfortably behind my car with my easel tripod on dry pavement and all my gear in the car safe and dry. What could be better?
I proceeded to sketch a variety of views of the creek.
This is the sketch that I choose to guide my painting.
I love painting out of the back of my car. My gear box is there with everything I need and I have my paints all laid out on glass plates in my traveling palette.
I sketched in my design with thinned burnt sienna.
Todd Bonita, my painting buddy parked just ahead of me to focus on capturing the nuances of an old boat barn in a snow filled meadow. A neighbor stopped by to tell us that Mr. Fisher, the boat builder, had moved on up to Isle au Haut and he had "built more boats in that barn than you have eaten hot meals".
It only took me a few minutes to notice that I the tide was going out so I started to paint faster, painting my reflections in first as they would be disappearing soon.
Usually its the moving and changing light that keeps a plein air painter on their toes but with salt water views you have to think about tides.
I actually like this challenge and find that it keeps my painting fresh. No time to noodle to around...
As the sun dropped I saw other subjects I'd like to paint , maybe on the next trip.
I placed a few last color notes on the panel and called it a wrap. I can tune it up in the studio later.
8x10 oil on panel
I'm really happy with my "studio on wheels". After I packed my gear in the back I just drove out of the snow drift and headed over to the town dock to check out the parking situation for painting there tomorrow.
To see more paintings visit ~ PAINT EAT SLEEP
Mary, Where did you get your travel palette? It looks interesting to me and helpful. Thanks again for your photos showing your process. I feel as though I have been in a class with you as I look through them.
ReplyDeleteSusan, Thanks for visiting ! Its a Homee watercolor travel palette. I took out the insides and put in glass plates with velcro. Its small, fits easily into a knapsack and pops into a freezer at the end of the day. I've used them since 2005- they are great.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mary! I'll look for them.
ReplyDelete