Maine Fog Color Study

Maine Fog Color Study, 6 x 8, pastel on sanded paper

I made a new batch of pastel paper today and wanted to try it out with some color studies.  I actually didn't plan this one at all but I like it.  It has a kind of "japonisme" feel to it.  If I were to do it larger, however, I would really need to work out the shapes of the foliage beforehand. We'll see.  

Foggy Afternoon

Study for Foggy Afternoon, oil on panel, 6 x 8

This little study started as an exercise in atmospheric tonalism.  There are two key ways to create atmosphere:  close values and low chroma color.  I picked one color (green) to use as my jumping off point for all the values and masses in the painting.  All the colors are mixed off of the one green puddle of color.  I was careful to keep the values separate but close.  I like the brushwork in this study.  I also like the underpainting showing through in the foreground as it adds a little sparkle and interest.  After spending the last several months painting in an indirect manner (lots of glazing and waiting) it was liberating to start and finish a study in one sitting.  I used a larger pastel painting of this scene from a few years ago as my guide to composing the sketch.  I may take it a bit further and create a new composition for a larger oil.