Snowing in the Forest 022516 12x12

I had planned to paint in the Brown County State Park as part of the Arts in the Park grant project.  We got snow the day before and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to capture the snow in the park in some areas I have scouted out. 

So I loaded my supplies in the van and headed out.  Much to my surprise, as I turned south off Lanam Ridge and headed downhill, the snow all disappeared!  Not a bit left anywhere!  I drove all the way over to the park hoping to find snow in the hollers but, alas, nothing!  Seems Lanam Ridge was the dividing line between snow and no snow!  So I turned around and headed back to paint in Yellowwood State Forest which did not disappoint.

Not a lot of snow on the ground but some and it continued snowing most of the afternoon.  Not the big fluffy stuff but the small, hard, snow pellets fell steadily and necessitated the use of the umbrella to keep the snow from gumming up my paint palette.  The scarf hanging on the tree branch during set up was wrapped around my face as I continued to paint!   Standing to paint for long periods can be bone chilling even when the temperatures hover in the mid-thirties.  Compared to the days when temps were closer to 20, this was downright balmy!

I started with the darks of the creek banks and then moved to the more delicate colors of winter.  The pale salmon colored beech leaves, the receding hills and trees in the distance, and the blue green shale of the creek are all rendered with a sensitive eye and hand.The creek itself is a mix of cerulean blue, cadmium yellow, and cadmium red light and cadmium red medium with titanium white.  

I work back and forth between the foreground and background, popping in the falling snow that was building up on some tree branches creating delicate tendrils snaking through the trees.  Here is the finished painting:

"Snowing, February 25, 2016", oil on panel, 12" x 12", by Charlene Marsh.

Thanks for following along!  

Happy trails!

Charlene

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Snowy Vista at the State Park, 021516 12x12

Grey day in the Brown County State Park with temperatures in the mid-thirties and a gorgeous vista!  I love the way the snow is so white against the trees and grey sky.  This is a highly visible spot to paint along the main road with a small parking area for the scenic overlook.  Since this is an activity as part of the Arts in the Park grant I received from the Indiana Arts Commission and the Department of Natural Resources to celebrate the bicentennial of the state of Indiana, I wanted to maximize exposure to park visitors. 

 

I was able to park my car in the small lot nearby and carry my gear to this vista.  Easy peasy!!  MUCH easier than backpacking deep into the woods to paint.

For this painting, I started with the gleaming, sparkling white of the snow in the foreground.  If you follow my blogs, you know I usually start with the darks but this time I started with the lightest, brightest white snow.  I wanted to capture that virgin white and use it to set the values of the background colors.

I say "virgin white" but I never use paint straight out of the tube.  I mixed a violet from magenta crimson and ultra and cerulean blues to get a nice crystal snow blue violet, mixing it with lots of titanium white.  I wanted the white to be fresh, like the snow. 

Here you can see my painting with the vista.  Hard to compete! 

Temps felt quite warm after working outside in the low twenties just the day before!  The paint stays workable rather than turning sticky and making "icicles" of the paint. 

And here you can see the finished painting:

"Snowy Vista in the State Park", 021516 12x12, oil on panel, by Charlene Marsh.

Thanks so much for reading!  I love to hear from you so please leave a comment.

Happy Trails!

Charlene

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Snow Starting to Melt Deep in the Forest Code #012416 12x12

"Snow Starting to Melt Deep in the Forest, January 24, 2016", oil on panel, 12" x 12", c. Charlene Marsh.

I hiked back a good mile in the forest to paint this scene.  The temps were not as bitter as recent days - low to mid 30s - and the sun was out.  I painted this between 3-6 p.m.  Still some sun on the hill tops but shadows growing on the creek bed.

I really don't remember the light on the trees being this golden.  For once, a photo(by me) that looks good!  I like the sunny sky reflected on the creek in the photo below.  The picture is a little deceptive because it makes it look like my easel is set up right next to the creek when I am actually set up high on a bank overlooking the creek.

Here's a shot further back that shows it a little better.

Because the sun was going down behind the hill at my back, I tried to paint in the lights on the hill top first before it all went into shadow but I don't think it worked very well.  I usually start with the darks and move to the lights.  Hard for me to get the light key right starting with the lights.  So I moved to the darks.

You can see how the light has changed dramatically in this photo, below.  The sun has fallen behind the hills and everything is now in shadow.

Here is the final painting.  

"Snow Starting to Melt Deep in the Forest, January 24, 2016", oil on panel, 12" x 12", c. Charlene Marsh.

011416 12x12 Splish Splosh, Snow Melting in the Forest, Plein Air Oil Painting

"Splish Splosh, January 14, 2016", oil on panel, 12" x12", c. Charlene Marsh, Code #011416 12x12.

This is the same scene I painted two days ago and what a difference two days make!  This painting was a real challenge to paint!  Okay, I admit it, downright frustrating.  "Frozen Beauty" from January 12, 2016 was a challenge due to the bitter cold but the frustration trying to paint this painting was something else!   Frankly, I'm surprised it turned out as well as it did!  

I was so excited to get out and paint.  The day was one with the brilliant blue sky, warming temperatures, and snow on the ground, albeit melting.  So I packed up my gear and headed out to the forest around 12:30 p.m.  I waited long enough for the sun to be high in the sky and the temps going up to the mid-40s - it even felt downright balmy at times.  In retrospect, I should have waited another 2-3 hours to go out.  

I found out real fast that the snow, which had been thick on all the branches, was melting quickly.  And as it melted, the chunks of snow would fall onto my palette, pochade, painting, and me in big, wet sploshes.  And, as we all know, oil and water do not mix!  I was painting in a storm of rain snow drops!  What a mess!  What a challenge!  My palette was turning into a wet water oil non-mix. 

I tried to dab at the water drops with a paper towel to try to absorb a bit of it but the water was winning and turning my parchment paper palette into a big mess.  Even so, the snow crystals had some interesting effects on the paint and how it mixed.  

But the most frustrating was when I tried to apply paint to the panel with the knife and found it would not stick!  I would drag my knife and paint across the panel and find that nothing was there!  Grrrrr...  If the panel was wet with the water, the oil paint just wouldn't stick to it!  So then I was drying the panel as best I could with my paper towels.  

I have an umbrella but it is not too good.  The handle is too short and the clamp is too funky.  So I never carry it.  EasyL has developed a new umbrella design that looks very good and has good reviews.  I have resisted buying it because I am not sure I want to add any weight to my pack -- I have been working to pare it down!  But I may go ahead and get it because it is too limiting to not be able to go out and paint if the weather threatens any moisture.  

Today was steady rain and/or drizzle all day but it was so gorgeous out!  Remnants of the snow with some fog down by the creek and temps still warm in the forties.  I was itching to paint but knew the light drizzle would make it nearly impossible.  Soooo....time to order that umbrella!

The melting snow drops definitely had an affect on the paint which reflected the water and snow crystals in the final surface.  In my book, that adds to the authenticity of the final painting imbued with the essence of nature on that given day.  Here's the finished painting:

"Splish Splosh, January 14, 2016", oil on panel, 12" x12", c. Charlene Marsh, Code #011416 12x12.

Thanks for visiting!

Happy Trails!

Charlene 

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