A Plein Air Today Reader Spotlight
by Geeta Pattanaik
Earlier this year in California, I thought I would try to capture some of the snowy mountain sights in a plein air painting or two. I scouted out a scene where I would get a good view of the mountains, not impeded by houses, and with a good composition, I did some sketches and did a drawing on an Arches watercolor block, so I could come back the following morning when the mountains would be side lit and have plenty of shadows to paint.
I got there early and to my great disappointment, the mountain was shrouded in mist and clouds. However, I turned left and another range was visible above the haze. I painted the skyline over the mountain and turned the block upside down to complete the sky. I then turned the watercolor block the right way up and did the basic shadow shapes of the mountain, cutting into the deeper recesses.
Next, I wet a narrow band for the haze above the mountains and while the paper was still damp, I put in some darks for the distant trees below the haze. There were many buildings interspersed between the trees, so I left bits of the paper as whites or floated some color here and there to suggest them. Working down from there, while doing the vegetation, I took it down to the line of the white fencing. I worked some green and darks in rectangles to suggest where I could see through the fencing.
Painting negatively in watercolor is much easier if one has a plan and this time it worked out for me. I suggested the shadows on the fence to make it three-dimensional. I also painted some of the greenery in front of the fence, then painted the sidewalk and road. I finally painted the trees by the fence to unify the foreground, background, and sky.
Since I’ve sketched all my life and have painted en plein air since 2007, I have learned to have a plan, but then to go with the flow and change it when something happens.
Connect with the artist at geetapattanaik.com.
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