Dune Studies - Painting in the Hamptons

Here are three of the dune studies I did through the week in the Hamptons. 

I picked these images to post because they show an interesting progression (and least it's interesting to me).  I found myself challenged to develop compositions from a landscape that was dominated by clumpy/spotty lumps of grasses.  These three images show how I developed a handling of this situation with greater and greater simplification along with taking bolder risks in altering the shapes to create interesting ways for the viewer's eye to move into and through the painting.

Dune Study I
Pastel
8x10

Dune Study II
Pastel
9x12

 

 

 

 

Dune Study III
Pastel
12x16

Now I have to make some time to get down to Carmel and give this subject a try down there.

Next Up - Painting Dunes

I've been in the Hamptons (Amagansett, NY) this week and I've been taking the opportunity to work on studies of rolling dunes.  This is a subject I've never spent any time on, but I've always admired the way Terri Ford and Kim Lordier have handled the subject (they are typically painting Carmel, CA).

Amagansett has it's own unique flavor, and I've been setting out at dawn most days to see what I can come up with.  Stay tuned - I'll post images when I get back to my studio.

The 5th layer of streams with rapids

Earlier I made the statement that I think there 4 layers in a painting of water with rapids, but I was just looking over a painting from the series and I think a 5th layer might be worthy of it's own category - underwater reflected light from air bubbles.  This would make the list:

1. Stream bottom (underwater rocks)
2. Reflected/refracted light from underwater bubbles
   
3. Water surface
4. Reflections on water's surface
5. Bubbles/foam on top of water's surface

You can see this near white water where bubbles are forced under the surface and often vivid greens are apparent (from the sunlight (yellow) mixed with the blues of the water).

This is definitely going to take some time to master ...

Stream Study #4

Here's the last painting I did on the trip ...

"Stream Study IV"
Pastel
9x12












In all painting it's important to simply.  I found it particulary important and difficult simplifying paintings of streams with rapids because of the complex interrelationship between the objects.  The rocks shape the water, and the water (over time) shapes the rocks.  If one removes of relocates a rock all the surrounding objects are impacted.

My goal is to get comfortable enough with the subject to be able to arbitrarily move elements around in order to arrive at a more compelling composition. In each of these paintings I took successively more and more liberty is altering the scene - but this is much more complex than altering an ocean seascape scene given the complexity of the layers.  I sense there is a lifetime of work to pursue here :-)

Stream Study #3

Here's the next in the series ...

"Stream Study III"
Pastel
9x12

(sold)

Stream Study #2

Streams are fascinating in how there are 3 (or 4) distinct layers that are sometimes visible:

1. Stream bottom (underwater rocks)
   
2. Water surface
3. Reflections on water's surface
4. Bubbles/foam on top of water's surface

Here's the next study that I'll post ...

"Stream Study II"
Pastel"
9x12








This example shows a large underwater rock that I found interesting but few reflections other than reflections of skylight.

Stream Study #1

Recently I've been traveling and I decided to focus on painting a subject that I love but which is difficult to paint and hard to find where I live - streams and rapids.

Here's the first one I'll share, with more to come ...

"Stream Study I"
Pastel
9x12