Morning Breaks

The skies are full of wonder this time of year!  Sunrise and sunset compete with each other with reckless abandon - and this artist is taking full advantage!  I've pulled out my 5x7 guerrilla painter thumb box for speed in painting, and I've used my acrylics for the dark underpainting.  Once dry (which is pretty fast) I begin with the colors in the sky.  Here, I start with the horizon color, and then jump to the darkest clouds shades. I finish with the orange hues, then blend a little here and there.  I leave the application  thick at the horizon, softening towards the edge.  Painting number 1755 in 1755 days.

Train Yard

I held my weekly painting class at the train yard tonight - and we did it at night!  I love the spontaneity and freshness that comes with plein air painting - and especially when it comes to nocturnes!  I did two ink drawings before returning to my original spot for capturing the light.  When standing at a distance on a night scene, I have to wait until it is pretty dark to see where the light lands. This train yard is complicated for an hour paint, so I concentrate on the light and the color of that light. I caught the deep blues in the sky before they faded to black.  I love painting at night!  Painting number 1638 in 1638 days.