**Authentically Human! Not Written by AI**
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| Bog Meditation 1 8x24 oil/canvas (gallery-wrap) $2000 - Available here |
This past week, I completed the first of my final bog paintings. "Bog Meditation 1" was a pleasure to create. I first propped up all the reference material on an easel—pencil sketches, gouache studies, a photo or two, plus notan studies—and decided to go with a 1:3 format and a foggy day scene.
Next, I pulled out an 8x24 stretched canvas (gallery-wrap) that I'd toned previously with Gamblin's Transparent Earth Red. The tone would serve not only to help unify the painting but also to add a subtle "pop" of warm color to all the cool colors I planned to use. I sorted through my collection of Gamblin paints looking specifically for cools such as cadmium green, viridian and cerulean blue. I also chose quinacridone magenta; although it's a red, it's a cool red. But I also wanted a few warmer notes for contrast, so I added Portland Grey Deep, a neutral grey that looks warm against all the cool colors, and Napthol Red.
You'll note that I put the tree right in the middle. Yes, I know I broke a rule, but I wanted this kind of strong emphasis. The viewer needed to see the tree first and only then the supporting landscape. The danger, of course, is that the painting could become too evenly balanced. To avoid this, I made some of the branches swoop and curve. I also played with the patterning of the trees in the distant fog, keeping intervals uneven and shapes different.
Next, I plan to do a 1:2 sunny scene of the same. In the meantime, here are some detail shots.
