Commission.

COMPLETED

Continued Balance

48" x 48"

After painting in the xenoliths(see my last blog post) the reflection detail was applied to the painting.  Then my signature on the bottom left area of the painting.

Commission complete.  Painting delivered and installed.

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Working Towards the End of the Commission.

It's Detail Time

The major parts of this painting are in, so it's time for detail work which involves a bit of glazing, or layering transparent pigment, onto sections to bring depth and life to the work. 

Detail also equates to some fine, line work to give definition to some of the rock areas.

My favorite detail on these Tahoe Rock paintings is working on the addition of Xenoliths.

What is a Xenolith???...pronounced:  zeen oh lith, with the accent on the zeen.



A xenolith is a rock fragment which becomes enveloped in a larger rock during the latter's development and hardening. In geology, the term xenolith is almost exclusively used to describe inclusions in igneous rock during magma emplacement and eruption. Xenoliths may be engulfed along the margins of a magma chamber, torn loose from the walls of an erupting lava conduit or picked up along the base of flowing lava on Earth's surface. Basically this is a rock within a rock, and they are prevalent in the rocks off the Crystal Bay Point at Lake Tahoe where I gather inspiration. They are an unexpected visual treat and definitely a signature in my work.  I allow them to appear in the painting in a serendipitous manner.  While looking at the canvas I see areas on the boulder that ask for placement of a xenolith.  There might be a hint of a shadow left by a brush or finger mark which will dictate where the xenolith will be painted, so if it works with the composition and balance I will add additional pigment, high lights and shadows to bring out the form.

The xenoliths are in.  This painting is very close to completion.  

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More Commission.

More and More Painting

I found myself painting below the surface during this past week.  Clear tones of Pthalo and Aqua, mixed with white pigment brushed onto the canvas to create the beginning of the underwater portion of the painting.

 

The definitive dark line separating the above and below aspect was bothering me so I worked on lightening this part of the painting by giving it layers of texture in lighter tones. 

The base or bottom of the lake with light patterns became the next aspect to lay in.

This is how the painting looks as it sits on my easel today. Now for detail work both above and below the surface. Check back...more and more and more to come.

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Commission Continued.

Lake Tahoe Boulders

It was a productive week in the studio, working on this Lake Tahoe Rock and Water commission.

 The boulders are beginning to take form on the canvas with the use of a limited palette.   This could be considered under painting, or laying down basic pigment colors, because eventually there will be glazing over these rock forms that will add additional color which will give these rocks a luscious form and texture.

For now, the rocks grow and change.  And there are a few minor changes to come, however this is the progress so far. Compare the image above with the image directly below to look for a couple minor changes that cause the balanced rock to move forward in the composition.  Can you see it?

And now look at the image below to see how the addition of a little lighter pigment on the rock below the balanced rock lets the eye see a more rounded form.

There is already another slight change, to show you next week, so come back.  The install date for this painting is coming up quickly, so I am running back to the easel.

To contact me click HERE

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