Nocturnes

Moon Rising, 5x7

I've been hearing a lot about night plein air paintings, called Nocturnes. This style of night painting has been around for a while, but I think they are making a comeback on the plein air circuit. And, I have been thinking about them quite a bit lately.

Reflecting Moon, 4x6

Unfortunately for me, I cannot find much about nocturnes online. One online painter said to try painting a nocturne in a monotone (one color) and to use a warm undertone for the painting.  Here are my first few attempts at nocturnes- they are monochrome using mostly prussian blue values, underneath is a warm undertone. I would have liked to have added more dark greens. I still have questions about what colors to use when painting nocturnes. I think these are interesting and good first attempts...

*Please comment and let me know if you know of any blogs or books or any references I can review regarding Nocturne Painting!

All Daily Paintings In a Row

Video of All Paintings Thus Far!

If you are like me, you want to see your work come to fruition. I put all of my daily landscapes in order top to bottom (rows) and left to right. Wow, look at the volume of work and look at the colors. Here I see a few successes and a few failures but still I did it and continue to do it. I feel there are two gems in each row--two good ones where I really like the composition, color and how the painting turned out.

Four Weeks of Daily Painting

Honestly, some days it is a struggle to paint, but then I look at the clock and I want to keep going, and once I am set up and in front of the easel, it is easy to paint. Why is it so hard for me to motivate to put on that apron and get to work? I have no idea, but once I do I am happy.

Day 24:
This took longer than 20 minutes, but less than 45. I am unsure of the time because I got an international and important phone call as I was painting. I am fairly sure that I went past the 20 minute time frame.  I like the tree, I like the lean of the tree. And, in person I even like the pink-peach ground leading up to the tree. My only big critique is that the tree shadow is dark-- if painted again I would not make it as dark.

Day 25:
This is a small 4x6 panel. This looks different from my style I think. The composition is  very simple and full of foreground. I like the far far trees at the top of the horizon. And, I like the pinks and greens.




Day 26:
I like the composition here and the long view. I struggled to get the tree leaves into the sky. I painted the sky first, I should have placed in some of the green for the leaves. Lesson Learned.

Day 27:
4x6 Panel. Small, beautiful, lovely. This is a small fast simple painting and I really like it. I took this pic in Texas. I love the big dark trees left of Center -- they were roundish and so dark.

Day 28:
Studio Portrait Painting

Day 29:
5x7 Panel  Suns and Sunsets are intimidating. It took me closer to 35 on this one because there is so much detail. The left trees took some thought and time. And, the sun took quite a bit of paint application. I am pleased with how this sunset painting turned out, it is fairly luminous in person.

Three Weeks of Daily Painting!

Wohoo! Three Weeks of Daily Painting

Day 19: I am happy with the sunset sky. I haven't done many beach paintings so the sand and ocean were tough to figure out. Overall, I like the colors.

Day 20: My husband was driving us toward the west at sunset and I snapped the reference photo for this. I like the colorful sky and am happy with the dark trees. The perspective isn't perfect but in 20 minutes you gotta let some things go. I like the road lines and the far bridge over the road--all of the elements came out pretty well for a "from the car" photo reference.

Day 21 (Still life at studio, unfinished)

Day 22: (third week of daily painting)

This photo reference and this painting, had a lot going on. I did work to figure out the composition, trying not to put the far island smack in the middle (which it was in reality). I liked the foreground trees and how they framed the composition. For 20 minutes this was tough--there are so many layers of land and water and island that honestly this would be good painted larger and with more thought--just too complex for a quick study. But proud that I tried it against the timer!

Day 23:

There was so much blue in the shadows and this was more shadow dominant. This was fun to paint but I struggled to get in the lights. With more time the greens against the peachy path would be lighter.

Day 15 through 18, Still Painting EACH Day!

I continue on...painting painting painting

I am still painting a small painting every day! Well, each day that isn't a studio day--this means I do a small painting 5 days a week (typically a 5x7 inch panel) and a portrait painting 2 days a week.

I am really enjoying this fast small painting thing! Take a look and tell me which is your favorite!

Day 15:
I like the light and colors!

Day 16 was a portrait day (no pic, unfinished work)


Day 17 (this is a 4x6"):
I like the far trees on the left!

Day 18:
I like the foreground with the blue water.

Day 14! Two Weeks of Daily Painting

The Daily Paint Challenge has been so very good for me. Even when I don't feel like painting or I am tired, I force myself to paint. Many of these compositions I really love, they may make great larger paintings someday.

Day 10, 5x7 20 minutes

Day 11, 5x7, 20 minutes

Day 12 5x7, 20 minutes

Day 13, 4x6 20 minutes

Day 14 Studio portrait painting