Big City Snow

[WFMartin]

This is a cityscape of a winter scene. The reference photo initially had only the bridge, and city behind it. I added the walking figure, for interest.

"Big City Snow"...16" x 20" oil on RayMar Canvas Panel

 

[Enyaw]

Like the figure. She blends well.

 

[Artyczar]

Really great! I was taken with your handling of the pathway for some reason. The snow looks magical.

 

[PSA3475]

Very nice. I like the lighting. What city?

 

[WFMartin]

Thank you, all, for your comments. PSA3475, I'm not sure what city it is. I got the subject off a site that has free images for use, by many photographers, and I just liked the subject, so I painted it. I may have known the specific city some time ago, but I have since forgotten it. Sorry.

 

[snoball]

Love this Bill! From the snow to the lights to the stars. Just lovely.

 

[moscatel]

WFMartin, the snow in front has very curious and excellent color. Nice snow textures there too. The buildings are very well done with all the tiny detail, windows and lights. Did you paint this painting by using your special painting method which you use in your still lifes?

 

[Roni]

I added the walking figure

and good so.
This move really "makes" the composition.

(a little like Caspar David Friedrich's "Monk" by the sea: without it [even though it's tiny], the whole landscape would lack composition.

 

[WFMartin]

WFMartin, the snow in front has very curious and excellent color. Nice snow textures there too. The buildings are very well done with all the tiny detail, windows and lights. Did you paint this painting by using your special painting method which you use in your still lifes?

No, I did not use my still-life/flower method, which is an accurate, gray, underpainting. over which I apply many glazes of color. I used a more direct approach, while still layering, wet over dry.

I've found that I really use 3 different methods of painting, depending upon the subject matter, primarily. For still-lifes, and flowers, I use the grisaille method, followed by glazes. When I paint a portrait, I use my progressive focus method, but I apply the paint in full color from the onset, using no drawing whatsoever. And, when I paint most landscapes/cityscapes, I seldom do any sort of accurate drawing, but I do use measurements, and a proportional divider to establish what I call "key points" early on in the beginning stages. This is done with paint, for the most part. The "beginning" of a cityscape, for example, appears as a bunch of disjointed, random dots, lines, corners, etc. It is upon that initial work that I build my cityscape.

 

[Katie]

Lovely, I love winter scenes, and yet I have never managed to paint one.

 

[WFMartin]

Lovely, I love winter scenes, and yet I have never managed to paint one.

Well then,....I think you should try one! It feels good to step out of one's "box" once in awhile. I've had a lot of fun doing that.