Lights on a far shore...

[john]

Sometimes at sunset the colors in the sky and on the water just boggle the mind. After my last debacle of a painting I figured I would go to the photo for the next and skip my eccentric imagination this time. Besides, nature provides plenty.

This was first time stretching my own raw canvas. And first time using watery acrylics directly on the raw canvas , as per a Youtube video I watched. It was cool because the watery acrylics on the cotton was a little bit like watercolor on paper. But the cotton canvas takes forever to dry. I made some mistakes - like the vertical line near right center - but I learned a lot about the whole process. Next time I might use a little clear gesso first to reduce absorbency. The colors change like crazy from wet to dry and they sort of sink-in and lose a little vibrancy. I hate/love acrylics. One reason to love them are the specialty paints like the white I used that was pearlescent. It gives a nice effect. But I would have an easier time getting the colors right using oils.

This was the photo...

And it's so hard for me to figure the colors out but this is the painting with some far shore and lights added. 16x20 inches after some cropping. C&C welcome.

 

[Triduana]

I think it's beautiful, I just love the softness of it.

 

[Sanlynn]

Very serene. A lovely piece.

 

[Donna T]

Beautiful, peaceful and a real success, John. I can relate to your frustration with the color changes as acrylics dry and think you did a wonderful job of making yours come out so harmonious.

 

[Grapes]

John, beautiful and serene scene. I like the colors.

 

[Terri]

A beautiful, serene painting from a beautiful, serene photo of a beautiful, serene place. You captured this so well - I love that the distant lights on the shoreline show up better in your painting, adding some sparkle.

This was not easy - you make it look easy. Gorgeous. I'm happy that you're pleased enough with it to hopefully do more!

 

[john]

Thanks Kay yeah I never really thought about it but I guess it's those soft transitions of color in sunsets that are so magical. They sort of defy easy description.

Thanks Sanlynn. Ahhhh serenity.

Thanks Donna, what's good about this kind of painting is that even if the colors are off a little it can still work. I don't know how people do portraits in acrylics.

Thanks Grapes

Thanks Terri, yeah I'm fortunate to live near the Long Island Sound and can catch these moments. Really enjoyed this doing this so will probably do more along these lines. Maybe try this one again and get the colors closer. I say probably because my track record for consistency is pretty poor. But I can see paintings like this ending up on some walls which would be nice.

 

[snoball]

Beautiful, soft colors and great idea to add the distant lights. Since you said C&C welcome, I'm going out on a limb and saying that I would have personally liked it much better if you hadn't cut it right in two in the middle. I would have either cropped the bottom or the top to put the shore line at about a third one way or the other. But I do like it.

 

[john]

Beautiful, soft colors and great idea to add the distant lights. Since you said C&C welcome, I'm going out on a limb and saying that I would have personally liked it much better if you hadn't cut it right in two in the middle. I would have either cropped the bottom or the top to put the shore line at about a third one way or the other. But I do like it.

Thanks a lot sno. I thought the same thing after cropping the photo. I have to re-frame the canvas anyway so I'll make the horizon at maybe the 2/5 point. That's one of those "rules" that I hate to admit are correct, but they are. Thanks for reminding me because knowing me I would forget and re-frame it the same way

 

[Artyczar]

Very beautiful. This has calmed me down...for now.

Very good John!

 

[john]

Very beautiful. This has calmed me down...for now.

Very good John!

Thanks Ayin. I feel the same. I know. Maybe the best thing about painting is how it can take us out of the current place and time and transport us to our imagined places and times right? We can create our own and leave this mess for a while. Because most things are out of our control. I'm not religious but the Serenity Prayer has come to the fore to me recently.

 

[john]

I wasn't totally happy with the lights on the far shore. The dots of paint just didn't pop like lights. Then there was talk between a few members here about using gold leaf and a light bulb - yuk yuk- went off in my head. Why not use gold leaf for the lights? So I ordered some. It was gold and silver sheets. I used dots of clear gel craft glue. It came out pretty cool. They really shine now and as one walks around they sparkle in and out.

This pic is a little darker then real life but I think it looks cool and shows the effect well. Looks more like nighttime now. Looks like a few bits of foil got away from the shore so I guess I should clean them up. One can see the sparkly bits in the iridescent paint I used also.

 

[snoball]

Love it!

 

[john]

Thanks sno. And yeah the horizon in the middle is breaking rules but I figure that when looking across a scene like this the shore would be in the middle.

And part of me wants to put in one seagull and maybe a crescent moon but the other says no, leave it alone. It's about minimalism.

 

[Arnie]

And part of me wants to put in one seagull and maybe a crescent moon but the other says no, leave it alone. It's about minimalism.

The gold leaf is very effective and interesting . Good possibilities for other paintings.

 

[Artyczar]

WOW!!! This is so cool! I love it! Great idea.

 

[Donna T]

You really changed the look of this and it’s even better! Sparkling lights on a distant shore - cool!

 

[Jo Castillo]

Very pretty and cleverly done. Love it.