100 Landscapes

I decided I'm going to paint 100 small landscape paintings (5x7). Landscape is probably my favorite subject to paint. I love mixing color and creating a sense of atmosphere. I've been trying out some different palettes and doing a lot of experimentation. I'll list the palette I used under each painting.

I went to Utrecht yesterday and bought them out of 5x7 panels. They only had 34 in stock. Guess I'll be going back.

Anyway, on with the show.

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Titanium White, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red, Cobalt Blue, Ivory Black.

Flake White, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Scarlet, Cobalt Blue, Ivory Black

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I tried working with a more limited Zorn palette here. I eliminated red and replaced it with a muted, brownish red. Flake White, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Ivory Black. I think I used a touch of Cobalt Blue in there, but not much.

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This Grand Canyon landscape had a more extensive palette. I'm pretty happy with how this one came out and I like the vibrant colors. I used 50/50 Flake White/Titanium White (to speed up drying time), Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red, Burnt Sienna, Cobalt Blue, Terra Verte, Sap Green, Ivory Black.

I wanted to get a little bit more color into this overcast, rainy landscape, so I used my old landscape palette. I used this palette throughout college because it's very cheap to buy and you can mix a huge variety of colors from it. Not to mention its the best way to learn color theory. I used (Winsor & Newton) Titanium White/Flake White, Winsor Yellow, Bright Red, French Ultramarine. When you mix all of those grey and neutral tones from the primary colors, you get greys with a lot more "life" to them. It was fun working with this palette again. I'll be doing it some more...

The photo of this came out a little too much on the green side. I still have a lot to learn about photography. I don't normally use the palette knife in my paintings, but I used it to make some grass texture on this one. I'm pretty pleased with the texture, so I'll be doing that again I think. Palette: Titanium White/Flake White, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red, Terra Verte, Cobalt Blue, Ivory Black.

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I've really liked painting these overcast scenes with a limited palette. Titanium White/Flake White, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Ivory Black. Once again there was a touch of Cobalt used in a portion of the sky.

7 down, 93 to go.

More Landscapes

First up is another snowy landscape. My main focus was on the abstract shapes created by the trees' cast shadows, and the warm/cool balance.

The next two paintings are of Sedona, AZ. I took a bunch of photos there earlier this year. It was overcast and rainy, but the rain brought out some nice colors in the rocks. In the late afternoon the sun finally came out for a brief time and I was able to get some great shots (third painting).

I'm slowly working my way towards more Old Holland brand paints. I have been really impressed with the quality. I've still got a ton of other brands (W&N, Gamblin, and Rembrandt), but as these get used up I am replacing them with Old Holland. They're expensive but really worth it.

Last up we have another banana painting. I think I'm done with this series. I've started to lose interest in them...

A couple new landscapes

Landscape is probably my favorite subject to paint. Once in a while I find the time to do a little plein air painting, and I really wish I could do it more often. I'm going to try to make some time available for me to drive up to Sedona again... painting there was a blast. 

So, when I want to paint a landscape and I don't have the time to travel or the money for gas, I'll look through my stack of Arizona Highways magazines for inspiration. I don't have a problem referencing photographs for studies, though I do try to change it enough to make it "my own", so to speak. These two paintings took 1-2 hours each, painted on 5x7 canvas panels. I bought a bunch of panels from Utrecht when they were on sale, and then toned them all with thinner, Cadmium Red and Burnt Sienna.