August Skies

One Month

Two Scenes

Two views

Two Skies 

August Lake - Leslie Snider

Late Summer Day - Leslie Snider

The first, a calm and lush summer day with just a hint of autumn.

The second, a late summer storm is on the way.

Both pastels on 440 Uart paper 

using Sennelier, Richeson, Unison, Rembrandt pastels.

Any questions...I'm here.

Rocky Shoreline Series part 02

Rocky Shoreline 03

I could have called this series

 "experimenting with pastel paper" 

or "how ideas develop"

This example is on my favourite paper, 

a 1000 grit automotive sandpaper.

But back to the process......

Wandering around the shoreline 

I began to notice little quiet areas 

where the water gently swirled 

and you could see patterns

 through the clear water. 

I stood in the water

(up to my ankles)

and took many more photos,

(mostly guess work) 

as I couldn't really see

 through the tiny camera lens.

Back in the studio

I studied these, found

a few with interesting possibilities

and this is the result!

I surprised myself with the 

abstractness of the design 

and think it's an idea 

worth developing.

 

Summer Skies

There is rarely a day that goes by this summer 

without rain in the forecast.....

this makes for lush greens

 and ever changing skies.

Two new pastel studies... 

a new discovery "Hoople Island"

 and an old haunt 

"Marsh along the K&P trail."

Hoople Island - pastel - Leslie Snider

K&P Marsh - pastel  - Leslie Snider

 

Three Seasons of Spring

Easter this year is bright but muted in colour 

as the frost comes out of the ground 

and there is mud everywhere!

 Snow runoff leaves pools of water

 in low lying areas.

Wet Glade -  pastel -  Leslie Snider

April showers will soon 

bring out a blizzard of lively greens.

Spring Glade -  pastel -  Leslie Snider

Another few weeks 

and those greens will mature 

and strengthen in colour.

The light will be stronger 

and pierce the undergrowth 

more sharply. 

Summer Glade -  pastel -  Leslie Snider

 

Calm Waters

After the vibrancy of autumn colours,

 it's time for a more reflective mood!

The Bonnechere River 

in the provincial park of the same name 

provides canoeing opportunities 

for less adventurous  paddler 

such as myself. 

Although a quiet meandering stream

 it still offers great opportunities 

for both pictuesque 

and surprising vistas.

Here's just one!

Calm Waters Leslie Snider 2016

Reference photos

November Rain

Today  is the aftermath of an early snowstorm. 

But just a few days ago I took this photo...

New weather had first brought winds 
that yanked the leaves from the trees
...then calming rains 
left drops clinging to branches.
 It inspired this pastel...

 
 

A Quiet Bay in Bonnechere Provincial Park

Summer Textures - Watercolour/ Mixed Media

As July becomes August 

the intense summer light has peaked.

Around the edges of tree tops and bushes

 the lush foliage is beginning to

 to fade and curl back .

Hints of rich autumn colour contrast 

with the spare branches of old growth trees.

 

Old Growth Forest at it's peak

 

Enjoying Summer

Landscape sketch in watercolour / mixed media.

The compositional possibilites of a tree...or two..

When I started a few Pinterest boards 

to assist in teaching and studying

various aspects of painting and design,

I was surprised by popularity of trees 

as subject mattter.

https://www.pinterest.com/lesliesnider1/trees/

Of course, 

there are many equally fascinating subjects

but on a basic level

  the simplicity of the vertical (tree)

against the horizontal (horizon, terra ferma)

offers infinite possibilities.

‘Evening Snow at Edo River’

 1932 woodblock print 

by Hasui Kawase

We can even start at a  more basic level

by looking at a series of vertical lines on a flat surface.

Here the simple contrast of long/short, heavy /fine 

along an imaginary horizon line 

creates a sense of space.

Working within a picture frame illustrates

the relationship between line and space

or positive and negative 

and the importance of background space.

This is a simple exercise 

and a great way to loosen up. 

Finally as an example:

 my watercolour of a spring meadow.

It is the relationship of trees to the background 

that interested me in interpreting this subject.

Black and white illustrations 
from a long out of print book, 
"Form, Space and Vision" by Graham Collier

Sketchbook - Woodlands 2014

 Two watercolour sketches from last summer.

In this one I'm exploring 

the contrast between old bark 

and the delicate undergrowth of ferns and vines.

If you watch kids on a woodland hike 

they spend a lot of time looking at the ground

...good idea!

There's interesting stuff below our feet.

Sheffield Conservation Area

This 9" by 12" pastel 

was created in August 

from sketches / photos

taken at the Sheffield Conservation Area.

(just north of Napanee)

An interesting habitat

featuring granite outcroppings and picturesque views.

This smaller pastel was done earlier in the year 

and features the water view as you peak through the trees from the trail.

For more info follow the link below.

http://ontarioconservationareas.ca/component/mtree/conservation-authorities-of-ontario/quinte/sheffield-conservation-area

Summer Days

This photo was taken on a  Presquile Provincial Park walk.

 Behind the viewer is a pretty meadow, 

low lying often with standing water and young trees,

a favourite of wildlife, sometimes deer... often plentiful birdlife.

In front of the viewer is a canopy of trees 

leading to a cool area of old growth forest, 

a welcome respite on a hot summer day.

In my interpretation 

the spindly trees of the foreground 

have become more substantial and lush.

This allowed me to create soft foreground masses

that act as a contrast 

to the dark but inviting entrance 

into the woods.

Leslie1460@gmail.com

Bonnechere sketchbook

After working with pastels 

for several weeks 

I felt the need for a change 

and pulled out 

my watercolours.

The photo was taken last summer in Bonnechere Provincial Park.

 I had tackled this subject in pastel 

but  hadn't been able to capture 

the interesting contrasts between the reddish tree,

the yellow green grasses on the left 

and the dark reflection on the far right.

This is my quick sketch

 trying to capture the contrasts 

as well as the light bouncing of the surfaces.

Some of that energy appears to be lost 

 but that is deceiving

 as the photo of the finished watercolour

doesn't reflect

some of the more subtle

 play of colour 

seen in the original.

Boosting the Energy

 As a change of pace from the subtlety of the May  sky studies

 I used these recent photos 

from my spring camping vacation

to experiment with colour 

and a more energetic approach 

to composition.

 

 

Threatening Skies

Another in my series of sky studies in 

pastel on toned paper.

Jobes Woods Pastel

One of the spring sketches translated into pastel.

I think this is more successful than my last pastel, 
looser and better use of colour.
I used a smooth, toned, sketch paper.

Previous examples have been 
on various textured pastel papers 
which I find difficult.
I'm always fighting the textured surface....
which can be a distraction.

Experience must count for something 
so I shall persevere!!

Change of Pace

As this Ontario winter drags on

 I return to one of my favourite subjects.

Taking a break from pastels 

to work in watercolour.

These two aging trees 

caught my eye last fall 

as they struggled for survival 

amidst a mass of youthful greenery.

A certain amount of symbolism there I suspect!

Beach Scene

Having enjoyed working

with the blues

 of the previous post 

I decided to try my hand 

at a more subdued water scene.

This may be a  less dramatic

composition and colour scheme

 but portraying the light 

flickering across the water 

was an interesting challenge.

I altered 

the arrangement of foreground rocks

in order to emphasize 

the diagonal sweep of  waves.

The source of light (sun) 

is not seen 

but implied 

by a brightness in the cloudy sky.

Landscape Pastel - Changing Fall Colour

Another view of that same foggy morning. 

In this experiment 

I added some bright pinks

 to the original colour scheme.

I simplified the composition 

in order to play off the wildflowers 

against the dark green trees

 while keeping the atmosphere

somewhat illusive.