Lush Summer 2017

Lush Summer pastel Leslie Snider

Lots of recent rain means

 everything is lush and green.

As a landscape painter

 I often use greens

 that are muted

 and subordinate 

to the main features of a picture.

This photo taken along my dog walking trail

captured my imagination 

with it's lively colour and light.

In adapting it for  pastel,

 I chose strong blue greens

rather than the warm yellow greens

 of the photo.

I cropped the photo

 to zoom in on

 a more manageable composition.

With such a complex amount of detail

I did a quick thumbnail

to isolate the main features.

I liked the tree shapes 

which act as an honour guard along the path.

The verticals draw your eye down

 to the wispy wild flox. 

The touches of warm mauve and red

  help break up the masses of green.

As always it is the light

filtering through the undergrowth.

 which gives most character to this picture.

 

Adapting Photos for painting

Here's the inspiration...what do I do next?

Firstly, I asked myself why I wanted to paint this scene....
(no you can't say because I like it!)
It's important to be specific... 
As you're painting it will be a reminder to emphasis those aspects.
In this scene, I was attracted to the colour contrast
of turquoise water and the warm, oranges, reds of the foreground.
I also liked the contrast of broad expansive foreground
leading to the focal point into the distance.

The second step is to eliminate or change details that don't complement your overall concept.
Often the impact of a scene is spoiled with too much detail.
The sky was starkly blank so I created a softly textured sky that wouldn't detract from the rest.

Removing the colour contrasts from the finished painting here....

shows how the pattern of light and dark carries the eye through the picture.
I balanced the horizontal shadows  with the lights of the sky, water and grasses coming forward.

Here's the final picture ....

In the Distance - Leslie Snider - pastel

Sharbot Lake Photo Trip

A quick weekend away 

and some opportunities 

to stock up on fresh ideas.

Our destination 

Sharbot Lake Provincial Park 

in Ontario. 

Day one -rain,rain, rain...

Our original reservations 

at another park cancelled

closed due to flooding.

Not an auspicious start....

but we did find a wonderful site...

with great vistas of the lake.

 

The site itself had a resident, nesting kingfisher. 

Can you see him/her tucked in along the branch?

 

Early next morning the weather cleared...

and brought early morning mists....

 

a beautiful sunrise...

with pristine surfaces...

perfect for a paddle.

As the sun rose

I toured the park and discovered  

several vistas

worthy of painting.

Isn't this park going to be even more glorious in the fall!

Sunrise - Closer to Home

Another in my series looking at dawn and dusk.

This one a view from my kitchen window

not from life, the moment too elusive!

but just enough time to take a quick photo.

1460 Sunrise - pastel - Leslie Snider

Originally my sketch was closer to the photo 

but too many hard edges was distracting.

I simplified the scene concentrating on the dark silhouettes 

versus  the  soft yellow, pinks and violets in the cloud.

I hope the intense turquoise blue 

acts as a contrast and balance to the whole.

Sunrise / Sunset in Pastel

We are now into late spring 

and the days are surprisingly long.

The first day of summer 

and longest day of the year,

 June 20 is less than a month away.

Framing these lengthening days 

are refreshing sunrises and sunsets. 

Here are two....

A sunrise from Neys Provincial Park
on the north shore of Lake Superior

and a sunset closer to home 

Owen Point, Presqu'ile Provincial Park.

Both in pastel, 8 by 10 in.

Neys Provincial Park Sunrise Leslie Snider

Owen Point Sunset Leslie Snider

 

Spring

Nothing says spring 

like the newly minted blossoms 

of forsythia, cherry, and apple! 

Spring 2017 - Leslie Snider

Forsythia 2017 - Leslie Snider

 5 by7in. pastels 

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