Beach Studies

Every year in early May 

we spend a week at Lake Ontario.

It gives me an opportunity to study and sketch 

the ever changing water, waves, and skies

 

Two studies of this mesmerizing shoreline.

This first a pastel pencil 

on a calm and sunny day.

Wave Study 01 - Leslie Snider

The second is a full blown soft pastel work.

Here ominous clouds have covered the sky 

creating richer colour 

and some energetic waves. 

Wave Study 02 - Leslie Snider

Wave Study 02 - Leslie Snider

Finally a a view of my three travelling companions

and (in the distance) 

my home away from home! 

 

Spring Scenes

A trio of studies

in pastel

recording the emerging changes 

of colour and light this spring.

Spring Fog 2019 - Leslie Snider

Spring Greens 2019 - Leslie Snider

Trillium Ridge 2019 - Leslie Snider

Drifting Clouds

I'm not yet inspired 

by the muted colours 

of a slow to arrive spring

so....

I'm reaching into my photos

from last summer. 

Drifting Clouds - Leslie Snider

In this piece

 I was working with a relatively

 small palette of colours,

but was interested

 in the textural differences

between the airy summer clouds 

and the shimmering quality of the water.

As time passes 

I see I'm strongly attracted 

to compositions with 

strong horizontals 

and fairly shallow depth.

I think that is the influence

 of Tom Thomson,

an artist I admire. 

 

 

New Materials

Receiving a new online order

 is like getting a Christmas present.

I was happy to find a new source

 of a favourite sketching paper.

It's not fancy, very similar to brown paper bags.

It has the perfect grab for pastel and pastel pencil.

I also expanded my collection of pastel pencils.

A colourful subject was in order.....

based on one of my autumn photos.

Autumn Lane 2019 Leslie Snider

 

Yellow

Pure, bright yellow

 is not a colour I use very often 

but it has been on my mind recently.

As I watched and studied 

many sunsets over the winter

I was surprised to discover

how often yellows dominanted

 against the grey wintry light.

Although not a winter sky

sketches from a trip to the Gaspe 

formed the basis for this study in yellow.

I used various yellows to tint the base layer.

(set with water and allowed to air dry)

I then layered mauves, blues, and turquoise

over that base.

Using a light touch I was surprised

 at the level of transparency

that could be achieved.

Pastel is an opaque medium

 and used with a heavy hand

obliterates what's beneath.....

(which is a good thing sometimes)

but not here!

Yellow Light  - Leslie Snider

Not winter....Not Spring....somewhere in between

A couple of pastel sketches 

while we wait for the frost to disappear

 and warmth to bring spring colour. 

Although the landscape
 has a certain starkness 
at this time of year,
the textures and 
muted colour relationships
 can be interesting.

Kingston Area Marsh in Early Spring

Pastel Study Valley of Óbánya

Snow Day

Snow Day 2019

Patiently waiting for spring

but winter has one last gasp!