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Step 1: On Location
I love painting outdoors, especially in the friendly wilderness
of Algonquin Park.
However, there are times when on location
painting or even sketching is not possible.
In this case, I was boating on Bear Lake, at the southern tip of
Algonquin Park. As I was with friends and in a moving boat, I
chose to take photographs. I found the dramatic cliffs and the
late afternoon sun sparkling on the water very appealing.
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Photograph
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Value sketch
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Step 2: Translating the photo into a value sketch
Notice how I cropped the image to include only the most
interesting portion of the 4"x6" reference photo. The fuzzy
foreground trees presented a compositional problem, which I
worked out in a 4"x3" value drawing.
I then divided my small sketch and my 24"x18" white surface into
quarters to prepare to transfer the image.
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Step 3: Transferring the image
With a few simple tools, you can easily and accurately transfer
the scene in your reference photo to your painting support.
The first step is to make a viewfinder, which is a small piece of
matboard or heavy cardboard with a window cut out of it. I
prefer a 4"x3" window opening as this size is proportionate to
a 24"x18" sheet of paper. It also corresponds to the exact
measurements of a miniature painting, which I often paint with
the help of a photo. However, you can create a viewfinder in
any size you prefer, just so long as it is proportionate to your
painting support.
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Using my viewfinder
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Bear Lake I
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Step 4: The finished work
"Bear Lake I" was painted in the late afternoon sun. I
wanted the painting to be predominantly cool and chose deep
dark greens and purples for the rock formations, which showed off
the evening light on the tips of the trees and, more importantly,
the sparkling reflections on the water.
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