This is an example of what happens when I look at one of my earlier sketches and all I feel is, “Well, it’s okay…”
I started with the oil sketch from January 8th, the Orange Hills at Sunset painting. Frankly, I was going to put it into eBay at a low starting price, just to keep the art moving. (If art just sits in my studio, I reach a point where I stop painting… creating empty space is vital!)
However, I just couldn’t do it. I mean, I don’t want to wince when I think of ho-hum paintings out there, when they could be so much better.
After about an hour of tweaking the eBay auction — never fully satisfied with it — I gave up and removed the auction listing. I put the canvas back on my easel and started working on it. This wasn’t just sketching… I wanted to push the colors into a far higher realm.
Of course, it helped that the sunset outside my window was cooperating.
At right, you can see an actual-size detail from the painting. I added a lot of color to bring the hills to life, and to give the sky more energy.
The original painting is lighter and more vibrant than this photo, but the picture shares the general idea. If you compare it with the sketch as completed on January 8th, you can probably see a significant improvement.
When the painting was finished, about an hour later, I decided that this will be a gift for HT’s mom. She’s a wonderful woman and I want her to have some of my artwork.
Orange Hills, Revisited
NH landscape at sunset
9″ x 12″ oil painting on canvas board
21 January 2011
Private collection