Montana's Big Sky Farmland: Watercolor Painting No. 2

Watercolor Landscape of Big Sky Farmlands No. 2

Dramatic clouds across a blue sky are the inspiration for the watercolor landscape I'm sharing today.  Last week, I shared the first painting Big Sky Farmlands No. 1 where I showed the progression of that painting.  The fantastic effects of sky play against the wide spreading fields.  This is the photo that I sketch from to begin this process.

 I sketch on tracing paper so that the watercolor paper is not marred up with multiple pencil lines and eraser marks.  The mistakes are corrected on tracing paper.  I use a piece of acetate with a white 4 x 4 grid; it's taped to the front of the tablet screen.  A grid of 4 x 4 squares is drawn onto a sheet of tracing paper.  The grid on tracing paper is laid as the second layer below my sketch.  The bottom layer is a piece of white card stock which makes it all bright white in appearance.

As I sketch, I use more shading than will appear on the watercolor paper.  This sketch is my guide, giving direction in values for the final work.  I'm able to work out my design for the main parts of the composition here.

Montana Big Sky Farmlands Watercolor Painting Part 1

Big Sky Farmlands  No. 1 Watercolor Landscape

This artwork began as a view from the car, on a road traveled often.  There's something about the dramatic clouds that had me in awe.  Living in the rural areas of Montana...well, it's pretty much all rural...there's a lot of driving to and from as a part of everyday life.  If you've never been here, it will be hard to comprehend.  We spend a lot of time in the car on a regular basis.  The views of land and sky go on forever.  Each day holds a new striking view of the surroundings.  My favorite sight is the many strips of green crops against gold stubble fields against bare dirt becoming a great mosaic.

The first photo is the original that I began with and the second shows an HDR filter added.  With the filter applied, I have a greater contrast for values.  I see the light and dark areas clearly.

My sketch is drawn with consideration of the details I want to keep for the final artwork.  The sketch (on tracing paper) is layered over graphite paper and watercolor paper.  A binder clip holds it all firmly in place on a masonite board.  A harder 2H pencil makes the transferring of the sketch more effective.

The pigments are mixed up and sampled on a scrap of  watercolor paper.  The first soft washes are placed into the sky.  Direction and motion are very important.  A barely damp brush lifts color back out to create the light beams breaking through clouds.

Photographing Artwork In The Studio

A Beginner's Set Up...

Another week has come and gone.  It seems to slip by so quickly and I'm not sure how I'm unaware as it happens.  I do know there was a lot squeezed into the five weekdays because on Friday I felt beyond tired.  Can you relate?  Well, working here at home alone, I seem to get so few tasks done.  It could be I am more than ambitious in my goal planning.  That is a strong possibility.

There were three new watercolor landscapes to photograph.  All of my best efforts to photograph them fell flat.  I was just fit to be tied (frustrated beyond comprehension) at this challenge.  With plans to frame the paintings this week, I was determined to get excellent photos for having prints made in the future.  I have plans to hang these framed paintings locally this week.  I am avoiding bringing them back home in the near future unless they've sold.  I have interest in hanging framed prints locally as well.  I believe I'll have better sales online with prints.  There is no time to waste with the holidays approaching quickly.  I've found a company which makes art prints and the only thing standing in my way is an accurate photograph to upload.

Lush Fields of Teton County in Watercolor

Painting a View of the Front Range

Montana has won my heart!  The breathtaking views offered daily are more than an artist could ever capture.  Whether it's a brightly colored sunrise, a gentle frost on the tree branches, or a purple mountain range that seems to go on forever, it's a land of inspiration.  One of my most recently completed artworks was inspired several years ago.  

After watching the annual Independence Day parade in Choteau, Montana, we were driving home.  We topped the hill and then I saw this fantastic sight.  The fields were such a verdant green and in the distance I could see bright yellow flowers, perhaps mustard.  The sky was clear, no haze at all, and just sooo blue!  The mountains in the distance were easily visible.  The well worn tracks along the fence line drew my eye to the mountains.  I was mesmerized and picturing how it could become a painting.  My camera was close at hand and we pulled off onto the side of the road.  

As I've said many times, my husband and children are more than understanding and patient.  They know how much photography means to me.  Over the years, they have become accustomed to a camera being in my hand.  It's very seldom that they hurry me along or distract my focus.  I am indeed blessed.

The photo by itself is not that awe inspiring, I must admit it's just okay.  It's bones are nice though.  The elements of design being used here make it work; it just needs a little tweaking and it will be exactly what I need.  The basic composition is made up of sky, mountains, fields.  The mountains are not cutting through in the center of the frame.  This creates more interest.  Add to that, the horizontal planes are divided unevenly.  The wheel tracks and the fence line both break up the lower plane at eye pleasing angles.  See, I've been working at this long enough, it's planned out pretty well when the photo is taken.

Art Studio Progress: Montana's Big Sky and Farmlands in Watercolors

A peek at what's going on today:

Yesterday, I just couldn't take it anymore!  I had to clean up this place.  It was driving me crazy.  Fall is here and the wind can really blow in Montana.  Leaves are everywhere.  That includes my art studio AKA the solarium.  I've got plenty to do but the state of this room was more than I could handle.  The clutter seems to clog up the creative energy.

So by last evening, I was too tired to sit down at with brushes and palette.  It was great to start fresh this morning.  With so much time spent between the computer and cleaning in the past two days, it took some time to find my groove today.  That makes me nervous...working on a painting before I'm really feeling "it" could mean mistakes.  I tentatively press on, believing any mistakes can be resolved.  I battle between being too tight and too free in my manner.  I could really use some loosening up with color and technique most days.

I brought out nature items collected to display on the art supply cabinet.  I used this space for photographing artwork, prepping for Etsy listings.  Photographing artwork to look it's best is harder than I expected.  With much frustration, I'm learning as I go along.  Sometimes, I just want to learn it too quickly.  I want the answers now but that's not how it works.  It takes sticking with it, being patient for a better idea to come another day.  The balance between hard working while still relaxed enough to create...that's my task.  It's a joy most of the time.  Other times, I stomp my foot and growl, and then I move on.  I can be silly like that because it's just me and a kitty that is busy chasing her tail.

I'm not sure how to explain it but I'm feeling that this piece is close to completion.  I'm putting it aside until I can have a critique session, most likely with my husband at the end of the day.  I've got two other watercolor landscapes waiting in the wings.  I'm off to get going again.

-Christy
because she must make art.