Oil Painting:
Varnishing:
Working with Canvas:
'RIVER THROUGH THE ADIRONDACK'S' by John O'Keefe
Composition & Materials
I was aiming for a Hudson River School feel with this painting. I found an old black and white Victorian engraving online that I liked and decided to base my painting on its features. I do not know the location of the scene in this engraving but I assume it is a real place. I named my painting "River Through the Adirondack's". My final painting differs from this reference material in the details. I had cropped the far-right portion of the engraving out of my painting but the larger aspects of the composition can still be seen in my finished work.
I was aiming for a Hudson River School feel with this painting. I found an old black and white Victorian engraving online that I liked and decided to base my painting on its features. I do not know the location of the scene in this engraving but I assume it is a real place. I named my painting "River Through the Adirondack's". My final painting differs from this reference material in the details. I had cropped the far-right portion of the engraving out of my painting but the larger aspects of the composition can still be seen in my finished work.
reference Material
(Old Victorian Engraving)
The cloud patterns and colors used in my painting are referenced from the 1860 painting "Natural Bridge" by
Hudson River School artist David Johnson.
Reference Material
(Painting by David Johnson)
- Support:
Medium Texture Cotton Canvas - Pre-Stretched & Mounted - Acrylic Primer
- Size:
16 x 20 inch
- Medium:
Winsor & Newton 'Artist Oils'
Ivory Black, Titanium White, Ultramarine Blue, Sap Green, Naples Yellow, Raw Sienna, and Burnt Sienna
- Finish:
Winsor & Newton Damar varnish
STEP-BY-STEP...
Day 1
Day 1 notes...
Painting begins by completing the sky with major land and water areas blocked in. In the foreground (unpainted white areas) will be the closeup details of the trees, foliage, and rocks. Before I begin painting those details I must finish the distant scenery and waterways.
Painting begins by completing the sky with major land and water areas blocked in. In the foreground (unpainted white areas) will be the closeup details of the trees, foliage, and rocks. Before I begin painting those details I must finish the distant scenery and waterways.
Day 2
Day 2 notes...
I have added more definition to the low-land areas. The fields are more defined now.
I have added more definition to the low-land areas. The fields are more defined now.
Day 3
Day 3 notes...
Here is an update on the distant land features... You can see that I tightened things up a bit and added increased detail and contrast to the forests and distant hills of the low-land areas.
Here is an update on the distant land features... You can see that I tightened things up a bit and added increased detail and contrast to the forests and distant hills of the low-land areas.
Day 4a
Day 4 notes...
I thought the painting from DAY 3 had to much of an agricultural feel and I wanted something more natural and park-like. Compare middle-left areas between DAY 3 and DAY 4 images to see the new direction in which I took the painting. I also began to add shoreline shadows and reflections. (One nice feature about working with oils is the slow dry time - you can literally scrape off entire areas and redo them without anyone ever knowing ...unless you tell them!)
I thought the painting from DAY 3 had to much of an agricultural feel and I wanted something more natural and park-like. Compare middle-left areas between DAY 3 and DAY 4 images to see the new direction in which I took the painting. I also began to add shoreline shadows and reflections. (One nice feature about working with oils is the slow dry time - you can literally scrape off entire areas and redo them without anyone ever knowing ...unless you tell them!)
Day 4b
Day 4 notes... (cont.)
I finished DAY 4 by updating the tree shadows and the little island feature in the bend of the river. I also updated the final shadows and reflections along the shoreline.
I finished DAY 4 by updating the tree shadows and the little island feature in the bend of the river. I also updated the final shadows and reflections along the shoreline.
Days 5 & 6
Days 5 & 6 notes...
I let the painting dry for about 3 weeks before starting this phase. Now I was ready to add the details and the foreground. I started by blocking in the treeline and mountain features. I used the reference picture closely at this point.
I let the painting dry for about 3 weeks before starting this phase. Now I was ready to add the details and the foreground. I started by blocking in the treeline and mountain features. I used the reference picture closely at this point.
Day 7
Day 7 notes...
Once I was happy with the tree line I began to lay out the rock formations. Several large boulders in the middle and a large cliff face to the right.
Once I was happy with the tree line I began to lay out the rock formations. Several large boulders in the middle and a large cliff face to the right.
Day 8
Day 8 notes...
At this point I continued to try to match the reference engraving image for the foreground details. You can see shrubs covering the boulders and several tall tree trunks coming up from around the cliff.
At this point I continued to try to match the reference engraving image for the foreground details. You can see shrubs covering the boulders and several tall tree trunks coming up from around the cliff.
Day 9
Day 9 notes...
This one is challenging. There are a lot of trees in the foreground, and getting the correct contrast proved to be difficult. I redid the foliage in the front-center rock cropping near the bottom and there is more coming. (i.e. Large rock on the right and a large tree that you can just make out the trunk on top of the rock, plants and smaller greens in the lower right corner.) I'll probably go over the entire painting with a detail brush to add in the final highlights and deep shadows. I'm thinking of adding some blue flowers in the foreground to the right and more browns into the closer trees and bushes for more color variation.
This one is challenging. There are a lot of trees in the foreground, and getting the correct contrast proved to be difficult. I redid the foliage in the front-center rock cropping near the bottom and there is more coming. (i.e. Large rock on the right and a large tree that you can just make out the trunk on top of the rock, plants and smaller greens in the lower right corner.) I'll probably go over the entire painting with a detail brush to add in the final highlights and deep shadows. I'm thinking of adding some blue flowers in the foreground to the right and more browns into the closer trees and bushes for more color variation.
Day 10
Day 10 notes...
Again I broke from the reference material and decided to make the foreground-right less rocky. Notice the flat areas to the right that are covered with short grass. It seems to me this would be a perfect place for people to visit and walk around. I think its more inviting than the wilderness of the original reference image.
Again I broke from the reference material and decided to make the foreground-right less rocky. Notice the flat areas to the right that are covered with short grass. It seems to me this would be a perfect place for people to visit and walk around. I think its more inviting than the wilderness of the original reference image.
Day 11
Day 11 notes...
I have extended the grassy flat area all the way to the middle section. I brought the center tree into the foreground rather than having it come up from behind the rock cropping. Now you could walk right up to it and lean on it while taking in the view. Also, the large tree on the top rock cropping has been added. This is another spot where you could walk up to so that you could see the sights. I started adding the shadows that are being cast by the larger trees. I wanted to give the viewer a sense that that sun was off in the direction of those distant clouds - perhaps just off canvas in the upper-right corner.
I have extended the grassy flat area all the way to the middle section. I brought the center tree into the foreground rather than having it come up from behind the rock cropping. Now you could walk right up to it and lean on it while taking in the view. Also, the large tree on the top rock cropping has been added. This is another spot where you could walk up to so that you could see the sights. I started adding the shadows that are being cast by the larger trees. I wanted to give the viewer a sense that that sun was off in the direction of those distant clouds - perhaps just off canvas in the upper-right corner.
Day 12
Day 12 notes...
Ok... now comes all the small shrubs, trees and other foliage in the foreground. I went over the entire foreground to bring out highlights throughout. Notice the tree trunk still in the ground next to the fallen tree. Although its hard to see, I made sure the lighting and shadows coming off the trees in the low-lands was consistent with the shadows I added to the foreground.
Ok... now comes all the small shrubs, trees and other foliage in the foreground. I went over the entire foreground to bring out highlights throughout. Notice the tree trunk still in the ground next to the fallen tree. Although its hard to see, I made sure the lighting and shadows coming off the trees in the low-lands was consistent with the shadows I added to the foreground.
TIME LAPSE ANIMATION
Time Lapse Animation
While the actual time to complete this painting was about 12 days... those 12 days were spread out over almost 2 months.
I used a combination of wet-into-wet and wet-into-dry techniques. I did NOT use any added mediums in the paint or
artificial dryers - I used the paint as it came straight out of the tubes.
FINISHED PAINTING
"River Through the Adirondacks"
16 x 20 inch (40.6 x 50.8 cm)
Oil on Canvas
John O'Keefe
Winter 2007/2008
© Copyright 2009, O'Keefe Arts. All Rights Reserved
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Website (www.okeefe-arts.com) by: John O'Keefe
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Website (www.okeefe-arts.com) by: John O'Keefe
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