Oil Painting:
Varnishing:
Working with Canvas:
'SUMMER IN THE VALLEY' by John O'Keefe
Composition & Materials
I have always loved the "The White Mountains - Mount Washington" by John F. Kensett. (See image 1) I have been trying to incorporate his use of colors from that painting in my recent study paintings. One night when I was looking through some art books, I came across a painting that caught my attention. This new landscape had similar composition to Kensett's painting but with a different approach to color use. The painting is entitled "July Fields" by Barbara Nuss and its published in the book "14 Formulas for Painting Fabulous Landscapes" by Barbara Nuss. (See image 2)
I have always loved the "The White Mountains - Mount Washington" by John F. Kensett. (See image 1) I have been trying to incorporate his use of colors from that painting in my recent study paintings. One night when I was looking through some art books, I came across a painting that caught my attention. This new landscape had similar composition to Kensett's painting but with a different approach to color use. The painting is entitled "July Fields" by Barbara Nuss and its published in the book "14 Formulas for Painting Fabulous Landscapes" by Barbara Nuss. (See image 2)
(image 1)
"The White Mountains" by John F. Kensett
40-3/8 x 60-3/8 inch, Oil on Canvas
Collection of the Wellesley College Museum
(image 2)
"July Fields" by Barbara Nuss
16 x 20 inch, Oil on Linen
"14 Formulas for Painting Fabulous Landscapes" by Barbara Nuss
Both of these landscape paintings are beautiful and have inspired me to try some new things in this
painting. I began by sketching the composition onto the canvas. You can see similar elements in
my composition with those from the two reference paintings. (See image 3)
(image 3)
"Summer in the Valley" - composition sketch on canvas
I wanted a very intense sky with a lot of blue peaking through thick but bright tipped clouds.
I have placed several large trees that extend above the horizon and I want them to stand out against
the sky - strong contrast. I like the effect that I achieved on my painting "Just Passing Through"
were the path leads the viewer off and to the right into the mysterious darkness of the forest.
I want to achieve that same sense of mystery in this scene at various spots where the tree growth is
heaviest... even projecting this feeling into the distant areas surrounding the homes, barns, and field
edges.
My wife Jennifer took the perfect sky picture for this painting. (See image 4)
(image 4)
Sky photo (by my wife Jennifer) overlaid onto composition sketch.
- Support:
Oil on Canvas, Acrylic Primed
- Size:
8 x 10 inch
- Medium:
Winsor & Newton 'Artist Oils'
Ivory Black, Titanium White, Corelian Blue, Sap Green, Naples Yellow, Raw Sienna, and Raw Umber
- Finish:
Winsor & Newton Damar varnish
STEP-BY-STEP...
Day 1 / Hour 3
Day 1 / Hour 3...
I always begin my paintings by laying down the sky. In this first image I blocked in the blue and clouds rather roughly.
I always begin my paintings by laying down the sky. In this first image I blocked in the blue and clouds rather roughly.
Day 1 / Hour 6
Day 1 / Hour 6...
At this point I returned to the painting to make adjustments to the sky. I refined the clouds, making them more detailed and distinct by adding darker areas to their underside.
At this point I returned to the painting to make adjustments to the sky. I refined the clouds, making them more detailed and distinct by adding darker areas to their underside.
Day 2 / Hour 9
Day 2 / Hour 9...
I added white highlights to the clouds, finishing them off. Next I started with the horizon and distant land features. Notice that I did not paint where my big trees were going to be placed.
I added white highlights to the clouds, finishing them off. Next I started with the horizon and distant land features. Notice that I did not paint where my big trees were going to be placed.
Day 2 / Hour 12
Day 2 / Hour 12...
My focus was on just on midlands and fields, again painting around the areas where my big trees and closeup details will be placed. On the left side I painted foliage right down to the house, I will change this in future sessions.
My focus was on just on midlands and fields, again painting around the areas where my big trees and closeup details will be placed. On the left side I painted foliage right down to the house, I will change this in future sessions.
Day 3 / Hour 15
Day 3 / Hour 15...
Big day! First I expanded the field directly in front of the house which opened up that area more. The house does not feel so hidden behind the trees and shrubs anymore. Also, the road now follows an "S" shape from the foreground to the house. Next I began to lay down some of the foreground details. The fields and road are detailed more, the big trees on the right and left are added. I made a small adjustment from the original composition to the tree arrangement on the right, I added a thick bushy tree to the far right that appears slightly in front of the two taller trees that are reaching out into the sky.
Big day! First I expanded the field directly in front of the house which opened up that area more. The house does not feel so hidden behind the trees and shrubs anymore. Also, the road now follows an "S" shape from the foreground to the house. Next I began to lay down some of the foreground details. The fields and road are detailed more, the big trees on the right and left are added. I made a small adjustment from the original composition to the tree arrangement on the right, I added a thick bushy tree to the far right that appears slightly in front of the two taller trees that are reaching out into the sky.
Day 3 / Hour 16
Day 3 / Hour 16...
Today I focused on the group of trees to the right. I added the leaves to the two taller trees while also painting in the light patterns on the tree trunks. Highlights were added to the bushy tree on the far right and the road what detailed more.
Today I focused on the group of trees to the right. I added the leaves to the two taller trees while also painting in the light patterns on the tree trunks. Highlights were added to the bushy tree on the far right and the road what detailed more.
Day 3 / Hour 17
Day 3 / Hour 17...
Composition Change! I decided to add a very large, close, tree on the right that had branched the extended out and overhang the left side of the painting. Notice that at this point I only painted the trunk itself. I did begin to paint in the shadows from all these trees on the right side, notice the ground underneath the trees.
Composition Change! I decided to add a very large, close, tree on the right that had branched the extended out and overhang the left side of the painting. Notice that at this point I only painted the trunk itself. I did begin to paint in the shadows from all these trees on the right side, notice the ground underneath the trees.
Day 4 / Hour 18
Day 4 / Hour 18...
Today came more work on the new big tree. Trunk highlights were added to reflect sunlight. The suns position in this paintings is directly overhead so the shadows cast straight down. I added more green color to the field and I toned down the road and shadows on the left.
Today came more work on the new big tree. Trunk highlights were added to reflect sunlight. The suns position in this paintings is directly overhead so the shadows cast straight down. I added more green color to the field and I toned down the road and shadows on the left.
Day 4 / Hour 20
Day 4 / HOUR 20...
The road needed more earthy tones and I started adding shadows for the big tree on the right. The effect I was after is one where the sun breaks through the leaves of the tree making a patchwork of light and shadow on the ground. Leave were added to the big tree. Because the big tree is so close to the viewer I took more time to paint the leave in detail. I tried to capture the shape of the leaves rather than adding small dabs of paint as I did on the trees that are farther away.
The road needed more earthy tones and I started adding shadows for the big tree on the right. The effect I was after is one where the sun breaks through the leaves of the tree making a patchwork of light and shadow on the ground. Leave were added to the big tree. Because the big tree is so close to the viewer I took more time to paint the leave in detail. I tried to capture the shape of the leaves rather than adding small dabs of paint as I did on the trees that are farther away.
Day 4 / Hour 22
Day 4 / Hour 22...
The field on the left side had too much shadow for the trees in that area so I brought the sun across the field and off the canvas to the left. I also extend the patchwork of sun and shadow from the big tree across the bottom of the painting. Notice that I also darkened the shadow of the big tree making more contrast while also darkening the leave on the underside of the tree. A small touch was the tire (or wagon) tracks on the dirt road.
The field on the left side had too much shadow for the trees in that area so I brought the sun across the field and off the canvas to the left. I also extend the patchwork of sun and shadow from the big tree across the bottom of the painting. Notice that I also darkened the shadow of the big tree making more contrast while also darkening the leave on the underside of the tree. A small touch was the tire (or wagon) tracks on the dirt road.
Day 5 / Hour 23
Day 5 / Hour 23...
I added some details to the front left of the painting, A shrub, fence and small flowers. I also kept manipulating the patchy light and shadow area of the big tree. The field in front of the house also received a big more green.
I added some details to the front left of the painting, A shrub, fence and small flowers. I also kept manipulating the patchy light and shadow area of the big tree. The field in front of the house also received a big more green.
Day 5 / Hour 24
Day 5 / HOUR 24...
The composition (with regard to the big tree) led the view off the canvas with the branch on the upper left. Adding some leaves to this bare branch broke up that area helping to keep the viewers eye from being led off the canvas. Highlights were added to the dirt road increasing the contrast between light and shadow under the big tree.
The composition (with regard to the big tree) led the view off the canvas with the branch on the upper left. Adding some leaves to this bare branch broke up that area helping to keep the viewers eye from being led off the canvas. Highlights were added to the dirt road increasing the contrast between light and shadow under the big tree.
Day 6 / Hour 26
Day 6 / HOUR 26...
I roughed up the fields to add some texture, which also gives more of a sense of grasses and weeds and not just a solid block of green. I added the final highlights to the road and shadow under the big tree to finish off the painting.
I roughed up the fields to add some texture, which also gives more of a sense of grasses and weeds and not just a solid block of green. I added the final highlights to the road and shadow under the big tree to finish off the painting.
TIME LAPSE ANIMATION
Time Lapse Animation
FINISHED PAINTING
"Summer in the Valley"
8 x 10 inch (20.3 x 25.4 cm)
Oil on Canvas
John O'Keefe
Fall 2008
