Monday, December 8, 2008

LARGEST PAINTING EVER


"Santa Elena Canyon" 48" x 60" oil


This is my first attempt at a really large painting.
It is 48" x 60" and was painted from a field sketch
and a few reference photos. Santa Elena is one
of our state's most famous canyons. I have not
taken a float trip into the canyon but I've heard it
is quite the ride.

The challenge in painting the canyon as a plein air
piece and in the studio was lighting the canyon.
The only light came from reflected lights coming
off the wall of the right canyon wall and the sky. There
was no direct light anywhere in the canyon.

Photography was useless. Everything was black.
My plein air sketch saved me because I had
captured the light and remembered it when I finally
got around to producing the studio piece.

No comments: