Tuesday: The master drawing

Bryce Herrington

 
Gallery: Tuesday, blog
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I work into the closer trees on the right; these will establish the core of the reflections in the pond. On these trees, there is more detail in the branches, but I still need to keep it loose…back to careful randomness! I work fast here, spontaneity being the key. I’m using only Davy’s Gray and Indigo Blue now. I will use only four pigments throughout this painting; I am focusing on the subtle interplay ofthese colors to achieve the mood I want.
Winter scenes obviously do not have the endless variations of color and tone as say, a spring scene would have, but it is not that simple. The effect of the subdued winter light makes it extremely important to study and recognize the subtle variations it creates in the landscape, and use these to infuse the painting with life and feeling.
Keeping it simple, adding and subtracting as I feel, I move through this phase fairly quickly.

Sketch for painting "Tuesday"

Pittsburgh offers a wealth of artistic reference for an artist with my interests and style. The neighborhoods cling to the surrounding hills that overlook the city skyline, presenting unique opportunities for expression. I wanted a composition that embodied a sense of ordinary, everyday life and forms with a sense of the unique, the unnoticed, the beautiful.

Eye movement and composition will be important factors for this painting, as they are for every painting I create. I want the end result to draw the viewer into and through the painting, like they were walking down the street. I concentrate on shapes and the arrangement of shapes and color, reducing the realistic to simple abstract forms. While drawing, I focus on each detail, but never lose sight of the overall whole. I want a mosaic of shapes and color to flow through this painting, combined with strong eye movement and visual tension.

I drew many quick sketches for this painting, using overlays of tracing paper until I was happy with the composition, before working out in pencil the final or master drawing.