Plein air paintings: sunny and overcast days





In between rain storms and a bad back, I've been painting outside, either on my own or with a small class. I've been twice to Lake Needwood. This first painting was done on a day when the sun was shinging (rare!) and the shadows were distinct. I decided to work more quickly, focusing on shapes, and to use brighter, more saturated pieces of color. I worked on Pastelmat, a relatively smooth pastel surface that allows for beautiful applications of pastel.


Light and Shadow, 11.75 x 16.5, pastelmat

This second painting was done with my class later in the same week. It was an overcast day, with little direct light. The colors were more subtle, but beautiful.

The light of an overcast day, 12 x 11.75, pastelmat