Golden Trees and Reflections

This autumn view was inspired by a photo in this month's WetCanvas Landscape Challenge thread. Scenes like this one are common along many of the rivers and streams in the eastern United States in the autumn since so many kinds of trees, from hickories to sycamores to tulip poplars, turn shades of copper and gold in the fall.

Acylic painting: 14" x 17"

Sycamores by the River

This painting is actually a very old one that I reworked to bring it up to my current standards. Unlike many of my old paintings, this one had a good composition and generally decent color selection, so it could be built upon and improved. The original painting was far too dark and shadowy (that was how I painted back in the day), and the water needed more detail and reflected light. Fortunately, the changes were easy to make - the old painting is shown below as a comparison.

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

First Snowfall in the Smokies

We haven't had much snow here on the east coast this winter, and so I figured I'd paint a scene somewhere in the Smoky Mountains where snowfall is more common, even in early winter. Enjoy!

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

Onondaga Lake with Snow

There hasn't been an inch of snow here in Maryland all winter, so I had to turn to other parts of the country for inspiring winter scenery. This painting was based upon a photo I found along the shore of Onondaga Lake outside of Syracuse, New York. It's a beautiful part of the country, provided you like snow in the winter.

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

Cape May Lighthouse at Dusk

Cape May is a well-known town at the southern end of New Jersey, and while growing up, my family and I would often visit its sunny beaches during the summer. The Cape May lighthouse is a regional landmark and presents a beautiful sight at sunrise and sunset. Here, we see it from afar as dusk settles across a calm ocean.

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

Autumn Road with Oaks

Fall is in its full glory here in central Maryland, and it is a nice time of year to go for a hike through the woods or for a drive down a country road lined with colorful trees. Roads can be a tricky subject to paint, but I think this one turned out well, with a mix of shadows and sunlight falling across it.

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

Sunset on Mountain Lake

This painting was a rather bold one, at least for somebody who doesn't live anywhere near the mountains and thus has to paint them from photos. Here, we see the sun set past a lake in the mountains as the last rays of light turn the tips of the pine trees a golden copper hue.

Lessons from this painting: Renown artist Larry Seiler is currently teaching an online class on WetCanvas regarding composition. He commented on a previous painting of mine that I should work to achieve more dynamic and assymetrical compositions. So, I decided to give that a whirl in this painting. Another note: The water color is a mix of Cerulean Blue with a bit of Titanium White and Ultramarine. The result is more accurate than just Cerulean Blue. After applying the brighter water color, I went back and added some pure Cerulean Blue to tint the area a bit more.

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"