Canyon Morning Light, 12X9, o/c
Detail 1
Detail 2Hi All,
I've only been to Zion National Park once in my life. One week that made an impression on me more than just about any place I've ever been. There were so many incredibly beautiful spots there, as evidenced by the fact that there were photographers everywhere (and I do mean EVERYWHERE). If you are wanting to visit Zion, I would suggest you go off peak in November. Prices are reduced at the hotels, temps are warm in the daytime, cool at night (bordering on cold). The cottonwood trees are turning their autumn colors, the crowds are diminished, and you can bring your camera for some stunning photography. I did see some painters there, painting on site. I'll be back this fall with my paintbox again so I can be one of those painters.
This piece was so much fun to do. I composed it so that everything leads your eye into the sunlit trees and around the corner into the light. I added the detail 1 photo to give a better view of the sunlit area. I kept the edges soft to enhance the impression of glowing light. Detail 2 shows that there are actually a lot of colors making up the rocks in the shadowed areas. I find that things are much more believable if I add both warms and cools to objects. It's what nature does, but we're so used to thinking in our minds, "oh, thats a grey rock or a green tree, that we no longer register all the colors that go into making up that grey or green. If you keep the values of the warms and cools the same, or very close, you'll end up with a much more pleasing painting.
I've only been to Zion National Park once in my life. One week that made an impression on me more than just about any place I've ever been. There were so many incredibly beautiful spots there, as evidenced by the fact that there were photographers everywhere (and I do mean EVERYWHERE). If you are wanting to visit Zion, I would suggest you go off peak in November. Prices are reduced at the hotels, temps are warm in the daytime, cool at night (bordering on cold). The cottonwood trees are turning their autumn colors, the crowds are diminished, and you can bring your camera for some stunning photography. I did see some painters there, painting on site. I'll be back this fall with my paintbox again so I can be one of those painters.
This piece was so much fun to do. I composed it so that everything leads your eye into the sunlit trees and around the corner into the light. I added the detail 1 photo to give a better view of the sunlit area. I kept the edges soft to enhance the impression of glowing light. Detail 2 shows that there are actually a lot of colors making up the rocks in the shadowed areas. I find that things are much more believable if I add both warms and cools to objects. It's what nature does, but we're so used to thinking in our minds, "oh, thats a grey rock or a green tree, that we no longer register all the colors that go into making up that grey or green. If you keep the values of the warms and cools the same, or very close, you'll end up with a much more pleasing painting.
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5 comments:
Amazing, Steve! I love coming to your blog. It's so inspiring.
Gorgeous! I have to echo what Ray said - you are an insipiration! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for your feedback Ray and Karen. You two should do yourself a favor and take a trip out there if you haven't been. It's not a huge park, so you won't feel overwhelmed at what to see first. I used to be a homebody, but now I can't wait to get out to these places and explore. I just pull the car over whenever I see some little trail. It's how I find my best places.
Zion sounds like an incredibly beautiful location (even the name sounds cool;-).
....will put on my list of places to visit!
By the way "Canyon Morning Light" is drop dead gorgeous!!
Thanks Jennifer! You would have a ball in Zion. We should see about setting up a PAPW paintout there and have a show of the paintings we do there.
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