Thursday, January 14, 2010

The Way Home

Pastel landscape painting of a path wandering through a snow covered field

Pastel landscape painting of a path wandering through a snow covered field

Pastel painting 11 inches x 17 inches $650

Please contact me if you are interested in similar artwork.

Winter scenes are very intriguing to me. The white snow, with blue shadows and golden highlights, makes a great foil for other dark landscape elements in pastel paintings. Paths and riverbeds are especially strong elements to draw the viewer through the scene.

I wish I could say that I am strong enough to paint pastel landscapes outside in the winter. But the truth is: I am too much of a wimp to deal with the cold, wet weather to paint en plein air after November. So instead, I keep my trusty digital camera with me at all times. I shoot 5-10 photos for every view that entices me. Then, when I get back to the studio, I crop the photo I like best on my computer, and often subtract elements or add some from other photos. I keep fussing with the composition til it says exactly what I want. Then I sketch it on my paper. And THEN, the fun begins!

http://www.jillwagnerart.com

http://www.jillwagnerart.com/artblog

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