Window in Old Brick Wall

Life has been a whirlwind of late, hence a lack of new posts. When I did have a chance to paint, the results have been less than stellar and certainly not worth sharing! In any event, I am working through the "slump" and hope to post more regularly once again.

Window in Old Brick Wall follows in the series of window-themed watercolors I did last year. Needless to say the variations that can be found on a single theme such as this are nearly endless. Working on the window paintings has also taught me the discipline of sketching an outline before applying color. This is of special importance in an architectural subject where the proportions need to be more exact than in some other subjects.

Anyway, it is nice to be back and I look forward to comments as always.

Window in Old Brick Wall, Watercolor on 140lb paper, 4"x6", $25

Abandoned Forever

Some windows are no longer windows. For myriad reasons, the ability of the window to provide light and sight has been abandoned. The window, now boarded up, is no longer a desired feature of the building but rather an inconvenience.

Abandoned Forever is on the side of a decrepit shed. The shed itself in disrepair, the window too is covered over with plywood to keep out the elements. Yet the contrasting color and texture of the window against the shed provides some interesting elements. I am not sure this painting is quite done yet, but wanted to post it anyway.

Abandoned Forever, Acrylic on 140lb paper, 4"x6", Not for sale

Variation on Barn Window

Combining media in art is nothing new, nor particularly notable in itself. Ultimately, as Randall Tipton has pointed out, what artists do aims to produce a good painting rather than worry about rules. Indeed, if artists followed rules there would be no progress in art.

Rough-Hewn Barn Window is just another ordinary window, perhaps on a hay barn, consisting of rough-hewn planks nailed together, less a piece of marvelous carpentry than an example of ultimate American pragmatism. Therein though lies the character of the workmanship, however elementary, done by a human hand.

This piece is done with ink and watercolor which lend it both definite form and some texture. Prolonged study might even suggest directionality to the light falling upon this window that, even in the most fantastic of imagination, could only conceal the basics elements of farm life.

Rough-Hewn Barn Window, Watercolor over pen and ink on 140lb paper, 4"x6", $30 (unframed)

Moonlit Window

Gothic church windows can range from the simple to the ornate. While their shape is common, the glass inserts can go from the totally unadorned lead glass to the most ornate stained glass. Examples of the latter can range from the artisanal (Duke Chapel in Durham, North Carolina) to the artistic (Fraumünster in Zurich, Switzerland).

Moonlit Window is nothing grand in itself. Just a gothic church window with plain lead glass made dramatic by the moonlight streaming in and highlighting the texture of the bricks framing the window-well. In my opinion, the sharp value contrast gives this simple painting a dramatic feel despite its mundane subject.

Moonlit Window, Watercolor on 140lb paper, 4"x6", $30 (unframed)

Barn Window

The window theme has interested me for a while and today's post is the third in the series of watercolors. It's hard to know when inspiration will run out but for now I continue to find interesting shapes, colors and textures in windows on which to try out different techniques.

In the three pieces I have done so far, texture appears to be key to an interesting picture. For Barn Window, I used a technique demonstrated by Tom Jones in one of his free videos on Jerry's Artarama website. Bold strokes of color are laid down over the pencil sketch, allowed to dry and then the shapes are pulled out by layering on darker colors and hardening or softening the edges to define the shapes.

Though I have a long ways to go in mastering this approach, I was pleased with how this painting turned out. Feel free to tell me what you think.

Barn Window, Watercolor on 140lb paper, 9"x12", $50 (unframed)

Red Shuttered Mystery

Closed shutters on windows instantly evoke the sense of a warm sunny climate. At the same time (sort of like a wrapped package), a curiosity springs to mind about what tableaux of daily life might be going on behind the shutters. What joyous, ordinary or painful experience might the shutters conceal?

Red Shutterred Mystery is a simple piece of work, though it did take a bit of time especially in creating the sketch and masking off the highlights. Putting in the color was the easier step!

Red Shuttered Mystery, Watercolor on 140lb paper, 4"x6", $30 (unframed)

Lead Glass Window

Windows set into the stone and brick facades of old churches and cathedrals provide a wealth of color and texture to make for interesting pictures. For Lead Glass Window, I masked out the white in the window more precisely than in the brickwork. It was then a straightforward matter of laying in the warm and cool colors to make up the brick and stone sections, respectively.

After peeling the masking fluid, I touched up the painting overall to reduce the stark separation betwen the warm and cool areas. Voila! Another ancient window that has been around for a few centuries and will probably still be there for another few.

Lead Glass Window, Watercolor on 140lb paper, 4"x6", $30 (unframed)

Old Town Window

My work often takes me overseas allowing an opportunity to capture interesting ideas for later use when I am back in my studio. Sometimes I am lucky to have a camera with me while at other times a sketchbook. Very often there is just the memory of a sight, seen perhaps in passing, that inspires a painting.

Old Town Window is a sight that is so frequently found in the old cities of Europe that this picture could almost be from anywhere. Once majestic buildings of vintage that often predates the New World continue to be in regular use. Unlike the urban decay common to some large American cities, the European brick and plaster or stone buildings show unique character rather than looking aged and decrepit. Even though time has taken its toll, there is an enduring solidity and sense of continuity that I hope is apparent in this picture. Almost certainly, this window will still be there well after many of us.

Old Town Window, Watercolor on 140lb paper, 4"x6", $30 (unframed)