Night Rain on King Street, Toronto

36x36 Oil on canvas

I've starting working on some larger pieces for The Artist Project, a show that starts in February. I am always surprised at how much time is taken up over holiday times with family and other visiting. And of course, the studio clean up and re organization after the show in December. It seems to take a month to get back on track. I was able to get some great pics in Toronto in December during a nasty weather event of rain, snow, and wind. Perfect conditions for reflections and interesting colours.

With this painting, I used  the palette I've used in the last few paintings: Titanium white, Alizarin crimson, ultrmarine blue, viridian, cadmium yellow, cad red,  and a couple of cooler yellows that I found at the back of a drawer.

This scene features the Sun Life Building on King Street West. And of course there are streetcars, a hotdog stand, and snow banks piled on sidewalks.

Nocturne reworked

I knew that I couldn't leave the picture alone. The waste bin front centre really bothered me, not because I have anything against a waste bin, but the large round shape didn't work with the compostion. I replaced it with some newspaper boxes and a bike that I like somewhat better...still not sure. I also darkened the buildings in the background. The temperature was wrong in the original and it didn't recede into the background. 
I think its time to get away from it and see what I think later.
Night scenes are a lot more difficult that I thought. The background is worked completely differently with so many darks. There is no receding into the distance with a nice mix of greys and things are blurred even more.