Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Snowy Day Shopping at The Bay, Toronto

18 x 24 oil on board
Generally I don't like scenes that have too many colors. This scene had a variety of colors that I thought would be difficult to work with and still create some harmony in the painting. I did a value study using a mix of transparent oxide red and ultramarine blue in a loose wash and let it dry overnight. I then did the final painting using transparent oxide red, ultramarine blue, cadmium red, yellow ochre, titanium white. 
Sometimes I like the value study and am tempted to leave it as a finished painting.
This scene is of the Hudson's Bay store in downtown Toronto on a snowy day. The lovely white snow that had covered everything had been cleared and piled onto sidewalks and streets leaving reflections and a salty mushy mix to walk in.

5 comments:

Jan Yates, SCA, Canada said...

Catherine your work is getting stronger and stronger-and i mean that in a good way. I like the image in the post below as well as this one. Both not only have the element of design but the ways in which you are exploring edges and angles and distance is truly something to behold. The restraint re your palette so you can make more choices in the painting process really pays off! Love where you go!

Dewberry Fine Art said...

Catherine I love that you shared your fabulous under painting. The final is wonderfly designed and executed .

Ramesh Jhawar said...

Wow...this is so beautiful Catherine! Wonderful depth in this one!

janis McCarty said...

LOVE the colors. Your ability to take an ordinary scene and turn into a beautiful visual experience amazes me. Thanks for sharing the value study.

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Catherine,

I love the preparation work, but I'm really glad you added the colour. But then I am a colour person. Still I love my hometown, and I'm always noticing the dazzling colour, so I think you nailed it. Beautiful painting.

XO Barbara