Dundas Square, Night Rain

12x12 oil on canvas

As I've mentioned before, I like to do smaller images before I decide to do it on a larger scale. The investment in time and materials makes it worthwhile. I like the strong lines on this one, so may do it on a 36x36 size.

This scene is looking towards Dundas Square at Dundas and Yonge.

Late Night Rain on Yonge

24 x 24 oil on board

Night time in the city is a melalange of colours and shapes, with very little definition, especially when it rains. Yonge Street is full of bill boards, store signs, and lights everywhere. Without many defining shapes, the picture becomes more abstract and of course creates a whole new set of problems to solve...although it always comes down to composition, edges, and value no matter what subject is painted.

City Lights, Yonge Street, Toronto

8 x 10 oil on board

Doing small paintings or studies is an important way to keep work fresh and more spontaneous and is also a great way to examine an image for compostion or colour schemes for larger paintings. I have gotten away from doing them, and I think it shows in my work. And more importantly, they are a lot more fun to do.

With this scene, I was interested in the abstract quality of the shapes and lights rather than a detailed representation. I used the Zorn Palette (black, red, yellow ochre, white but then went in and added the green lights.)
This scene is Yonge Street looking toward Dundas Square on a rainy evening.