Sunset Over Lagoon

Some of the other students were working on this photo earlier, and I wanted to give it a go, since the lighting is so unusual.

The first wash of the value study is the neutral values, which is most of the sky and lagoon, except for the large clear portion of the sky.

The second wash for the value study are the darkest values, which are the hills and their reflections.

The lagoon and sky are the same colours, Permanent Alizarin Crimson mixed with Aureolin, in various shades.

The midground and hills are mainly in silhouette, so very dark. Here I used a mix of French Ultramarine and Quinacridone Burnt Orange.

The studies side-by-side for the class critique

I first painted in the sun with a very bright Aureolin. After it dried, I applied some peabo masking fluid over the sun disc to keep it.

While that dried, I painted the lagoon in a rich Permanent Alizarin Crimson mixed with a bit of Aureolin to give it the orangy cast from the sky.

Just a close up on the lower right corner to show the fun of watercolours blending together.

I took this on the copy stand after the painting from day 1 had completly dried down.

Picking up during the weekend between classes, I went ahead to finish the painting. The sky was covered with a wash of plain water, and the same Permanent Alizarin Crimson and Aureolin mix applied, much lighter this time to keep it from being overwhelming, and leaving the very light areas.

While the sky was still wet, I put in the hills with the chromatic black of French Ultramarine and Quinacrodone Burnt Orange. I added a little Payne’s Grey to the mix as well. I rewet the upper part of the lagoon and put in the very pale mixture for the reflections.

Removed the mask from the sun disc. I added in the detail work in the image, including the trees along the lagoon edge, darkened the hills a bit more, and added the shaggy bits on the left. Put in the boats, and a few birds, because that upper right light area really needed something to do.

I initially planned this to be an 8×10 painting, and so put on a mat with an 8×10 opening (11×14 outer dimensions).