Snapshot

5-13   Copyright    Diana Putnam  

This is a photo I took several months ago that is my inspiration for a painting I am doing... and the photo is one that I took of a portion of the Cascade Mt. range here in Bend, OR.    I love the way the tree limbs frame out the photo...and the rocks were going to be my "challenge" in painting.  This is a rocky area so many photos I have taken are rocky and despite numerous watchings of Jerry Yarnell videos I think I can do it... but using my favorite brushes vs the ones he uses... and I have a tendency to use brushes smaller than the area I am painting rather than larger than the area as most other artists' do.  Guess it is kinda on the way to my own technique in doing things.... changes I make. IE:  with this picture there will be more snow on the mountain as it is actually the point of view for this piece as is the meadow and actually I think the rocks are too so there are many things to look at..... Look at the depth in this photo...  It is a painting that requires a LOT of brush mixing of paint colors to obtain this effect as well as the feeling of being up high and lookig down into the fleeting glimpse of meadow.  I have finished the 4 x 6

canvas and have moved up to a larger size so that I could accentuate some areas a bit more.  The other "thing" is that each painting; although of the same aea, will look different in some way.... takes away from the cookie cutter effect of things,  and with brush mixing matching colors sameness is really impossible but what a wonderful learning experience.   

I am using Liquitex soft body acrylic paints.  I have tried several different brands of paint, surfaces, etc.

and have it narrowed down to my favorites....narrowing things down has been easier going on my own so to speak rather than following "directions" of what works for someone else.  I am a very tight painter

so I have had to learn how to paint loose with a tight style.  So how is that for achieving my own ones-ness.   It is such a rewarding feeling to paint effortlessly... and not struggle unless I am learning how to paint something I have not painted before .... as it was with the rocks for this painting.