Friday, November 2, 2007

"Morning Vista"


"Morning Vista", 48" x 60" oil on canvas, 2007 Private Collection.

This is the latest in a series of paintings that I have done based on a smaller painting of San Miguel that I did on location. This one is a studio painting. I loved the way the town was back lit, fusing the hillside and buildings into a few simple masses. This one is a commission that I will deliver next week.



"Morning Vista, San Miguel", 11" x 14" , oil on board, 2006 Private Collection

This is the first in the series, done on location.



"Morning Vista, San Miguel", 30" x 40" , oil on canvas, 2006 Private Collection

The second painting in the series. Painted in the studio. I wanted to explore this idea on a larger scale. There is more detail added to the silhouette of the town. I also adjusted the road in the foreground to give a sense of where I was standing.



"Summer Morning", 30" x 24" , oil on canvas, 2007
Private Collection

This is the thrid painting of the series. This is also a studio piece. I wanted to try this in a vertical composition to see how it would change the feel of the painting.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Frank, These are some great images. I find the small study really striking. And you've kept the sense of atmosphere in the larger ones. That's always tough to pull off. Really well done and I look forward to keeping an eye on your blog.

Frank Gardner said...

Thanks Colin, Yeah, that light was the whole painting. For the big one I kept going back to that place in the mornings, checking the light and going home to try and paint it. Looking into the sun is something you just can't get from a photo.
There is a lot of yellow in that sky like some of yours.

Anonymous said...

The Morning Vista paintings you posted here and on Jan. 22 (08) were some of my first favorites - morning skies have always been special to me, but it seems painters and photographers gravitate more to sunsets.

You are so good at painting peacefulness. All of the morning vista paintings have that peace - in the golden glow and in the violet dewiness, both of which you rendered gloriously.
Solveg

Frank Gardner said...

I have noticed that too. Most painters and photographers seem to lean toward sunset over sun rise. Sunset can get very cliche. Maybe because so many versions have been done.
I loved the colors of this scene and the light of the new day.