Saturday, November 29, 2008

"A View of San Miguel de Allende"

This piece was painted right after "Afternoon Light on San Miguel".
It is a companion piece, since the view is to the immediate left of the Afternoon Light painting.
Same time of day, but because I am looking a little to the left, the sun is not casting that orange light on everything quite as much.
Think of it like this. I am standing in the center of a clock face. The sun is at the 8 and the view in the Afternoon Light painting is as if I am looking toward the 1, so it is getting pretty direct light from the orange late afternoon sun.
This view is as if I turned and looked toward the 11, so it receives a bit more of a glancing light and is not reflecting that orange sun so much.



"A View of San MIguel de Allende", 18" x 24" oil on linen
Frank Gardner © 2008
Private Collection



I wanted to stick to the same color scheme of orange, purple and green as the dominant colors, but these colors are now in different proportions. It has a different tone, but they look good hanging next to each other.
The foreground is not in shadow in this painting, so there is more of the orange up front and in the middle ground with the churches. The greens, purples and blues dominate the distance.
If you open the other painting up in a different window you can just about line them up. Line up the "Afternoon Light on San Miguel" piece just a bit lower than "A View of San MIguel de Allende".

43 comments:

Art with Liz said...

I am quite confused by the clock thing, but like the feeling of space and colour in the painting. Really, really great.

Janelle Goodwin said...

This painting has a strong composition and gives the feeling of being out in the open on a beautiful day. Thanks for sharing it with us. Enjoy viewing your work as it reminds me of the impressionists.

Dean H. said...

These two pieces have to look super next to each other! As always, love your broken color.

Dean

Bill Brauker said...

I don't care where on the clock it is, it's a great work. Love the vibrancy.

Daniel Corey said...

Great pc Frank, I would like to see a collection in print, like a catalog/book I think that would be popular.

Marc R. Hanson said...

Frank, I LOVE the sky in this one in particular..and the rest. Also...I second that 'book' idea. The place you paint is unigue and your work is so appreciated. Might be a better idea even than...(dare I mention the word?)...giclee's.
Okay, I'm vamoosing.

Frank Gardner said...

Hi Liz. Sorry for the confusion. I was just trying to explain the position of the sun to where I was standing and where I was looking.

Thanks Janelle!

Hi Dean. Thanks, and yes, they do!
I did not have them next to each other when I worked on them, so I am surprised how well they lined up.

Thanks Bill!

Hi Dan. Thanks! Some day soon. Well, my version of soon. ha ha.

Thanks Marc. I like that too. That's when I decided to stop on this one.
Probably IS a better idea. Besides, I have so much free time on my hands. It would probably be faster than the giclees, that's for sure.
I need to try and get that Java program working. I was having a hard time getting a version that would work on this mac.

Marc R. Hanson said...

I'm on a mac too, didn't notice anything of issue???

Marian Fortunati said...

This is wonderful, Frank, as is your Thanksgiving horsey. (How cute!!)
I agree with Liz... don't really understand the clock thing and how it relates to where you are looking, but I like the both pieces... Maybe this last one a bit better than the first.
I like the way you play with color and make them sing!

Frank Gardner said...

Thanks Marian.
Makes sense to me, but then again, I wrote it.

If the clock was laying flat would it make any sense as to which direction I was looking and where the sun was? I would have said north east and south west, but that is more site specific.

I should just delete that part. It was late :-(

Anonymous said...

So if it was 8 oclock when you started, and you finished both at 11, then I think you must be painting too fast. And is that 1 oclock am, as in military time? And is 12 oclock north, or facing up into the sky at the sun? Based on some calculations I'm doing here, either your compass is broken, or your clock is... unless you were using a digital watch.

Nice painting Frank, and I really like the Donkey/horse in the river bed. That one is great.

Daniel Corey said...

who's on first at noon time.

Ambera said...

Ah, amazing. Your paintings are filled with so much warmth.

Rhonda Hartis Smith said...

I love this painting, it's beautiful--especially the sky.

Christine Mercer-Vernon said...

so are you the big hand or the little hand?

while i like this one, i am drawn to the warmer colors in the other one. those mountains in the background are very nice.

how many churches are in San Miguel?

Solvay said...

I third that idea - in fact, I was going to ASK you outright if you would make a book like Marc has made. PLEEEEEEAAAASE???????
: )

And, the clock thing - I got it completely - my dad raised me to think that way all the time - I don't think I could move (not even with his camera bags in hand) until I got the clock orientation thing right. So, don't delete that.
: )

I like the different "temperature" (I'd've used that word even if I hadn't known it was a painting term) in the two.....that late-day warm-cool experience. You've really caught it perfectly!

Thanks!

Anonymous said...

I really enjoy seeing how well you interpret the same scene at different times of the suns' wash.
It shows how well you see light and makes an authentic painting.

The clouds and sky here are really well done.

Impressionistic, minimal, beautiful.

PS- the clock thing works well for me ( recalling that I recognize clocks much faster than N,S,E,W. It's that map affliction )

PPS- I agree that you've amassed the makings of a great book of paintings of San Miguel.

PPPS- We, your fans, have big plans for you, your time and your talents......

Frank Gardner said...

Hey Colin. Funny.
Thanks for the email, at least I know you were joking and not as confused as you sound.

Frank Gardner said...

Hi Dan. Another smarty pants I see.

Thanks Ambera. I guess anything would look warm to you these days.
It's good to see you are back to blogging a bit.

Thanks Rhonda!

Christine, did you and Colin and Dan get together to gang up on me or does it just happen?
LOL
Thanks and lots of churches here. Lots.

I'll get on it soon Solveg. and thanks for getting the clock thing! I won't delete it. Actually, I like the commotion over the whole thing. Kind of like running into a bunch of chickens or pigeons. Get em all flying around and making noise.
Confusion, jokes or "getting it" are all fine by me.
I like knowing when someone does or does not get what I say. Maybe there are better ways of explaining something and then I learn to be more better : )

Thanks Bonnie! Thanks again, OK, I'll work on it and Thanks for the PPPS. You are very kind.

Alicia Padrón said...

Hee, hee.. well my friend I have to say that I enjoyed BOTH the painting and the explanation of were the light was coming from, very much!

I think I got it. When you painted the afternoon light one your shadow was in front of you, right? And while painting this one the sun was hitting your left side of the face a bit, but i can tell it didn't bother you because the painting turned out great. Or maybe I'm completely confused and is nothing like I said ... haha Lol!

I forgot to say how much I love the painting below this one. Those oranges are AWESOME!!

Alicia Padrón said...

haha I just read Collin's comment... LOL! Great one ;o)

Frank Gardner said...

Hola Alicia. Well, let's see....
They are studio paintings, so the light was coming from my north facing windows.
The light was hitting the back side of my head when I took the first reference shot and more of the left side of my face for the second.
Confused? You? Never, you can read me like your watch.

Thanks for the pat on the back for the "Horse and Raflections" one.

Frank Gardner said...

Yeah, Colin must have been feeling especially funny.

You know what the cannibal said about clowns?

They taste funny.

He he he.

http://www.onpainting.wordpress.com said...

You sound like a pilot. Was there a boggie on your 6 oclock?

Nice painting even if you were distracted by playing pilot.

Anonymous said...

Two peanuts were walking down the road.


One was a salted.

say it out loud.

Frank Gardner said...

Thanks Bill. You got my 6?

Colin. Isn't there a club over in Rockland or Camden that you can try out these jokes in and see if they're funny before posting them here?

Solvay said...

Okay: ARE YOU a pilot???


And, the cannibal joke was funny - the peanut joke.............not. Agreed about the need for club-testing!

ha ha ha!!!

And, that Guitar Hero thing was funny too.....still, it proves NOTHING about your musicality. I could prove that to you! But, you're safe, you're far away.

Gosh, it's getting cold up here.

You were WISE to move to Mexico! For more reasons than just temperature!

Solvay said...

http://search.playlist.com/tracks/eddie%20vedder/2

that's the link to the Eddie Vedder mandolin song, Rise, that Marc Hanson referred to........

Holly Van Hart said...

Frank, You did it again. I continue to be amazed at how you say so much with so few strokes. Lovely! Holly

Eric Merrell said...

Hey Frank, glad to see you've managed to actively post and write; I got sideswiped by persimmon gingerbread and stuffing (both cooking and eating).

Great stuff. Will you make it to Cape Cod in Feb.?

Frank Gardner said...

Solveg, nope, not a pilot.
Yeah, I get booed on guitar hero, it is actually pretty funny.
Thanks for the link. I like the song. Can't wait for Marc's CD to come out. LOL

Hi Holly. Thank you very much.

Hi Eric, well, food is a good excuse. I thought that maybe you had gone traveling or something.
I am going to try and make it to the Cape. Brrrrr.

http://www.onpainting.wordpress.com said...

Lovely perspective and color.

Marian Fortunati said...

Hello again, Frank..
I'm writing for advice. I've finally decided to update my gear for outdoor painting.
I think I remembered in an earlier blog that you said you used Open Box M as your palette or pochade box.
Why is it better than say Easy L or one of the others? ( I KNOW it's a lot more expensive...)
I need something light, handy, sturdy and preferably something I can stick in a backpack. (Although I'm not sure that will work if it also has a wet paint carrier...??)
Hmmmm

Frank Gardner said...

Hi Marian, I have two Open Box Ms, but I recently got an EasyL lite and it works just as well. The only real difference is that the Open Box comes with the fancy box that carries all my brushes, paint and fits more wet panels. I can fit 4 6x8s and 4 8x10s in my box. In the 8x10 box I can fit just 4.
The EasyL fits two of the same size panels.
Mine ( the Lite), fits 2- 8x10s or 2- 9 x 12s, (which I dont use). The rest of the gear I have to pack in my bag. It is a very good option though and about half the price.

Solvay said...

Yes, I'm looking forward to Marc's CD, too.
: )

Well, you're ahead of me: I've never even SEEN a guitar hero game/set-up. So, being booed is better than never having been in "the ring".........

Frank Gardner said...

My neighbor's teen age daughter has one Solveg.
It is fun. All the old 70s Classic Rock songs that I love so much.
My fingers dont seem to want to go to the right spot though.

Solvay said...

I'll have to ask my students about it - or go to an electronics shop and see it for myself....I'm not even sure what you mean by, "My fingers dont seem to want to go to the right spot though." Anyway, there's nothing like 70s rock - it was the golden age of rock and roll, that's FOR SURE. I guess we can include the late-late 60s, too. Maybe.
I'll think about it....
: )

And, there are a few 80s songs that make the cut, but not many - what a dud of a decade that was.....

I had an interesting thought, tonight, while playing a concert (a Christmas choral concert - we had a string quartet, oboe, flute)....I love playing choral/vocal accompaniments - they are full of tonal color......was thinking it would be like prefering to be paint over being the painter or the canvas. I thought it might be wonderful to be paint.

: )

Alicia Padrón said...

You HAVE to come over to our house then Frank. It's full of guitar hero fans. :o)

You should see Alexandra play.. She really rocks! She is way better than me. My favorite song to play is Surrender. You know the one?

"Mommy's allright, Daddy's allright
They just seem a little weird
Surrender, surrender ..."

And now they asked Santa for Rock Band, and as you may know that one besides having guitar and drums also has a microphone...
yes.. a microphone,
like Karaoke..
oh that is going to be fun! hee.. hee ;o)

Frank Gardner said...

Hi Alicia. Guitar Hero fan huh?
And a Cheap Trick fan too!
Oh yeah, Rock Band. That should be fun. I've seen kids playing it up at the store. The microphone ought to be right up your alley.
Hope Santa brings your kids one of those.

Anonymous said...

A lovely view!

Paz

Frank Gardner said...

Yes it is Paz. Thanks for the visit!

Mike said...

Stunning color harmonies in this one, Frank. Way to go!

Frank Gardner said...

Thanks Mike, sorry it took a few days to answer.