You may have seen my previous post on the "Morning Vista" series. I revisited the same view of San Miguel with a slightly different take on the color and composition. My goal was to try and capture the light effect looking into the sun as it came up above the hills behind town. These are on small boards which made it easier to not get caught up in the details of the scene. I just wanted to think in terms of color.
"Morning Vista, Into the Sun", 6" x8" oil on board, 2007
Private Collection
"Morning Vista, Radiant Light", 6" x 8" oil on board, 2007
Private Collection
James Gurney describes this light effect well in a post on his blog Gurney Journey.
Looking toward or into the sun is something that pops up again and again in my paintings. With enough practice I hope to be able to get better at it.
In the top painting I reversed the standard cool colors recede principal and put my warmer colors where the sunlight is starting to break into the scene and the cooler colors are in the foreground. In the second painting the sun is a little higher so the light has radiated out into the whole view.
