Painting From a Photograph

A few weeks ago my husband and I were driving around enjoying a beautiful afternoon along the Alabama-Florida border when we pulled off the road to look at the newly constructed boat ramp in the community of Lillian, Alabama.  The boat launch is on Perdido Bay.  I never waste an opportunity to snap some reference photos for future paintings, so I took several.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was struck by the blueness of the clear, breezy day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The pine trees and the frothy water sparkling the sunlight made me wish I had brought an easel and paints!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I especially liked this particular angle.  The shadows and light were wonderful.  Now if only I could catch it on a canvas. 

 

 

I ultimately did get my impression of that beautiful day on a canvas.  I regret not documenting my step-by-step painting process, but here is the final version.   As you can see, I ramped up the colors, especially of the sand and water.  I emphasized the purple, blue and green in the water and added zing with the red, orange and yellow of sand.  I also lightened the pine tree trunks because the darks of a photograph are always darker than the real live actual shadows.   The painted scene has most, but not all of the detail of the photograph because I am an impressionist painter who can create my impression of a perfect day. 

 

 

 

Copyright Mona Vivar, Wind in the Pines, 11 inches by 14 inches, acrylic on canvas

Now on Etsy at Mona Vivar Fine Art