Adventuring into the mountains allows DJ the chance to experience the landscape firsthand
Spending time with nature has always been a huge source of inspiration, and the mountain environment holds a special fascination for me. I love scrambling up high to seek out rocky crags and elevated views of the valleys below. Painting outdoors is simply the best way to really immerse yourself in a landscape and connect with your subject. “Being there,” I find, is the most effective way to experience the natural colour, light and tonal values of a given landscape, as well as being able to witness the day as it evolves, capturing the true essence of the moment. I also find it much easier for me to get “in the zone” and totally focus on my painting. Mountainous areas have their own weather systems that can provide you with all four seasons in one day, and as the artist, you can select elements of these moments to add to your painting. The painting then becomes a story of the whole day, rather than a quick snapshot.
My favourite season for painting mountains is winter. When the hills are cloaked in a blanket of snow, it completely transforms the landscape. Many of the crags and broken ridges have been sculpted with blizzard blown cornices or shrouded in veils of ice. This helps to define the individual shape, form and character of each mountain. Frost and snow reflect the colour of the skies, and the shadows change from strong, bold, dark tones to subtle shades of blues and purples. If you are lucky enough to catch a winter sunset or sunrise, you will witness the hills painted in shades of pinks, yellows, reds, lilacs and blues that can be so intense as to look otherworldly for a short while.
This story is from the August - September 2019 edition of International Artist.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August - September 2019 edition of International Artist.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Intrigue in the ordinary
I've \"'ve never had any formal training always had a strong attraction to the arts and the practice of painting
Paper Textures
John Lovett guides us through the varying properties of different watercolor surfaces
Creating Ambiance
Mona Parker Weidner selects colors palettes and light sources that emphasize the mood of her interior scenes
Visual Depth
Blending and smoothing with solvents, Holly Siniscal creates painterly portraits in colored pencil
Sharp Precision
Working with craft blades and tattoo needles, Conor Smith etches realistic renderings of wildlife
The architecture of water
When Then I moved from Toronto to a tiny community in Nova Scotia, I became fascinated by the ocean, its reflections and endlessly shifting patterns of color and light
Saturated World
Emphasizing the beauty of nature, Joe A. Oakes paints landscapes with warm colors and imaginative compositions
Pure Bliss
Working alla prima, Andreas Liss takes on a loose, unbridled approach in his artwork
Sculpting the Paint
Using a palette knife allows oil painter Maria Iva to create clean colors and rich textures
Forwad MOMENTUM
Artist Lisa Gleim shares the evolution of her career and how she grew into her preferred medium of pastels