Impressions from a Lake

We are having an unusual autumn as the weather seems to be unable to make up its mind, cool then hot sunny days, then gray days without much rain. I think we have had them all. The nice thing is that we have been able to get out on the lakes in the kayaks a bit later this season and enjoy some of the color change.

The Fall color is a bit muted and I have read that this can be blamed on the very dry conditions. We still have quite a few pockets of green with a scattering of rust and earth colors. All of which makes for an interesting contrast of colors on the lakes.

This kind of scenery is perfect for my color choices, I mainly use a earth palette which tends to be more about tones and values than saturation. Naples Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber, French Ultramarine is really about all I used on these pieces. These low key earth palettes will make you look closely at building color relationships and thinking about color saturation.

My pochade studies both on location and in the studio, are essential to my artistic development and process. They are where I gain that all important canvas mileage and experiment with color, composition and ideas. I try not to get too caught up if they are good or presentable, but if they answered those basic questions of how and why. How do I paint this to look like that and why am I painting that? 

My oil sketches start very simply with the big patterns of color and shape, looking for the abstract quality that unifies the scene before me. Nature is a highly accomplished organizer and she can be very complex, often it takes careful study to see her design. This is the challenge that keeps us engaged in the creative process. The exploration of light, form, space, and color interpreted through strokes and dabs of paint which communicate a sensual vision of the world. 

And then there is this thought; leave at least some hours in each day to enjoy the nature around you. Tune out from the daily chaos of life, and observe, draw or paint from nature.

Man-made noise is muzzled by nature's silence...

Kinkaid Lake Reflections

Evening Ripples

Johnson Creek

Lake Clouds

All pochades are 5 x 7 inches oil on panel, © Jim Serrett

More information on my color palette here.

Explore - Question - Learn - - Enjoy, Jim 

Website - jimserrett.com 
Studio Blog - jimserrettstudio.com 
Landscape Blog - Pochade Box Paintings