First Light 18x24
Hello, and welcome to Tonalist paintings by M Francis McCarthy.
Today's painting is 'First Light' 18x24.
Our video features the progression of this painting from its earliest drawing/underpainting stages on up through the final glazes and finishing brushstrokes. Also featured is my usual rambling narration, so please check it out.
I thought it would be interesting today to speak a bit about proportion as it relates to landscape painting. Proportion is a topic that any serious painter will find interesting because it has such a dramatic impact on the way a scene comes across. It is also a topic I think that I've covered before on this blog though I'm not totally sure about that.
Recently I completed the series of redo's, wherein I had cut down paintings that were less than successful to smaller sizes and alternate proportions from their original state. One of the main changes I found myself making was taking vertical paintings I had done and turning them into a 1×1 (square) format. This alone improved quite a few of the paintings. It is very important to get the space between the tops of the trees and the edge of the framed area right. If there is too much or too little space the painting will be somewhat less than successful.
My favorite proportion to paint in is 5x7/10x14. Because of that, I had quite a few panels prepared in the size of 10x14 which is four times larger. What I like best about this proportion is that it's somewhat panoramic but not too much so. For example, I used to paint in a size of 8x12 which conforms to the Golden Ratio also known as the Golden Section. The Golden Section is a classical proportion that is prevalent in many Greek and Roman monuments and was also used extensively by the old Masters. For that reason, I was playing around a lot with that proportion. Painting sizes that conform to the Golden Section are 5x8, 6x10, 8x12, 9x14, 10x16 and 12x20.
Ultimately, I find the Golden Section proportion to be too panoramic for my tastes. By that I mean pictures seem a little unnecessarily long. The 5x7/10x14 proportion is not generally regarded as a special proportion but it is the one I find most satisfying.
I have a little device made out of cardboard that is called a composition finder. I got mine from guerrillapainter.com. They make some excellent pochade boxes and plein air easels. I seldom use this device while actually painting but I find it handy to have it around because it references many different useful proportions that are also common framing sizes.
For quite a few years starting in 2012 I decided to paint nothing but 8x8's and 8x10s. My rationale was that I would be able to find ready-made frames for the 8x10s and also because I was working at small sizes I would be able to sell my work for less money. This was both a good and a bad thing; it was good because I was able to do a lot of paintings and therefore get better as a painter. It was also good as it got me used to painting in the 8x10 format which was one of my least favorite proportions. It was bad in many ways also because the demand for landscape paintings generally leans towards larger sizes and for that reason I may have missed out on potential sales.
I am fond of the proportion of 9x12 which is also the same proportion as a 12x16 and in 18x24. These days I am working in the 12x16 and 18x24 size ranges quite often. Instead of 9x12's, I am doing 10x14's.
Another one of my favorite proportions to paint in is the square format which is known as 1×1. These days I am doing paintings in a 14x14 size range as well as 11x11. I like the square format because it's interesting and lends itself to creative interpretation of the landscape. Many photographers have taken great advantage of this proportion though it is less common in landscape painting.
I like to work in the 11x14 size as well but I tend to like 11x14 mostly for doing vertical paintings. It suits me very well. There are times I will do 11x14's in a horizontal format also.
I recommend that all new painter try out many of these different proportions. You will no doubt come across some that you favor greatly. As I stated at the top my favorite proportion is the 5x7/10x14/20x28 proportion. I do not yet work in the 20x28 size range but next time I feel like jumping up in size, I will no doubt try that one out.
Cheers,
M Francis McCarthy
Landscapepainter.co.nz
A bit about 'First Light' 18x24; as I stated in the video this was the largest painting I have done to date at the time I painted it. I have since then done another 18x24 that also looks good which I will be featuring here at some point in the near future. When I like most about this painting is the quality of light and the interesting striations of color in the sky. The composition for me is fairly standard but effective nonetheless.
To see more of my work, visit my site here
 |
| First Light by M Francis McCarthy, 18x24 Oil Painting on Wood Panel |
Our video features the progression of this painting from its earliest drawing/underpainting stages on up through the final glazes and finishing brushstrokes. Also featured is my usual rambling narration, so please check it out.
I thought it would be interesting today to speak a bit about proportion as it relates to landscape painting. Proportion is a topic that any serious painter will find interesting because it has such a dramatic impact on the way a scene comes across. It is also a topic I think that I've covered before on this blog though I'm not totally sure about that.
Recently I completed the series of redo's, wherein I had cut down paintings that were less than successful to smaller sizes and alternate proportions from their original state. One of the main changes I found myself making was taking vertical paintings I had done and turning them into a 1×1 (square) format. This alone improved quite a few of the paintings. It is very important to get the space between the tops of the trees and the edge of the framed area right. If there is too much or too little space the painting will be somewhat less than successful.
My favorite proportion to paint in is 5x7/10x14. Because of that, I had quite a few panels prepared in the size of 10x14 which is four times larger. What I like best about this proportion is that it's somewhat panoramic but not too much so. For example, I used to paint in a size of 8x12 which conforms to the Golden Ratio also known as the Golden Section. The Golden Section is a classical proportion that is prevalent in many Greek and Roman monuments and was also used extensively by the old Masters. For that reason, I was playing around a lot with that proportion. Painting sizes that conform to the Golden Section are 5x8, 6x10, 8x12, 9x14, 10x16 and 12x20.
Ultimately, I find the Golden Section proportion to be too panoramic for my tastes. By that I mean pictures seem a little unnecessarily long. The 5x7/10x14 proportion is not generally regarded as a special proportion but it is the one I find most satisfying.
I have a little device made out of cardboard that is called a composition finder. I got mine from guerrillapainter.com. They make some excellent pochade boxes and plein air easels. I seldom use this device while actually painting but I find it handy to have it around because it references many different useful proportions that are also common framing sizes.
For quite a few years starting in 2012 I decided to paint nothing but 8x8's and 8x10s. My rationale was that I would be able to find ready-made frames for the 8x10s and also because I was working at small sizes I would be able to sell my work for less money. This was both a good and a bad thing; it was good because I was able to do a lot of paintings and therefore get better as a painter. It was also good as it got me used to painting in the 8x10 format which was one of my least favorite proportions. It was bad in many ways also because the demand for landscape paintings generally leans towards larger sizes and for that reason I may have missed out on potential sales.
I am fond of the proportion of 9x12 which is also the same proportion as a 12x16 and in 18x24. These days I am working in the 12x16 and 18x24 size ranges quite often. Instead of 9x12's, I am doing 10x14's.
Another one of my favorite proportions to paint in is the square format which is known as 1×1. These days I am doing paintings in a 14x14 size range as well as 11x11. I like the square format because it's interesting and lends itself to creative interpretation of the landscape. Many photographers have taken great advantage of this proportion though it is less common in landscape painting.
I like to work in the 11x14 size as well but I tend to like 11x14 mostly for doing vertical paintings. It suits me very well. There are times I will do 11x14's in a horizontal format also.
I recommend that all new painter try out many of these different proportions. You will no doubt come across some that you favor greatly. As I stated at the top my favorite proportion is the 5x7/10x14/20x28 proportion. I do not yet work in the 20x28 size range but next time I feel like jumping up in size, I will no doubt try that one out.
Cheers,
M Francis McCarthy
Landscapepainter.co.nz
A bit about 'First Light' 18x24; as I stated in the video this was the largest painting I have done to date at the time I painted it. I have since then done another 18x24 that also looks good which I will be featuring here at some point in the near future. When I like most about this painting is the quality of light and the interesting striations of color in the sky. The composition for me is fairly standard but effective nonetheless.
To see more of my work, visit my site here
 |
| First Light 18x24 (Detail) |
 |
| First Light 18x24 (Detail2) |