"Evening Colors"
8"x10" Oil on Panel
The Colors of Evening Light
I have driven around this valley so many times in the last 8 or 9 years that the colors in the evening are made permanent to my memory. It always amazes me how rich evening colors become and for only a short while before it is too dark. Artists refer to this period as the "Golden Time". In this painting I wanted to try painting that time but just as it is about to end and go dark...it is really the last bit of light the sun gives the day. Once that sunlight is beyong the horizon all that is left for we brief moment is a subtle glow and then all colors become muted and dull. This, of course, happens everywhere each evening and one only has to go outside and wait for it to happen. When I worked in the Los Angeles area I would see it happen usually sitting in LA traffic. It was a brief moment to forget the congestion and racing the clock to just get home. It is one of those gifts nature gives us that gets forgotten or overlooked by most too busy with their daily grind.
A detail of the painting....
3 comments:
Ron, I'm not quite sure that the photograph does this justice in that there is little apparent colour in the darks and as they are a significant part of the picture it means that a big bit lacks interest. I'm sure this is the fault of reproduction.
There is a puzzle in the light in the picture. The source seems to be from the right as evidenced by the large tree but the next tree to the right of it seems to be lit from the left. Is this one of those reflected light conundrums?
Hi Mick,
No, you are absolutely right, these trees are pretty dark when compared to the foreground grasses....I should have lowered the values of those grasses to make that work better....good eye brother! The only tree that should show light direction is that tall one...the rest were not being hit by any direct sun.
I added some lighter greens (greys actually) on the trees to the right and that one just has a bit too much I suppose. I can tone it down. Thanks for the good observations Mick, I appreciate it!
Great discussion!
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