TM9064 Afternoon with Corot 36×42 oil on panel

The close values and silvery tones of Corot’s paintings seem applicable to November’s mood as well. Afternoon with Corot is an investigation of my favorite pond, but later in the year, and while pretending to see it through Corot’s eyes. The subtle transitions between object and void, and between the surface of the water and its deeper reflections, were part of the challenge. I wanted the viewer’s eye to meander across the painting, seeing the abstractions while identifying the parts – a wetland setting seen upside down in the pond. The color of early November is subtle – fall’s last murmur of red violet and disappearing green. Details below. Enjoy.

TM9064 Afternoon with Corot – detail from lower center with reflected trees and sheen on water

TM9064 Afternoon with Corot – detail from lower lest side with reflected trees

Technical painting notes: The initial roll-up of blue-black oil paint, applied with a soft rubber roller, set the cooler tone of the painting. I spritzed the surface with solvent and blotted, re-rolling and spattering, then re-rolling again. Tree trunks and branches were scraped out. When the base layer was dry, I glazed color into the piece, then started to define the sky (negative areas) with thin paint and a soft brush. The rest of the image was developed in layers, with glaze, then brush and roller applications of paint, some spattering, repeat.