Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Dyce Head Light

I completed a commission yesterday of Dyce Head Light in Castine, Maine.  I visited the lighthouse numerous times over the winter, taking tons of reference photos from a variety of different viewpoints.  My primary goal for this particular painting was to capture the lighthouse in the last few moments of dusk before the sun disappeared behind the distant hills.  We get some amazing sunsets here in Castine, bathing the entire town in a warm orange light.  My client also wanted the painting to view the lighthouse from the coastal side rather than the more commonly seen street side.  While trudging through the snow, waiting for the unique quality of light I was looking for, I noticed how the landscape and snow became an amazing patchwork of colors - the yellows and oranges of the low sun combined with the blue and rose-toned areas of shadows.   Here is a progression of how I developed the painting in the studio:

Initial block out of the major shapes in thinned burnt umber on a toned panel.  

Adding dark values.

Bringing in some of the darker warm tones

filling in the panel with sky and lighter colors

adjusting a few values, further developing the foreground brush and structures


The completed painting - Dyce Head Light  11x14  o/p



2 comments:

Linda Nutting said...

What are the chances of ordering an oil painting of Dyce Head. I have been looking for years.

Dan Graziano said...

Dear Linda,
Yes, I do commissions and would be happy to create a painting of Dyce Head Light for you. I have done many paintings of the lighthouse from a variety of viewpoints over the years. Take a look at the Dyce Head Lighthouse paintings on my web site www.dangrazianofineart.com in the Coastal and Marine collection and let me know if you find one with a viewpoint you like. Also, if you have a size preference and I can quote you a price. Thanks again for your inquiry!

All the best,
Dan