Tools for a Moody Seascape with Rocks

'As the Fog Rolls In'                9x12               pastel                ©Karen Margulis
available $175

 I felt like painting something moody! I found the perfect photo in my stash and decided to use it for state number 5 in my Painting my Beautiful World project.  The state is Maine. I look at this painting and I hear the sea crashing on the rocks and the distant ringing of buoys. I can smell the pines and the sea. I am anticipating a meal of friend clams and lobster. I have great memories of my trips to Maine. Here is the story behind this painting.

Our first family trip to Maine was full of wonderful surprises and it began with a bit of disappointment. We had rented a cabin on Mount Desert Island and had a week to explore Acadia National Park. The kids were the perfect age for the extensive hikes available. I had done a lot of research and had our week mapped out. But we were greeted with thick fog. For days. The coast was socked in with fog and we couldn't see more than a few feet in front of us. We still drove around and visited the recommended stops but all we saw was fog. It was interesting if you like moody landscapes!(I do)

A few days into the trip the weather shifted. The sun came out and the fog dissipated. The landscape was completely transformed! Under the blue sky everything took on a new look. We saw tall trees and meadows of flowers. We could see far out to sea. It was a gift. We decided that we experienced two vacations in one. The magical transformation showed us two sides of a very beautiful place.

About this painting:  I used a piece of gray MingArt sanded paper. I wanted to establish a strong underpainting to give structure to my rocks so I used Art Graf pigment blocks and did a wet wash with water. I love Art Graf!  Here is the block in before the wash. 

Here is the underpainting after the wash dried. It was interesting to use the white art Graf to get the light value of the fog.

A close up of the rocks