It started as an area piece. As I showed some of the early test ideas to the patron, it devolved into a one of a kind mix of impressionism and surrealism. I showed her an image of some far-off mountains. She commented that they reminded her of the view in her back yard, at the house, where the painting was to be displayed. That sparked the idea to paint her backyard (a golf course in Palm Springs, CA.) like it would never be seen, transforming it into an Arctic Oasis. *some of the early "per-concept" paintings and sketches can be found on another blog page titled, "the arctic project."
I custom built and stretched the canvas.
It then goes lightly to canvas. It's quadruple-primed Belgian linen.
With a heavier-hand, I have another pass of pencil on canvas.
I jump far forward and mock-up the tree and have a pass at the sky.
This is the rarely seen hidden pass I like to make. I do this to block-out areas of contrast in my composition. I usually paint over this completely with the intent of some color bleed through.
A little pre-TREEtment... eh?! I did a lot of this type of sketch-painting before going to canvas.
Threw down some mountains. These I would have to consider a lesser focused on main character element of this painting since the original idea stems from them.
Then a ladybug got on my painting...
I enjoy sharing this intimate moment with the painting. It's a version of itself left only to my memory (and photograph) It's almost a finished composition, fun and expressive, that seldom gets viewed in person. It's like the subconscious of the painting.
I started to really consider how I wanted to fill the space.
Here are a few sketches blocking out the inhabitants and other possible elements.
and inevitably I would have to cover my abstract- topographic composition with snow.
Here are some early color tests.
But Wait! Before the snow, I blocked in a few elements.
...and then it snowed...
AND SNOWED!
and the Polar Bears came out to play.
The mother bear is deliberately staring straight out at the viewer.
These sketches are DEER to my heart! Sorry, hopefully no more puns.
Deer on the canvas!
Fox Studies. Not much to say about that.
Foxes on canvas.
Mountain tests.
Shortly some time later, the snow began to fall on the mountains. You would think the snow-caps of the mountains would form well before snow fell in the valley below, due to the higher elevation, but not in this blizzard!
and still it came, until it consumed the whole range.
almost the entire land was frost-bitten
but something was missing... I had wanted some other eye catching element in the original comp.
There was this red, hot air-balloon from one of the first three proposal paintings that she loved. But I did the mini-painting directly from a photograph I internet searched for. I kept trying to re-incorporate it but actually wanted my sky left alone. I wanted my sky left alone because, aside from some added clouds, the large main flowing brush strokes were something I did in the very first stages of applying paint and hoped to leave it undistributed unlike the green grass. So the balloon wouldn't fly. The color choice also would have not directed the eye away from something I would later, knowingly add. It lacked a compositional element as well as a story element. I thought about a base-camp or a snow bird of some sort in the tree but nothing seemed to complete it. I started getting the feeling that the bottom-right corner let the readers eye move right off the page giving you this sort of typewriter effect across the sky and down through the image but how to return the carriage? I needed something in the bottom corner to stop the eyes and possibly send them back into the composition. i was stumped and didn't paint for close to a month. I looked at what was already there; the mountains, the trees, the rolling hills and embankments, the bridge, the bears, the deer, and the foxes. I had an epiphany! Another animal! I know it seems simple but to me it was cracking Enigma. This animal would need to be a docile, prey type animal. Too many predators and the viewer gets intimidated. And it would need to be small because it was in going to be in foreground and be painted rather large. The Arctic Hare was the answer.
I sketched and painted,
and painted and sketched.
I was told I was having some anatomy issues. I wanted it to be impeccable!
SO I sketched...
and painted!
And Sketched and Painted! AND SKETCHED AND PAINTED!
and the last one wasn't absolute but it was time to move on
and there he sat.
the last of the snow accumulated.
But the last thing I painted was the flag-stick.
a few directional and color tests
It's the most saturated and contrasting color choice against the blue. It's small and delicate against the sprawling landscape but hopefully just eye catching enough to not go undiscovered.
And there it was. Finished. Terrible lighting and all.
Signed, sealed and Delivered!
Here it is hanging in it's beautiful new home.
My thanks to the paintings owner for the wonderful opportunity to immerse myself into this one of a kind master piece for you.
