Mangrove Morning
28 Sep 2011 1 Comment
in Paintings Tags: crane, Florida, Ft.Lauderdale, mangrove, morning, New River, river, water bird
The photo I used as my reference
First, I sketched out my lines and then painted white mask on the areas that I wanted to remain white and on the mangrove roots.
- Sketched Picture and painted with Mask
The picture was a little too plain, so I wanted to include a water bird we see around here all the time. As reference, I looked up a picture on the internet for a white crane. They are so pretty and graceful. I like the peacefulness of the bird in contrast to the tangleness of the roots behind him.
Sky - Morning glow
I painted in the sky and reflection in the water with wet on wet, using windsor yellow and orange and reds. Then I let it dry.
Greens
Then I painted in the greens of the trees and in the water.
- Rubbed off the mask
After putting most of my background, I let it dry completely and then rubbed off the mask. This is where I really spent a lot of time sharpening and painting in the details. Here is the finished product.
Mangrove Morning
First Step Into the Unknown – Rule Of Thirds
09 Aug 2011 2 Comments
in Paintings Tags: beach, Florida, girl, ocean, sand, toddler
I painted this picture of my granddaughter’s first step into an unknown world,… the ocean! It was a beautiful sunny day, the ocean was very calm and the tide was low: A perfect scenario for a little toddler’s first beach experience.
Oil on Canvas painting of my granddaughter stepping into the ocean.
I used the compositional rule of thirds to compose this painting. The rule of thirds dictates that you divide your frame/canvas into 9 equal parts – horizontally, two lines, making 3 equal parts and then vertically, making 3 equal parts, like a tic-tac-toe grid. Then, you a line your main subject, or focal point of interest on one of the intersecting points on the grid. In this case, the little girl, my focal point, is a lined at the lower right point and line. This gives your picture more interest. Remember to never a line your main subject in the dead center of the picture. Keep this in mind with your photographs as the same rule applies! Have fun and keep practicing this rule!
Boy Fishing With Dog-Watercolor steps
27 Apr 2011 Leave a Comment
in Paintings, Uncategorized Tags: boy, coconut trees, dock, dog, fishing, Florida, Fort Lauderdale, New River, pier
Assaulted with all the turmoil and unrest broadcasted in the news lately, I escaped into a quiet place while painting this peaceful scene of a little boy ( I picture my son when he was little.) and my dog, Sammy. I used a photograph that I took a couple years ago of a place along the New River in Fort Lauderdale, across a marina there. I loved the large graceful coconut trees in the picture.
The paper is 22″ x 30″ cold press Arches natural white paper. Here is the progression of this painting:
First I sketched in the main lines and then painted on white mask (liquid frisket) on the areas I wanted to maintain white and light.
Worked on the background.
After wetting the paper, I used olive green with various other colors to get the lights and darks.
Then I painted in the bottom (river).
Rubbed off the mask from the dock and trees and then applied it again to the highlighted areas. Then worked on sharpening and details.
Here is where it took some time to paint in the negative areas – the darks. I painted in the dock using burnt umber with other colors for darks and lights. The little boy was fun as he was created from a fun memory of a trip to the keys with my Mom (Mima), Dad (Papo) and the kids, fishing the old-fashioned way – with just a spool of nylon string and a hook with bait. Papo was the only one who caught anything! But, it was fun all the same.
The finished painting.
At the end, I removed the remaining mask and then sharpened those areas. Then I used watercolor pencils for added highlights.
I loved my escape to old Florida and this quite place. I’m taken there each time I look at the finished painting. I hope this post was able to take you there as well for a little while!
Blessings!
Mossy Oaks – Just love them!
08 Feb 2011 Leave a Comment
in Photography Tags: Florida, lantern, moss, oak, old-fashioned, sunrise, sunset, toys, trees, vintage
Peter and I were doing some ministry just east of the Tampa area a few weeks ago. We stayed with some friends who have a large yard full of old majestic mossy oaks. I was so glad I had my camera with me! Here are some of my favorite pictures!
- They had some lanterns in the front yard. I caught the sunset through the glass.
The sunrise woven through the Mossy Oaks.
There was a chain link fence in my way, so I rested the camera lens (canon 55.0-250.0 mm) through the open link and put the timer on so as to keep it as still as possible. The aperture was f/11.0 and ISO 400.
Sunrise woven through mossy oaks - vertical
Sunset light lit up the Moss
I used the same lens for this to zoom in and also used the timer. The aperture was f/5.6 to focus on the moss alone and ISO 200.
- Old Fashion Toys
For the morning shoot, Peter and I found some old-fashioned toys in the porch. We had fun staging this shot. I used a 28.0-80.0 mm lens, f/11.0 so that all the toys would be in focus, ISO 200 and put the camera on a tripod and set the timer. Because of all the trees the light was low.
Always bring your camera! You never know what great pictures are waiting for you just around the corner! Have fun!
Garden Gate to Rose Mary’s Cottage
01 Feb 2011 Leave a Comment
in Paintings Tags: entrance, Fisher Island, Florida, garden, gate, island, Miami, palm trees, path, tropical
Garden Gate to Rose Mary's Cottage- (Fisher Island, Miami, Fl)- Oil 24"x36"
I finally finished this oil painting that I started about 5 months ago! I worked on it slowly. It’s from a picture I took while visiting my brother, who was the chief of security at Fisher Island in Miami’s Biscayne Bay over 20 years ago! Wow, I can’t believe it’s been that long! I had gone for a walk around the island with my camera to capture scenes that I would like to paint one day. It was such a beautiful place! I hope to do some more oil paintings from those pictures.
We’re In The Local Paper!
26 Nov 2010 Leave a Comment
in Rossvally/Historical Tags: civil war, Deerfield Beach, Florida, historical society, history, museum
- Peter Colon and wife Janis in period garb.
Peter’s been in the papers before, but this is my first time! The article reads:
History at Sundown
Special guest Peter Colon, a Civil War historian, spoke at Deerfield Beach Historical Society’s first History at Sundown, on Thursday, Oct. 21, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the The Old School Museum (adjacent to City Hall), 232 NE 2 St., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. It was a great event and there was a great turnout! Next History at Sundown is Thursday, Jan. 20, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. Special guest Susan Gillis will speak on WWII. More information: 954-429-0378
If you would like us to come to your school, home school, Historical Museum or society to give a free lecture, please do contact us!
Peter’s email is pcolon@msn.com
Grassy Dunes
10 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment
in Photography Tags: Deerfield Beach, Florida, grass, ocean, sand dunes, sea oats
- Looking west at the sun. Applied artistic filter – fresco
Deerfield Beach grassy dunes
Flowering Vines on the Sandy dunes-Applied artistic filter - watercolor
Sea Oats
