Fall In Motion
"Fall in Motion" is a painting that I created in January of 2024. The inspiration for this piece came from a hike I took on a beautiful autumn day, along a creek in Zion National Park. The painting features the reflection of Fall trees in a pool of water. I was particularly inspired by the movement of the water and the vibrant colors of the leaves. It was important to me to convey a sense of motion, and to capture the energy and excitement that nature has to offer.
When I started painting "Fall in Motion", I had a clear vision in my mind. I wanted to create a painting that showcased the bright, vivid colors of fall, set against a backdrop of soft, cool colors and muted greys. I aimed to evoke the feeling of a warm fall day, so I used warm yellows and oranges throughout the composition. I was careful to control the movement in the painting by creating motion through the reflections of the trees in the pool of water, and by using the length of the tree trunks to guide the viewer's eyes up and down the composition.
When I approach a painting, I always begin by sketching out the composition in my sketchbook using an ink pen. During this stage, I embrace mistakes and edit as I go along. If I feel that a tree or rock does not contribute to the likeness of the painting, I will remove it from the final sketch. This is much easier to do at this stage of the process rather than when I’m halfway done with the painting. Sometimes, I will create multiple sketches with different compositions until I find the one that best represents what I have in mind. Sketching is an important part of the process for me because it helps me to identify what I have in mind. I know that I have found the right composition when it gives me a feeling of oneness or harmony.
Once I have finalized the composition of my painting in my sketchbook, I switch to a paintbrush and use thinned-out oil paint to sketch it onto my painting surface. I treat the paint as if it were charcoal, using the white of the canvas for my lights and the paint for the shadows. Sometimes I use charcoal instead of oil paint during this process. While I am working on the painting, I continue to edit and refine the composition to improve its likeness. It is also important to create a sense of movement in the painting by breaking everything into shapes with varying levels of light and dark, such as with rocks and trees.
Once I am satisfied with the initial sketch, I begin to paint the shadows using cool colors. I first identify the highest light value and the lowest dark value and then paint them to determine the middle values. My objective during this phase is to manage the values and eliminate all the white on the canvas. This is the foundation of the painting, and by the end of this phase, I will have completed an under-painting, meaning all the hard work is complete. I will let the under-painting dry and after it is dry, I will move on to the final layer of the painting.
During the final stage of the painting process, I add light to the painting. This is my favorite part of the process, where I feel like the painting truly comes to life. At this stage, I focus on painting the details and refining the edges of shadows, rocks, or trees. However, I need to be careful not to overwork the painting, so I take my time and paint with intention. I can tell when the painting is complete when I step back and feel a sense of harmony and satisfaction.
Prints of “Fall In Motion” are now available to order. The original painting is available here.
