Sultry and Soft

 

 

The weather in Key West was sultry and soft before I headed North.  Clouds would build up every afternoon, just threatening to rain, but not doing it.  Word is, after I left the rain started for real.  This scene is the little lagoon behind the Sugarloaf Lodge in my neighborhood.  I have painted this scene many times before and I never get tired of it.  The water is ever changing and those clumps of mangroves continue to grow. 

 

In this oil painting I wanted to incorporate those little flecks of light and activity that I like to use in my acrylic painting.  It was a soft day and I chose soft color and edges to reflect the mood.

 

This painting is 24" x 30" and a little too large for me to finish in one plein air session.  But I had a good handle on where I wanted to go before the light change was too drastic to continue painting.

 

 

Sugarloaf Lagoon

© Maggie Ruley 2013

oil on canvas

24" x 30"

$650

 

www.maggieruley.com



Back to fundamentals

Mangrove study, "Before the rain"
Mangrove study, "After the rain"




Mangrove study, Mangroves on a windy day"

Mangrove study, "Mangrove with distant sailboat"

This mangrove clump is not far from my house and I have painted it many times over the last 8 years. I feel my academic painting skills need reinforcement. Using oil paint I am going keep painting this scene stressing the fundamentals of the painting process. I am using a limited palette of colors and concentrating on light, value and composition. All of the above studies were done on location, en pein air,and they are all are 8" x 10". I'll try not to bore you with too many of them.