World Inspired Landscapes: Dominica

Dominica is a small island in the east part of the Caribbean sea that used to be under French rule but is now independent. It is a geologically active island with a volcano that erupts from time to time. The rest of the island is a series of peaks and valleys carpeted with lush greenery, flowing rivers and hidden lagoons. Most of the island is undeveloped and contains some of the greatest biodiversity in the region. I knew of Dominica only because it has a medical school at their University and a few students have ended up going there to become a doctor. Maybe they need an immunology professor? To capture the rolling mountains I made an outline in yellow-green and then filled in with an array of greens and chartreuse. As it dried I applied the darker shadows with perylene green (PBk31) and then overlaid it with the tree textures. The main visual idea was to show cloud shadows projecting onto the undulating greenery suggesting a rhythmic movement. In the painting, there are several touristic features including the narrow rocky beach, a waterfall cascading off a mountain cliff into the sea, a hidden lagoon, and the the active volcano cauldron that contains literally boiling water. This perspective was common in the old Japanese 19^th century travel guides, the artists illustrated the topography and features of far-off lands in lavish detail.
 

World Inspired Landscapes: Dominica, watercolour 8 x 10" cold press, March 2022 (No. 2979a)