Paintings of Contrast

 Some impressive scenes were created by the low winter sun and overcast clouds today. Below zero, I went with salt water (20g per 100mL) in two containers, one for dirty one for clean water. To let the paintings dry without smearing them I had my simple drying rack, which I blogged about a few years ago. This scene was along the Lachine canal looking west, just near Verdun.  I liked how the sun was causing a vertical white reflection and the old industrial smoke stack was creating a vertical black reflection. It was a difficult painting to pull off, especially as it remained moist the whole time. It was worth the effort though, I quite like this painting. Impressions of Canal?

Canal Contrasts, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, December 2022 (No. 3300)

This one was done downtown where they are building a bunch of new condos in the west part of Old Montreal. The sky had a strong contrast between the dark clouds, light sky, and dark foreground elements. The condos had colourful reflections from the warm sky.

Condo Horizon, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, December 2022 (No. 3301)

Here is a scene where Rosemont goes over St. Laurent, right at the top part of Mile-End. I've always wanted to paint this area, and chose today to stop on my way to Anatol Spices and try it out. The conditions were tough for a detailed painting, with the salt, below zero, overcast, the paint stayed moist. Usually I count on the layers drying. But from years of experience, some of my first outdoor landscape paintings were done in winter, I know that the style has to adapt in the winter. It worked out okay, you an see the colourful murals under the highway.

Overpass Underpass, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, December 2022 (No. 3302a)