Montreal Skyline and Curving Highways

Behind the Glen hospital there is a very steep embankment accessible by a narrow dirt path. It offers incredible views of the city. The last time I painted this scene was in 2021 at night, and in 2019 in the fall. If you click on the 2019 fall painting, you can see the progress that I have made as a painter over the last four years. Today's painting features a light and airy atmosphere with a strong composition featuring the highways. The grassy embankment is subtle, and the skyline is playful. As usual, the cars are like marshmallows on wheels! Another improvement is a 3/4 inch border around the painting due to the 8 x 10" wooden rectangle I use to hold the paper down. That is significant because it will pop right into a standard 8 x 10" mat without any cutoff. One small detail, the brick-red building on the center right has a top-shadowing, which creates the sense that light is emanating from underneath. I used the same trick on the highway to make it look like it was glowing, and with white highlights on the horizon. With these tricks, the scene is infused with ethereal lighting from the overcast sun. Luckily I didn't get rained on!

Montreal Skyline and Curving Highways, watercolour 8 x 10" rough press, April 2023 (No. 3598)