Unfortunately it was too wet to enjoy the hammock, but you get the idea! The owners of the cottage invested a lot into some really great renovations, and they built a small guest cabin next door complete with a trampoline and hammock. Considering how moist everything was, I had to find a bit of dry ground to stand on, and change the painting approach a little. The hammock was painted first, and the water just sketched in to suggest a lake. Had I painted the lake first, it would have never dried in time. The foreground was Group of Seven inspired. It turned out pretty well, an iconic Canadian image for sure.
Hammock by lake, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2024
As the sun burned off some of the moisture from the atmosphere, I could take on more complex scenes like this one. What seems like a simple rock and trees painting is a puzzle of limbs and terrain. In the background is a small bay, in the foreground is the impressive glacial boulder with moss and shine on it from the recent rain. The trees had a dark yellow with cross hatched bark. There must be half a dozen or more layers on the rock just to get all the colours, textures and reflections. Most of the area had this general appearance. Like Verdun, green and brown!
Rock and trees by lake, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2024
There are a lot more paintings from the trip but I will end the blogging today on this one. Painting ferns is quite challenging in watercolour because they are very bright and light yellow-chartreuse with infinitesimally complex leaf structures. I could only suggest their textures and colours with some simple washes and over painting. When I paint a motif for the first time I try something, then if I get another chance I may refine the idea, or try something different. The bright yellow spot captures that feeling of light coming through the treetops.
Ferns and Rocks, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2024
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