Nighttime Lighthouse - Part 1 OBJECT: Watch and see how things unfold as Greg paints his way through

a dusky nautical theme.

Materials used:
#8 Kolonok Kolinsky Red Sable #5 Kolonok Kolinsky Red Sable #0 Winsor & Newton Series 7 Red Sable Paints Sap Green, Hooker's Green Dark, Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna, Ultramarine Blue, Cerulean Blue, Alizarin Crimson, Permanent Rose, Indian Yellow, Ivory Black. Paper Cut sheet (5.5" x 7.5") Whatman #200 cold pressed, deteriorated. Miscellaneous #2 Pencil Kneaded Eraser Palettes - Robert E. Wood & Eldajon. Water container (2) and clean water Hair dryer (optional) Reference Digital photographs, thumbnail sketches, and imagination.

Step One: Why, it's another lighthouse

I had several digital reference photos of the West Break Water Lighthouse in Cleveland, OH for reference. None were quite right except to show what the structures looked like. I was wanting to try painting the lighthouse at dusk but I had no reference for the lighting or coloration. I decide to wing it. I placed the lighthouse where I wanted it in the composition and lightly sketched the setting around it. I apply liquid frisket to the lighthouse buildings and rocks and allow it to dry.

Step Two: Look! Up in the sky...

I envisioned a colorful last glow of sunset dramatic sky including stars coming out. This was to backlight the lighthouse as the beams of light became visible in the darkening sky. Hokey, but I've never tried it. I started by moistening some areas of the sky randomly with clean water and my #8 round red sable. Mixing a medium Cerulean blue wash I painted the top of the sky, gradually adding water towards the middle. A light valued mixture of Permanent rose was next. I quickly laid this wash at the edge of the blue and allowed them to flow together a bit as I shaped some more clouds. I added a light Indian yellow wash to carry the sky to water and land level. While the sky was still moist I mixed some Ultramarine blue with Cerulean and added darker bands and accents to the sky.

Step Three: Goin' for the gold

I finally finished noodling with the cloud shapes using a #5 round sable and various violet shades from the blues and Permanent rose on my palette.

I moistened my paper at the bottom and started adding the reflected sky coloring into the waves on the fore and middle ground using some of the violets and blues left on my palette. I let it dry.

At this point I commit to an over-the-top approach and paint the distant lake reflecting a bright yellow glow from the sunset.

Step Four: Well grounded

Mixing a medium cool gray from Ultramarine blue and Burnt umber I paint in the silhouette of the boat. After a quick rinse I add some Sap green to the gray and paint in the distant hills of the coast.

Using a glaze of Cerulean blue I painted the rocks and road to the lighthouse and pulled this directly into the water catching reflections in the waves.

While this was still moist I worked into the rocks and road with a dark blue/umber gray, Burnt sienna, and Sap green.

I then mixed an even more intense Ultramarine blue for the sky and painted a darker layer, adding more depth. Before I cleaned my brush and palette, I picked up more sky colors and defined more areas of waves in the water.