Painting the Shops Walk, Plein Aire at Lake Kittamaqundi in Columbia MD

I enjoy the adventure of painting outdoors and Lake Kittamaqundi in Columbia is a beautiful place to paint.

During the summer I want to paint outdoors every weekend and since I live in Columbia MD I can take advantage of the many beautiful paths parks and lakes in the area.

The scenery at Lake Kittamaqundi in downtown Columbia is lovely and there are so many views to choose from. This time, I choose the view of the sidewalk in front of the restaurants that face the lake.  I was inspired by the fountain at the end of the dark shadow cast by the building on one side and the dark trees on the other created a very dramatic scene.

I set up my easel at the bottom of the stairs by the hotels where there is a lot of room and I would be out of the way of people.

 The Restaurant Walk at Lake Kittamaqundi in Columbia MD

I started with underpainting blue to get the composition and the values right. My approach is to start with the background and work into the foreground. It is very challenging to paint the architecture at the lake because it is so unique and requires a lot of attention.  One of the things that attracts me to the lake are the divergent lines that seem to go in so many different directions that you do not expect, but I found that I had to correct the picture several times to accommodate the lines.

In the background is the iconic bowl-shaped fountain that the lake is famous for. The red brick sidewalk leads your eye to the fountain.

The foreground turned out to be harder than I anticipated. The orange-red brick of the walkway was a difficult color to mix effectively. Not just because of the technical problems of the color itself but because the greens surrounding it would give contrast so I felt that I had to get it just right. I had to take some license here and there to make sense out of some elements but that is what art is all about. It is an interpretation, an illustration and a story at the same time.

I had to do a little bit of fine-tuning at home to get all the details in so you cannot truly call it a Plean Aire painting but it is still a wonderful painting of the lakefront.
A lot of wonderful people stopped by to say hello and offer encouragement. I am so appreciative of those encounters and hope to see the same new friends in the future.

If you live in Maryland near Columbia, and hou would like to see this painting before you buy it please contact me.

Ellicott City Paint it With Maddy Dozat

The last two days I have been painting out of doors at Ellicott City MD with my Daughter Maddy. It has been more fun than I can express. The city is so very picturesque that you can't help but find some quaint scene to paint. The problem may be choosing which view to paint.

My Daughter Maddy is a college student at Susquehanna University in PA where s she is studying graphic design and theater set design. She has been home on summer break and working part time. It was pure joy to do this paint it event together.

Friday we painted the scene from the courthouse looking over the town with a focus on St. Luke AME church on the opposite hill. The tight packed jumble of buildings are challenging to paint, but in spite of the challenges I was amazed at what a dramatic picture she painted.  Several artists came by and spoke high praise of my daughter's art. Since it was a work day we had to cut our time short so she could go to work.

Saturday we returned to the same scene and finished what we started the day before. I started another scene, more of a roofscape, from a different view at the courthouse. After a while we began painting the Ruins where the actors perform Shakespeare. We both chose unconventional scenes from below the hill looking up at the ruins. We had great conversations talking to other artist who were painting similar scenes.

We finished the day down in the town. As we scouted for a view to paint we explored a couple of shops and stopped for a fruit smoothie that was so welcome in the hot day. After that we each choose different vantage points and painted one of the street scenes. She focused on a steeple over the city and I started to paint a busy intersection.

Sunday we plan to go back and finish our paintings from Saturday and then spend the evening getting everything framed and ready for the reception on Monday night where our works will be exhibited and hopefully sold. It will be so much fun to have my paintings in the same show as my daughter.

I will post some pictures of our art in a day or so.

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Howard County Community College Watercolor Painting Of The Quad

Here is a little painting of the Quad at Howard County Community College, HCC.  It is watercolor and the size is 9x12.

As an artist, I find the Quad very dynamic with angles and perspective that makes your head spin.  The feeling is very progressive, almost futuristic, but with a sense of Zen or balance to it.  The shadows make the place different each time you come so it always feels fresh.

One of the hardest things is choosing which view to paint.  I know I will be painting more so I started on a long view of the quad.

Long View of The Quad At Howard County Community College HCC, Watercolor by Adron

I visited the quad on three separate days to paint this and one evening at home to finish it.

The first day I worked on it for an hour and a half just sketching it in trying to get it right.  A glance at the picture and the scene would make it look like a simple task; but there were a lot of challenges with perspective, the structures, and the details.  I give it a few washes of color in the sky, buildings, greens, and the brick.  This was just a quick underpainting.

The second time I came for a couple of hours and built up the colors and the large areas without giving much attention to details.  This was a time for the big brushes.

The third visit I worked with the details and textures of leaves and grass and buildings.  I used a lot of small brushes this time.

The weather and personal schedule did not allow me to make it back to finish on campus, so I spent an evening at home adding detail, values, and texture.  I kept saying, "OK, now it is finished," but I would look at it and see something else to clean up, touch up or fill in.  It is not a good idea to start a painting outdoors and finish indoors because you do not see the colors the same but I have had a lot of experience and I think it worked out.

I am mostly happy with it; I am never completely happy with my work and say the next one will be better.  In review, I see some problems with the perspective, but the next one will be better.

Thank You to Howard County Community College for letting me paint your beautiful campus.

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I hope you enjoy my art. 
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(c) Adron

The Finished Painting of The Hickory Ridge Building at HCC Columbia MD

About a week ago I started a painting of one of the buildings at Howard County Community College, HCC. It was the Hickory Ridge Building. I think it is a beautiful building with lots of contrast and interesting angles. The trees and gardens make it very pleasant to see.

Since I live near by and it was a nice day I decided to walk there.  I found the spot where I stood the first two times that I worked on the painting and took a moment to study the building, the sky (no rain today!), the light and the position of the sun so the values and shadows would be consistent.

I must have looked lost or something because a security guard drove up. I don't blame him for being concerned since with my backpack, big floppy hat, umbrella and strange painting supplies I may have looked like a homeless person.

I always seem to get chased off by security people.  I guess they are doing their jobs but I am always careful to be safe, out of the way, and friendly. Many ask if I have permission or a letter from management. Some say I am performing and must have a licence. None seem to care that my first amendment right to free speech guarantees that I can paint a picture.

So I was shocked by the friendly and helpful manner of the HCC security!  He asked if I needed something or was looking for something.  I showed him the work I had done so far and said that I was hoping to finish painting the picture of the building. I told him I came late Saturday afternoon because I knew then I would not be in anyone's way. He was very kind and admired the unfinished painting. We spoke for a few minutes about the building and my painting then he wished me good luck with my art and wished me a nice day before he went back to his patrol. I think the pleasant encounter set me in a good mood and I think it had a positive effect on the atmosphere of my painting.

Obviously customer service is a high priority of the HCC staff. I will come back and paint more!

I had a good couple of hours of painting before the daylight shifted too much, but except for a little touch up when I got home I finished the painting.

Hickory Ridge Building at HCC,  

I know that I left off the signage that said HICKORY RIDGE BUILDING. I just did not feel I could do the lettering well.  The building is distinctive without the wording on the top.

Size is 7.5 inches by 11 inches. Medium is watercolor. Finished July 25, 2015.

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Thank you for visiting my blog. 
I hope you enjoy my art. 
If you want to see more just choose from the labels or the favorites in the sidebar. 
Adron


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(C)Adron Dozat

Painting of the Old Church in Columbia MD

Painting of the Old Red Church Building in Columbia MD. I started to paint this on location and returned a few times to work on it I finished it in my studio. I had it on my wall over my easel for inspiration for a long time. It is listed for sale because I want to paint another one. The colors are dramatic and the scene is inviting. 

Price is $240.00. Contact me if you want to arrange to see this in my basement studio or if you want a quote on shipping.

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Thank you for visiting my blog. 
I hope you enjoy my art. 

If you want to see more just choose from the labels, or use the search box, or the favorites in the sidebar. 
Adron



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