I have posted three How I Paint entries so far, each time showing a step-by-step approach from the beginning to the finish of a painting.  Today I will take a shot to demonstrate a different possibility when painting from a photograph, that is, the power of imagination.

What I am going to show below is a result of an impromptu exercise: During a trip a while ago, I was cooped up indoors because of heavy rain.  A view from my room was not very inspiring, so I decided to paint, using the only photo that I had at hand (shown above) of an intersection on a main street in the town of Del Mar, California.  While I was painting, I started seeing mental images of this street in various conditions.  So I thought I’d see how many more different scenes I could paint using this photo as a design foundation.  I let it work my imagination – And did I have fun!  I continued painting the next day, too.

  My first attempt was more direct and more representational while I focused on capturing the atmosphere of this familiar sight (Del Mar is not far from where I live).

  Next I imagined what it might be like later in the day when long shadows connect all the shapes.

  A sunset time is when everything glows, so I put the warm orange on all the surfaces that receive the sunlight.

 After the sun sets, bright colors and details recede into the darkness.

Just because the photo is horizontal, a painting doesn’t have to be.  Here are two examples in the vertical format; one rainy day and the other mid-morning.

     

Throughout the exercise, my mind focused on depicting the feel of this town that is small, cozy, and laid-back.  Also inspired by the experiment, I made larger paintings, Del Mar 15th Street I and Del Mar 15th Street II, later in my studio.

I am not a 100% plein-air landscape painter, but I agree whole-heartedly what we can learn from the outdoor painting experience is immense.  That said, working in the studio makes more sense to many, including myself, for various reasons.

What is important is not what we capture in our photograph but what inspired us to take that photo in the first place.  With this in mind, we can let our imagination lead us so our creativity won’t become a prisoner of a photograph. 

Please feel free to send me your comment.  I enjoy communicating with you.

- Visit my website to see more California landscape paintings.