Joy Ride; the journey

Joy Ride  Oil  12 x 24"

"Golden Blankets"
9 x 12"
 Oil

 Last Fall when I was plein air painting in Rocky Mountain National Park, a couple of horses & riders actually rode through my scene of Hallet Peak and the surrounding mountains.   I quickly grabbed my camera to get a reference photo and knew this could be an amazing painting.  The Aspen Groves were in their Autumn glory and it was a perfect, sunny Colorado morning.
I was happy with the finished "Golden Blankets" with it's thick impasto oil and warm Fall colors but in the back of my mind I wanted to make a studio painting with the horses.  I decided to try gamut mapping to create the new scene.  Gamut mapping helps you make a more cohesive painting by using a limited pallet.  I decided ahead of time what portion of the color wheel I would use, then made some color swatches from it to use for another reference during painting.

This is the portion of the color wheel I used for this image.  I examined my reference photo and narrowed down the colors I needed to make a more cohesive painting.

Once I had my gamut mapped out, I figured out how to mix my primaries which were orange, green & blue.  All of the colors had to fall within the gamut map but I could add white and black.

 I asked my oil painting students if they wanted to try to learn gamut mapping and they were game so this was painted almost entirely in class.  Although this is a challenging way of painting, it's also a learning tool that most did great at and appreciated knowing how.  I am starting up my solvent free oil painting classes on Thursday mornings mid September.   I do currently have an opening if you are interested in joining us.

 You can see more of my artwork online: 
Facebook page (open to the public) 

fineartamerica.com    

(a variety of my work: prints and cards available)
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees)

marygiacomini.com

MGiacominiart.blogspot.com