RUNDLE MOON-CANADIAN ROCKIES

I STEP AWAY FROM THE CANVAS, WALK AROUND MY STUDIO, THEN SIT IN A CORNER OF THE ROOM. AS MY EYES DANCE FROM PHOTOS TO BRUSHES AND FINALLY THE PAINTING, I REALIZE I AM DONE. THE FINAL STAGE OF THE PAINTING IS TO PUT MY NAME ON THE CANVAS. I STILL HAVE TO SEAL THE CANVAS WITH AN PROTECTIVE SPRAY, USE ARCHIVAL BLACK TAPE TO WRAP THE EDGES AND PUT THE HANGING WIRE ON THE BACK. BUT THE CREATIVE SIDE IS COMPLETE. I AM HAPPY WITH MY RUNDLE MOON PAINTING, CREATED FOR A SPECIAL PERSON.

RUNDLE MOON-CANADIAN ROCKIES

NEARING THE END OF THE JOURNEY WITH RUNDLE MOON, I PEN IN OUTLINES WITH BLACK PEN. THE SHARP EDGES MAKE THE PAINTING JUMP OFF THE CANVAS.

RUNDLE MOON-CANADIAN ROCKIES

NEXT COMES THE SECOND LAYER OF TREES, BRUSH STROKES IN A DIFFERENT COLOUR. JOHN PRINE, CROSBY, STILLS NASH AND YOUNG AND BILLY JOEL JOIN ME ON THE JOURNEY.

RUNDLE MOON-CANADIAN ROCKIES

TREES ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF THE EARTH. THEY GIVE US OXYGEN, SHELTER AND WARMTH. I PAINT IN THE FIRST LAYER WITH PAUL MCCARTNEY SINGING IN THE BACKGROUND.

RUNDLE MOON-CANADIAN ROCKIES

NEXT I ADD IN A MIXTURE OF GREEN AND PART OF THE SKY COLOUR. THE GOAL IS TO  DEFINE THE FOREGROUND OF FOREST BLANKETING THE MOUNTAIN.

RUNDLE MOON-CANADIAN ROCKIES

THE NEXT PHASE IS TO USE THE SAME MURKY, DARK MIXTURE FROM THE SKY AND ADD IT IN TO THE MOUNTAIN. THE GOAL IS TO MIRROR THE DARKNESS AND MYSTERY OF THE UNIVERSE AND PUT IT IN TO THE MOUNTAIN.

RUNDLE MOON-CANADIAN ROCKIES

MY FOCUS IS NOW ON THE MOUNTAIN AND THE FOREGROUND. I ADD IN THE COOL COLOUR OF COBALT BLUE TO BEGIN THE LAYERS OF THE MOUNTAIN. A PAINTING IS LIKE AN ONION. THERE ARE MANY LAYERS THAT YOU BUILD UPON, GOING FROM LIGHT TO DARK.

RUNDLE MOON-CANADIAN ROCKIES

WHEN YOU ARE PAINTING WATERCOLOUR ON CANVAS YOU MUST HAVE PATIENCE. NOT ONE OF MY STRENGTHS. THE CANVAS IS TREATED WITH A GESSO THAT ALLOWS THE PAINT TO STICK TO IT…..BUT IT TAKES A WHILE TO DRY. AFTER EVERYTHING HAS DRIED, I PEEL OFF THE MASKING LINES….THE STARS JUMP OFF THE CANVAS AND THERE IS A CLEAN, SHARP LINE BETWEEN MOUNTAIN AND SKY.
Robert Krysak

RUNDLE MOON-CANADIAN ROCKIES

The next stage of the painting is to go from light to dark. I let the colours collide with each other, wet on wet so they flow and travel toward the dark sky. While I’m painting I’m sipping on a glass of wine and listening to a mix I created of blue rodeo, sting, tragically hip, james taylor and many more.

HAPPY NEW YEAR-RUNDLE MOON-CANADIAN ROCKIES

Happy New Year.
A friend of mine commissioned me to create Rundle Moon after she saw a card I had from a previous painting I had done. Following is the journey of creating Rundle Moon. Enjoy.
Robert Krysak
The first stage of the painting is to do some soft pencil lines of the overall scene. I then use a liquid gum to outline the mountain to have a clean sharp edge between mountain and sky. You can paint over this once it dries and once you peel it off you have a sharp edge. I also dot in the stars and the moon