"Marsh Sunrise" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas

"Marsh Sunrise" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas, framed

I got up very early to catch the sunrise in Newburyport, MA.  The light changes rapidly so I painted furiously as the sun rose above a thick bank of clouds.

I had prepped my canvas with a thin layer of pink, acrylic paint.  I allow the pink to show through at various points to give a uniform look but also add a pop of color here and there.

Since I knew time was of the essence, I started by painting the clouds near the horizon and then painted the mid-sky area.  Next I blocked in the distant shoreline and worked my way around to the foreground.  I then filled in the water and the top of the sky.  The last thing I added was the sun peeking through the clouds.

When the color yellow is placed next to purple, it tends to vibrate and appear brighter.  This is true for any colors placed next to their complement (the color that sits across from it on a standard color wheel: yellow & purple; red & green and blue & orange).  I didn't have to fabricate the purple next to the yellow as this is how the sky appeared at that time.

The sunrise was incredibly beautiful and I was so glad I got to experience it!

Just a reminder that I will be giving a painting demonstration at the PCA on October 13.  Click here for all the details.  Hope to see you there!

"Marsh Sunrise" is an 8 inch square, oil on canvas painting presented in a wood floater frame (more photos are below).  You can purchase it directly from me by clicking here.