While I often make small-scale studies and sketches, I rarely use them to create a finished painting. However, this year two different small studies led me to paint this larger, finished canvas. (Click on image to go to painting info.)

Over the past 20 years, I have painted many views of the Gowanus Canal for a few key reasons: the big open sky, a waterfront with old, interesting buildings along the banks, and quirky architectural remnants of the former transportation activities that the canal once served. And lately, the convenience of a lovely esplanade that is easily accessed by bicycle or car. Finally, there is a more existential attraction: knowing that this commercial/industrial tract is not going to be around much longer (NOTE: a massive re-zoning proposal for Gowanus was passed by the NY City Council. More on that here: citylimits.org and brooklynpaper.com.)

I have looked at this view many times, often when the sun was not making the scene quite this attractive. On two other occasions I had made small studies on-site of parts of the view with watercolors and oils, and my portable easel. Working on-site, from life is an intense, informative and exciting way to paint. Because the sun keeps moving, the light changes drastically over the course of 2-3 hours, causing shadow shapes and colors to slowly alter. It also forces me to make decisions quickly, and it takes a lot of self-control to stick with them. The best part is that it forces me to capture the most salient features of a view.

In 2018, I did this tiny oil study of the late afternoon sun striking the yellow building, making it seem to glow. I believe it was early autumn given the yellowed leaves of the trees on the left.

Then, this year, from a spot near where I painted a few years ago, I tackled the buildings a little further west with watercolors. Here I included the actual canal with its fantastic reflections in the water:

The small studies gave me a chance to get a grasp of the buildings - their shapes and how the light affects them - as well as how the nature has managed to push past the manmade stuff and re-asserted herself.

The last time I was there while painting the watercolor I took some photos, because I could see the possibility of a larger painting with a wider scope. I found a used canvas in my studio with an old painting I decided was not worth keeping, especially as it was the perfect size! I turned it upside down and put in the main compositional elements: the two banks of the canal and cloud shapes.

For this composition, I put more emphasis on the sky and clouds, and wanted to capture the way late afternoon light can make a scene more dramatic with less of it lit up by the setting sun. The small studies, which were both done in the late afternoon, gave me a visual record of how I experienced the scene, while the photos provided a reference for structural details. It ended up being a fun and rewarding studio venture.

I have a couple of other small studies that I might reconsider now for future studio projects.

Please leave any comments or questions below!