Winter Island Lighthouse painting, an oil pastel painting of the lighthouse at Winter Island, Salem, MA.

Winter Island Lighthouse Painting Seascape

The inspiration for the Winter Island Lighthouse painting was this photograph taken at Winter Island, Salem, MA.
The inspiration for the Winter Island Lighthouse painting was this photograph taken at Winter Island, Salem, MA.

Winter Island Lighthouse Oil Pastel Painting

This Winter Island lighthouse painting was painted with oil pastels on Crescent No. 205 Hot Press Illustration Board. The photo on the left is of the same view of  Winter Island Lighthouse in Salem, Massachusetts. In fact it was used as a jumping point for the painting.

In the center of the composition breaker boulders jut out to meet the incoming tide. Uniquely the piled stones reflect the orange light of the sunset. In fact some do so vividly they resemble inlaid jewels. While sand, shells and rocks have been transformed into something glittering and magical. Adjacent to the shore the intense blue water appears to ripple and move with the current and wind.

Dynamic Oil Pastel Painting Technique

In this painting blue and orange are the foundation colors. Opposite to each other in the color wheel, when used together can create a vibrant work of art. Oftentimes the use of complimentary colors will create striking optical effects. However, here the full saturation of the blues in the ocean is offset by the muted tones chosen to render the beach and clouds. Therefore the resulting painting is well balanced and not visually jarring.

Painting Sections Receive Different Considerations

Indeed the composition is tranquil yet dynamic; balanced and full of vitality. Generally speaking the painting is broken out into 3 sections; rocks and shoreline, ocean, and sky. Hence the artist gave each section a different treatment.

Chiefly the use of softly blended colors give the sky a dreamy quality. While the water underneath the surface of the waves appears to move. Interestingly this effect was created by blending many layers and shades of blue pastels. At times washes of turpentine were used to smooth the color out. But more often this was achieved by rubbing the pigment with a clean rag. Alongside some of the rock formations have crisp with hard edges. Whereas in the foreground small rocks and shell fragments have been worked together into an abstract pattern. As can be seen curves of the shoreline lead the viewers eye to the horizon and mimic the rhythm of the waves.

About This Winter Island Lighthouse Painting:

Title: Winter Island Lighthouse

Medium: Oil pastels on Crescent No. 205 Hot Press Illustration Board

Size: 24″ x 18″

Framed Size: 25-1/4″ x 19-1/8″

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