niebruggestudio.com

At this stage in the Mendenhall Glacier painting I’m evaluating the values in the glacier, and am convinced that I need to darken the water to give the ice of the glacier more dominance. I’ll figure out how to make the green bushes with the lupine stand out against darker water later. One thing at a time. I want the glacier to really dominate this painting, so I’m going to try some changes. If they don’t work, I can always re-paint things the way they were before. This confirms what I said in yesterday’s post that there is no formula guaranteed for making a good painting, for me it is always trial and error and experimentation.

More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

In this close-up view of the Mendenhall Glacier painting I begin to add light values of color to the white space that is the glacier. This is the rough initial application, and many more layers of dots will be added before I’m satisfied. I think the water below the glacier needs to be darkened, and even though I lightened the water behind the foliage, I’m thinking I will darken it to give more “punch” to the glacier. My paintings go through many changes and revisions during the process. There is no standard formula for a successful outcome, it is more a trial and error process with many, many changes along the way.
More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, Landscape painting

This close up detail of the Mendenhall Glacier painting shows the many values of dark paint used to establish the shape of the branches in the small spruce tree as it is surrounded by the colorful blossoms of the wildflower lupine. Many, many shades of green dots make up the base layer of the foliage.

This detail shows new dots placed over the original dots in the water at the top. This layering process of dots over dots will continue until all the important shapes in the painting are defined.

Gail Niebrugge, Wildflower painter

At this stage of the Mendenhall Glacier painting I’m adding dots to the white spaces between the first layer of dots, using different colors. I’m still working in mostly mid-values, except in the areas between the branches of the tiny spruce trees in the foreground. Here I’m beginning to formulate the shape of the trees with darker dots. Sound confusing? It can be, especially when working up close. So, I take frequent breaks and observe the canvas from a distance of 25-30 feet. Doing this helps me keep everything in perspective. The glacier ice is still unpainted and will be the next area that I tackle.

More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska glacier paintings

Contrary to popular belief, the dots that I use to create paintings in pointillism, are not round, are not equal in size, and are not carefully placed. This close up of my Mendenhall Glacier painting shows the random placement and irregular size of the dots.

In this detail I realize that I need to lighten the water behind the purple lupine on the right side, or the flowers won’t stand out against the background. They are too close to the same value as the water.

More tomorrow,

Gail Niebrugge, Alaska landscape painter

Bob digging potatoes from the raised beds in our garden.

I’ve been painting non-stop for several weeks and watching out my studio windows for a day without rain to go to the garden and finish the harvest. All I’ve seen is steady rain, and the color of the landscape change from lush green to the gorgeous golds of fall. The thermometer is dipping as well, no frost yet, but we’ve been saved by the heavy cloud cover. Any day now it will clear, and with the clearing will come big frosts. So, yesterday I decided to harvest in spite of the rain. (more…)

At this stage I’m working to establish mid-values in dots throughout the entire canvas on the new Mendenhall Glacier painting. Since the glacier will be mostly light colored values, I’ve left it blank for the moment. Painting with dots can get confusing at this point, so many random strokes are covering up the loose sketch underneath that I’m really re-creating the image from my memory and intuition. The highlights and darks will be painted near the end. And detail will be left until the very LAST. Most students start with the detail first and then can’t figure out why the painting doesn’t flow and looks so stiff and tight. Forget the detail at this point, establish the values and the color patterns, and most importantly make sure the composition works.

Gail Niebrugge, pointillism painter

At this stage of painting the Mendenhall Glacier I started to layer dots over most of the canvas. Doing this will allow me to evaluate the total composition, and establish color values. I’m beginning with the mid tones, and will add the darks and lights after all the mid values have been painted.

Gail Niebrugge, pointillism painting

Photo of a large canvas with a pencil sketch of a view of the Mendenhall Glacier, Juneau, Alaska. I began by adding many different colored dots to the top of the canvas showing a section of the mountains above the ice field. At this point I think the colors of the distant mountains are too strong and don’t convey depth.

At this stage I’ve grayed back the colors in the distant mountain, and added more dots to begin to define the ridge along the left side of the canvas. Because of my experience when visiting the Juneau glacier last summer, I’ve chosen to show only a section of the ice field and include more of the foreground. It is a very people friendly area, and trails abound all along the edge of Mendenhall lake. Views of the glacier change depending on the trail.  Wildflowers are abundant all along the trails, and many birds are nesting in the area.  A truly beautiful place.
Gail Niebrugge, Alaska landscape painter

Herds of caribou quietly migrate each year through Denali National Park, Alaska, grazing, always moving, sometimes in a long line marching like soldiers on a mission. “Silent Travelers” an original painting is now available as a miniature digital ink jet giclee print on acid free paper printed with fade resistant inks, matted 8″x10″ with acid free silver gray black core and acid free backing, each print is hand-signed by the artist Gail Niebrugge, price $30.00 US. To order please click on this link, or call Niebrugge Studio (907) 746-3256.

Brown bears are common in Alaska, Gail painted this grizzly as it grazed on vegetation surrounded by the wildflower Cotton Grass. Titled “Cotton Grass Bear” this image is available as a miniature digital ink jet giclee print on acid free paper with fade resistant inks, matted with acid free silver gray black core mat 8″x10″, with acid free backing, each print is hand-signed by the artist. Price $30.00 US, call Niebrugge Studio to purchase please click on this link, or call Niebrugge Studio at (907) 746-3256.

“Perennial Favorites” depicts Mt. McKinley on a clear day in Denali National Park, Alaska, during July and August when the wildflower Fireweed adorns the tundra. This painting is available as a mini digital ink jet giclee print on acid free paper using fade resistant inks, matted 8″x10″ with acid free silver gray black core and acid free backing, each hand-signed by the artist, price $30.00 US. To purchase please click on this link, or call Niebrugge studio (907)746-3256.

Gail Niebrugge incorporated this design using Wild Iris and Alaska’s state flower Forget-me-not into a large outdoor mural 32′ long by 8′ high, located in Kawabe Park downtown Seward, Alaska. This original painting is now offered in a miniature digital ink jet giclee print on acid free paper using fade resistant inks, matted 8″x10″ with acid free silver gray black core and acid free backboard, each print hand-signed by the artist. Price $30.00 US, to purchase please click on this link, or call Niebrugge Studio (907) 746-3256.

The Matanuska-Susitna Valley, Alaska, is surrounded by glorious landscape; glaciers, rivers and mountains. The most recognized mountain, “Pioneer Peak” shown in the early fall is an acrylic painting by Gail Niebrugge, now available as a miniature giclee digital ink jet print on acid free paper printed with fade resistant inks. Matted 8″x10″ with acid free silver gray black core, with acid free backing, each print is individually hand-signed by the artist, price $30.00 US. To order please click on this link, or call Niebrugge Studio (907) 746-3256.

Sarah Palin, the new Republican Vice Presidential candidate, arrived home in Wasilla today and the security has noticeably increased. As we approached the Best Western at Lake Lucille last night for a “Welcome Home Sarah Rally”, the Alaska State Troopers were in full force.

Members of every kind of media were present, some had tents set up outside as shelter from the rain, others had big satellite trucks. It was amazing. (more…)

“Icy Calm” original painting of Alaska’s Mendenhall Glacier, Juneau, surrounded by the colors of October, tamed and docile readying itself to rest under a blanket of snow, waiting to come alive again in the spring. Offered in a miniature digital ink jet giclee print on acid free paper with fade resistant ink, matted 8″x10″ with acid free silver gray black core and acid free backing, hand-signed by the artist, price $30.00 US. To purchase please click on this link, or call Niebrugge Studio (907) 746-3256.

Beginning sketch by artist Gail Niebrugge, and the start of pointillism painted with acrylic on the background around the raven.

During my summer journeys to southeast Alaska I couldn’t help but notice that ravens were everywhere.  These birds are an important symbol in the native culture of southeast Alaska, and represent several legends, one is the legend of the sun.  The story simply tells about a time when sun was stolen and placed in a box and how a raven rescued the box using trickery and saved the sun.

Finished pointillism painting titled “Sun Raven” 10″x15″ acrylic painting by Gail Niebrugge.

I chose to place the dark, ebony colored raven against a brilliant sunny background of the wildflower Forget-me-not, to further emphasize the connection between the raven and the legend of the sun.  This is a relatively small painting for me, and small paintings are much harder to execute using the technique of pointillism.  I really like to paint big and plan a series of new larger works, but sometimes I need small things.  Hence, the “Sun Raven”.

Gail Niebrugge, Pointillism Paintings

For more than thirty years Gail has been researching, studying and painting the historic Kennicott Copper Mine located in the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska. The once decaying structures are undergoing stabilization for the enjoyment of future visitors. The painting “Kennicott;Stabilized” is now available as a miniature digital ink jet giclee print on acid free paper using fade resistant inks, matted 8″x10″ acid free silver gray black core with acid free backing, each hand-signed by the artist, price $30.00 US. To purchase please click on this link, or call Niebrugge Studio (907) 746-3256.

I love this quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson about art; “The sower may mistake and sow his peas crookedly; the peas make no mistake, but come up and show his line.” This is as true for art as is true for my garden. In art every line, brush stroke, color, or applied technique reflects the eye and ability of the artist. A line drawn with a heavy hand shows little sensitivity and is ungainly when compared to a line drawn while the artist is carefully observing and striving to create the “feel” or “essence” of the subject. And so it is with a garden. (more…)

Last week I spent almost two whole days at my desk doing various tasks on the computer, catching up after the long days away at the fair. My back ached, my neck was stiff and I longed to get back to the easel to paint. On the last day late in the afternoon I took a stretch break and went into my garden, an hour later with a bucket full of freshly picked peas, carrots and parsley I felt wonderful, invigorated, and relaxed. (more…)