Introducing Mount Rainier

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https://www.google.com/streetview/#us-highlights/washington-mount-rainier-national-park

Mount Rainier is iconic. It is part of the Washington landscape and the peak reminds me of Mount Fuji during summer. A simple check online tells me that this mountain is an active volcano and it has wildflower meadows. There is also a healthy and robust ecosystem in Mount Rainier.

This is how Mount Rainier actually look like from Google Street View.

Speed Painting

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My definition of speed painting is completing the entire painting including the research for reference online. This painting was completed within 60 minutes. If time permits, I am planning to do a time lapse video presentation of the entire process.

I like to capture the basic shapes and colour contour for the background. I gives me a 'frame' to work the entire canvas.

Once the background is done with the basic shapes. I fill in the basic colours and I look for the characteristic or identity of the subject. In this case its Mount Rainier and the icy glacier top is the iconic image that I must capture.

It is important to capture the essence of the image because it will form the identity of your painting. It is almost akin to a caricaturist trying to find a feature that they can accentuate. In my painting, the focal point which is also the identity of the drawing is the mountain. Although it is the backdrop, most effort is placed on it to give it the essence that it needs to give value to the drawing.

Once that is done, I play with tones and temperature. Temperature is important because it gives dimension to your 2D drawing.

Add more texture and small details. These small details will enhance the entire picture although on its own, it can be overlooked. But to an art critic, these details is what separates a person who merely draws from an artist.

This is the final picture. I add the subject for a sub focal point. It would be boring if Mount Rainier was the only subject. If I am to advice based on this piece of work, the 2 major aspect that will give identity to this painting is the glacier at the top of the mountain and the sky. The more dynamics is given to these two factors, the more remarkable this painting will turn out to be.

Kindly note that this is a painting created in 60 minutes. Given more time, the detailing would have been finer and more dynamics would be added to make it breathtaking.

Till then, you can always impress your friends with the speed. After that you can work on the details before hanging the picture in your living hall.

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