Trees Along Lake Ontario

Trees Along Lake Ontario
Watercolor, ink, and pencil on paper
8"x10"
Chris Breier © 2017

That small strip of blue along the horizon is Lake Ontario. According to Wikipedia "Ontario" means "Lake of Shining Waters" in the Wyandot language. I find that it's impossible to capture the massive scale of the lake in a small two dimensional painting. Lake Ontario is 53 miles wide, 192 miles long, and it's the 14th largest lake in the world. It's so large you can't see the Canadian side of it, although if it's a clear day with low humidity you can see the top of CN tower in Toronto. In this painting I focused more on the landscape of the park and used the lake as a backdrop.

Trees at Krull Park

Trees at Krull Park
Watercolor and pencil on paper
8”x10”
Chris Breier © 2017

A hot and sunny afternoon. Some local peaches. Stopping at a local popcorn stand. An afternoon of free time at a serene park by the water. What more could you ask for? It’s these simple pleasures that I enjoy most and it’s often the subject of my art. Sometimes I paint on location but I also take photos so that I can work in my studio. When I paint a scene I not only get to enjoy it while I’m working on it, but also when it’s hanging on the wall. When I hang it on the wall it gives me a boost whenever I glance at it.

Watkins Glen

Watkins Glen
Pen and ink, and watercolor on paper
8”x10”
Chris Breier © 2017

Watkins Glen is a great place to visit during the summer. I like to eat lunch by the water and then take a boat tour of Seneca Lake. This drawing is of the boats docked at the marina. I used pen and ink for the drawing and then applied washes of Payne's Grey watercolor. I used the Payne's Grey because it has a slight blue tint which I thought would be more interesting than the neutral gray that I get from ink.

Red Maple

Red Maple
Watercolor and ink on paper
8"x10"
Chris Breier © 2016

I was taking a stroll through the woods this past fall and most of the foliage was various shades of yellow and orange, but when I turned the corner I was confronted with this bright red maple tree–the color was extraordinary. I took a couple of reference photographs to paint from and I played around with different compositions. I settled on positioning the path so it would curve around the trees in the foreground and lead right to the red maple tree. Below are some photographs of it at various stages of completion. The original painting is for sale.

Porch

Porch
Watercolor on paper
5" x 7"
Chris Breier © 2016

This past summer I took a road trip to Canandaigua, New York with my brother. We ate lunch by the lake and then visited Sonnenberg Gardens. It was hot and I was feeling tired. We were exploring the gardens when I spotted a set of rocking chairs on the porch and headed straight for them. After rocking in the chair for awhile I noticed there was a patio set around the corner that looked even more comfortable.

"We should do a painting here!" I said to my brother as I plopped down in the comfy padded chair and pulled out my drawing supplies. Yes, I admit it, the motivation for this painting was to sit down and enjoy cool breeze in the shade. While we were painting, a volunteer was playing the piano in the living room inside the mansion, she played a number of classical pieces such as Beethoven's Für Elise.

DeLorean with the gullwing doors open.

When we were picking up dinner at a local Wegmans, I noticed there was a car show in the parking lot. I spotted a DeLorean and I stopped by to take a look. I took a few pictures but I didn't get a chance to talk to the owner, I think the trilogy "Back to the Future" creates a lot of attention for him. People were probably asking him about flux capacitors or how many jigawatts he needed to get back home!

The original painting is for sale.

The engine compartment of a DeLorean

Watercolor: Heat Wave

Heat Wave
8" x 10"
Watercolor on Paper

The temperatures are more tolerable now that it's mid-September. This summer has been the hottest summer I have ever experienced. Whenever it gets hot and humid I like to escape to Olcott where I can relax by the water and cool off. I'll often drive out there with my brother on the weekends. We packed a lunch and spent the day relaxing by the lake. Before we left, we stopped by the marina to take some photos of the boats. I enjoy the sounds of the water and the seagulls, I think it's because I associate it with warm weather and summer fun. While the heat can be uncomfortable, it won't be long before the temperature drops down to single digits and then I'll wish it was "scorching hot" again! You can watch me paint this in the YouTube video below. The original painting is for sale.

The Steel Factory

The Steel Factory
Watercolor and ink on paper
5" x 7"
Chris Breier © 2016

I recently started a series of abstract watercolor paintings. While I will definitely continue working representationally, I enjoy working in different genres because it helps me to learn.

I couldn't think of a title for this painting so I posted it on my Facebook page and asked for help. Steven Strenk came up with the title "The Steel Factory" because he says it has on an industrial feel to it. We both also agreed it looks like Marcel Duchamp's "Nude Descending a Staircase," minus the nude... and the staircase. The original painting is for sale.

Wilson Marina

Wilson Marina
8"x10"
Watercolor on paper
Chris Breier © 2016

The original painting is for sale. My brother and I spent the day at Wilson Marina working on paintings. At the end of the day we were going to head over to Bye's popcorn stand where they sell popcorn and caramel corn. It's a small white wood shack in the front yard of a house where they sell popcorn, it's very similar to a produce stand. We've been going there since we were kids. But first, I insisted that we stop at the boat harbor to take some pictures because it was "Golden hour" where the colors and shadows are dramatic.

I painted this in one session in my studio. You can watch the entire process on YouTube, the video is below.

Tree Study

Tree Study
Ink, pencil, and watercolor on paper
5" x 7"

The original painting is for sale. I worked on this study of a tree while I was having the brakes repaired on my car. I don't like sitting around in the waiting room mindlessly watching television, so whenever I have my car worked on I bring my watercolor supplies with me. I handed my keys to the mechanic and immediately bolted out the door to look for something to make a painting from.

This tree was on a walking path not too far from the shop. I began sketching it with a micron pen, and once I was happy with the drawing I used a brush pen to thicken up up some of the lines. When I added the water to the drawing the ink began to run a little bit but I think that made it look more interesting. I started with the color of the sky and when that was dry I added the color of the branches.

A few runners and walkers passed by me while I was working on this painting. They probably thought I was nuts, most people don't encounter artists drawing outside. I once had someone ask me if I was taking a survey. I think it's because I'm holding a board and it looks like I'm writing things down. This happened at Canandaigua Lake and I jokingly said "Yes, I'm counting how many boats are out on the lake today!"

The January 30 in 30 painting challenge is complete!

A sample of the 30 paintings
that I posted over the past month.

This is the second time that I've participated in the 30 in 30 painting challenge. I had a lot of fun with the subject matter, I even painted a vintage bicycle and a lighthouse. I appreciated all of the encouraging comments on facebook and my blog. To continue to see my paintings follow this blog or follow me on social media (Facebook, Google Plus, Pinterest, and Flickr).

Krull Park

Krull Park
watercolor on paper
8”x10”
Chris Breier © 2015

The original painting is available. Painting outdoors can liven things up when I get tired of painting indoors, and this was definitely one of those occasions. I had my easel set up and I was mentally absorbed in the painting process when I heard a loud “thump” directly behind me. I assumed it was a tree branch but when I turned around I saw a startled squirrel on the ground. He was a little winded and sat there for a few seconds before scurrying back up the tree. I’m glad I didn’t set my easel up a where he landed! I looked up and I noticed the first branch on that side of the tree was at least 30 feet high. According to science squirrels can survive falls from great heights.

Amherst Bike Path

Amherst Bike Path
8”x10”
Watercolor
Chris Breier © 2015

The original painting is for sale. The Amherst Bike path has miles of paved trails for walking and riding bikes. I wanted to capture the look of a hot and humid summer day. I accomplished this effect by making the trees in the distance lighter and more blue than the ones in the foreground which is commonly referred to as “atmospheric perspective.”

Boatyard, Olcott NY (SOLD)

Boatyard, Olcott NY
8”x10”
Watercolor
Chris Breier © 2015

It was particularly hot on the day that I took the reference photo for this painting. Every time I visit, I notice this sailboat sitting in the same spot and I wonder if anyone takes it out on the water.

I was pleased with how the sky turned out, I painted clean water onto portions of the sky and then painted “wet into wet” to achieve the soft color transitions in the clouds. Foliage can be a trap; it’s better to represent the leaves with broad brush strokes with rough edges instead of trying to paint each individual leaf.

Main Street Canandaigua

Main Street Canandaigua
Watercolor
8”x10”
Chris Breier © 2015

The original painting is for sale. It was the thin slivers of alternating shadows and sunlight that first caught my attention when I was walking down Main Street in Canandaigua NY. The buildings in this area are historic and they contain a lot of interesting shops. As I was walking I noticed painting in the window of an art gallery and spent a few moments contemplating how the artist painted it.

This painting was challenging because there was a lot of detail in the original scene. I placed most of the emphasis on the sidewalk and the shops on the right. I was tempted to add more detail to the cars but I realized that would be a mistake because they would compete with the rest of the painting.

Newfane Marina

Newfane Marina
8”x10”
Watercolor & Gouache
Chris Breier © 2015

The original painting is for sale. I’m pleased with how the clouds turned out in this painting, even if I did get a few spatters on them. Would you believe me if I told you those are birds? Anyways, the sun was at low angle and the bright white of the boats created nice reflections in the water.

Grain Elevators

Grain Elevators
Watercolor (QOR watercolor on Arches Rough)
8" x 10"
Chris Breier © 2015

Bid on the original painting.
These grain elevators are a popular landmark in Buffalo NY. The white silos are a part of General Mills and the buildings in the foreground belong to a boatyard. What you can't see is that the canal in between them–grain would be shipped by boat through the Great Lakes to the mill to be processed into cereal or flour.

The blue shadow on the grain elevators is from the Skyway.

Click "Read More" below to watch the YouTube video time-lapse of me painting this.

Buffalo Waterfront (SOLD)

Buffalo Waterfront

5"x7"

Watercolor on Strathmore watercolor paper, cold press

Chris Breier © 2014

I took the reference photo for this painting from the observation tower at the Erie Basin Marina. The large building has changed names over the years. It's currently known as "One Seneca Tower."The building in the center of the painting is a condominium known as "The Pasquale at Waterfront Place." I enjoyed painting the different textures and reflections created by the glass.

This painting started out as a pen and ink sketch that I drew without making a preliminary pencil drawing. This makes for a looser sketch where there may be multiple lines describing the same shapes. The line drawing is what creates most of the detail and this allows me to focus mostly on color when I get to the painting stage. You can watch me paint this in the YouTube video below.

If you like this painting you might be interested in my other watercolor paintings.

The YouTube video of this being painted below.

Glen Falls, Williamsville

Glen Falls, Williamsville
Watercolor on Arches 140# rough watercolor paper
Chris Breier © 2014

Glen Falls is a popular destination in Williamsville NY. Some paintings can become a struggle but this one was a lot of fun to paint. I started it off with wet into wet washes which creates softer edges and allows the colors to bleed into each other. I also incorporated some spatters in the foliage and for the highlights on the water. I used QoR watercolors on Arches Rough 140# watercolor paper.

The YouTube time lapse video of this being painted is below (click "Read More"). 

The original painting is for sale

If you like this painting you might be interested in my other watercolor paintings.

QOR Watercolor Sample

I requested a sample from Golden for their new QOR watercolors so that I could have some fun and make a painting with them. The sample kit contains the 6 colors listed below and a small square sheet of watercolor paper to try them out on.

Watercolor Demo - Small Boat Harbor

“Small Boat Harbor”
8”x10”
Watercolor on Arches Rough watercolor paper
© 2014 Chris Breier

You can watch me paint this in the time-lapse video at the bottom of this post.

This painting is of the NFTA small boat harbor in Buffalo NY. I've been trying out the new QOR watercolors made by Golden Paints and I like them so far. The colors that I used in this painting are: