Stop & Gas

Stop & Gas
5" x 7"
Gouache on Fabriano Artistico watercolor paper cold press
Chris Breier © 2015

This painting was inspired by James Gurney’s gas station contest. The rules of the contest state that it has to be painted in Gouache using only Black and white; no other colors can be used and it has to be completed entirely on-site. Gouache, which rhymes with “wash,” is an opaque watercolor.

I had trouble finding a gas station that I could get excited about but then I spotted this retro gas station when I was driving to Lake Ontario. I laughed out loud when I saw it because it was exactly what I was looking for. The arches and the V-shaped roof add a lot of character to the building. I pulled over to figure out which angle I should paint it from but then I decided to paint it on the way home. I continued on to Krull park to do some plein aire painting and to have lunch. I managed to complete two paintings and I took a number of reference photos to work from in my studio.