Day 12: A Watercolor Study and Final Painting

• Study (square): $75.00 plus shipping and handling. 
• Rocky Shores Watercolor Painting (vertical): $125.00 plus shipping and handling. 

If you are interested in purchasing this study or final painting please email me [email protected]

​There is something magical about the shoreline of this tranquil cove on the shores of Lake Superior near Copper Harbor in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I had taken a photo of this area several years ago, but I had the opportunity to revisit this beautiful spot two weeks ago. If you have a chance to visit its worth the trip. Make sure you have a lot of memory cards for your camera.

One of your stops has to be The Jampot. The scenery and wide selection of homemade jams, jellies and preserves and fresh bakery and fruitcakes are a spiritual experience. The Jampot is run by Catholic Byzantine Rite, and you can see their fantastic monastery north of the bakery on the shores of Lake Superior in the Keweenaw Bay. Watch this four-minute video produced by Under the Radar Michigan. At the end of the video the host said if you are looking for the heavenly stairway to jams and baked good than making a pilgrimage to The Jampot (MAP. ) All I can say is Amen.

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 Other stops include:

• Eagle River Falls & Dam 
• Just south of Copper Harbor is Brockway Mountain. You will find a 360° view of Lake Superior, the surrounding woodlands and inland lakes. 
• Copper Harbor, MI. If you want to extend your trip Copper Harbor is also the Gateway to Isle Royale National Park. The Isle Royale Queen IV takes visitors to the cherished island 50 miles away in about 3 hours.
• Keweenaw Mountain Lodge, U.S. 41, Copper Harbor, MI for a great lunch or dinner. They also rent out rooms and log cabins. They allow dogs for a small charge. 

Okay, now you know how I spent part of my summer vacation. Let’s talk watercolor. The first painting I put in a square format to see how the subject matter would work. The second painting I put in a vertical format to suggest a different proportion for the subject matter.

As you can see between the two not only the proportions of the frame but I changed trees along the shoreline. I find that the second version in the vertical format is much stronger a composition and also more pleasing to the eye. The rocks forming a curve near the front of the composition leading to the back leads the eye better. Simplification of the trees off to the right in the second painting allows the eye to pass easily towards the focal point. The first painting did not allow this type of movement. Also, handling of the trees on the right-hand side allowed a better mingling of shapes and values and colors.

In both paintings the colors used are in a limited palette: 6-colors:

• utramarine blue
• cobalt blue
• olive green
• raw sienna
• burnt sienna
• glazes of cobalt violet

Size: 

• Study (square): 8-1/2” x 9-7/8”, Arches 300 pound hot press 
• Rocky Shores Watercolor Painting (vertical): 12” x 7”,  Arches 300 pound cold press 

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