“Golden Hour” – professional watercolors from Daniel Smith, Winsor&Newton, White Nights, Roman Szmal on Saunders Waterford, cold press cotton paper, 300g/m, 26x36cm. 2024. Reference photo by Denise McQuillan.
Description
“Golden Hour” captures the brilliance of a forest in full fall color right before sunset, mirrored in the golden surface of a mountain stream on the Kancamagus Highway, New Hampshire, USA. The composition leads the viewer’s eye diagonally from the foreground rocks through the reflective water toward the dense stand of trees, creating a dynamic sense of depth and movement. The wet-on-wet technique is used extensively in the background foliage, where pigments of cadmium yellow, burnt sienna, and cadmium red merge seamlessly to evoke the soft transitions of autumn leaves. The blending of warm and cool tones — from fiery reds to deep greens — creates a vibrant tapestry of color and light. In contrast, the wet-on-dry method defines the rocks and streambed with crisp edges and controlled tonal variation. I used glazing to build the subtle grays and violets of the stones, capturing their solidity and the play of light across their surfaces. The dry-brush technique adds texture to the rock faces, suggesting the roughness of granite and the glint of sunlight on their edges. The water is rendered with remarkable luminosity through layered transparent washes. I employed horizontal brushstrokes to suggest the flow of the current, while the negative painting technique reveals highlights that mimic the sparkle of reflected light. The mirrored autumn colors in the stream are achieved through controlled glazing, where thin layers of warm pigment overlay cooler undertones, creating a shimmering, reflective effect. The composition is carefully balanced — the cool grays and blues of the rocks anchor the foreground, while the intense yellows and reds of the trees draw the eye upward. The interplay between solid and fluid forms, between texture and transparency, gives the painting both structure and atmosphere. “Golden Hour” exemplifies the expressive potential of watercolor — luminous, layered, and alive with movement — capturing the fleeting brilliance of a forest transformed by autumn light.
After purchasing you will receive the painting rolled in a cardboard tube, so that it will not be affected during shipping. No frame is included.
DUE TO THE DIFFERENCES IN MONITOR SETTINGS, COLOR MAY SEEM DIFFERENT IN REALITY THAN ON SCREEN.
© Olivia Checiu / oliviacheciuart.com
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