Painting on thin ice
Posted: February 6, 2020 Filed under: Uncategorized 75 CommentsI’ve been going to this park near my house for years and years. I walk my dog there every day, I took my kids there when they were young, and I’ve done many paintings of the woods behind it. This year they did a big park reno, adding new play equipment and making the park more accessible to people of all ages. They moved one of the kiddie skating rinks to a higher place and added benches so parents can watch. I’m not complaining. It looks pretty good at sunset. Painted in gouache and watercolour, 15″ x 11″.
Shari Blaukopf's Sketchbook 
This is so lovely
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Thanks Beth!
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lovely Shari, love the rink highlights
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Thanks Jane. It was a challenge to figure out the ice, but a good exercise.
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Beautiful
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Many thanks Susan.
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Warms my heart! now for hot chocolate.
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If you were in Montreal today you would certainly need hot chocolate. It’s about -18C. Yikes. Alice and I froze on our walk.
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Si beau! Ca me donne des frissons!!
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Merci Gayle!
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So clever! That ice is amazing!
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thanks Robbie!
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Whoa! Magical! Love love love.
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Thanks Emily. It looks just like Florida, right??
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Haha! Maybe the sunny part, but that’s about it!
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Simply gorgeous. I use gouache often. I don’t think many know that if used thinly, it is similar to transparent watercolors. I don’t use it as an opaque. This painting just glows. And the warmth in the back is so perfect. This is one of your best, Shari.
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Thanks for this Judy. I use gouache both transparently and opaquely. I start with light washes and then the paint gets thicker.
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This is so excellent. Had to look twice to see if it was a photograph. The pond is wonderful. Love it
Cheers and thanks.
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Thanks for writing LaVerna. Much appreciated.
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My goodness, Shari…. How do you come up with the idea to represent ice this way – I feel cold just looking at it, lol. Simply beautiful!!
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Yvonne, I tested this out on a smaller study first to see if it would work. Then I did the bigger one. Thanks for writing!
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I keep staring at the ice, how awesome, there is now mistaking that it is ice. Thank you for sharing you art with us.
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Thanks Andrea. I’m glad the feeling of ice came through!
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Lovely work, Shari – Wish I was getting some ‘real’ winter weather, here in Pennsylvania, not even a drop of snow to be seen!
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Hilda, we had about 40 cm of snow yesterday. Come and get some of it!
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I wish!!! 🙂
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Gorgeous colors! I love the sunset and how it’s reflected.
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thanks so much Denise.
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I knew you were GREAT with snow scenes, but this combo of snow and icy pond is beyond GREAT, maybe best described as FABULOUS. Your work continues to inspire! Thanks as always for sharing.
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Ron, thanks for this. First time trying to paint ice. Glad you liked it!
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Wow! Wow! Wow! This is amazing, Shari! I absolute love the reflections!
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Thanks so much Pam!
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WOW!!! All I can say is wow!!!
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And I send a big thank you back!
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You landed a “triple axle” with this painting! Beautiful.
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Denise, thank you. No skates required!
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Those reflections are gorgeous!
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Many thanks!
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Only one word: perfection.
(Truly a masterpiece, imho)
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There are too many nice comments on this post. Yours is one of them.
Thank you Alison!
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I love the mood that you have created Shari; the rich late afternoon hues framing the skating rink brings back many happy memories of skating with friends at Clearpoint Park in Pointe Claire.
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Thanks so much Marion! Happy to help bring back those memories.
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I think this is your best reflection ever! Way to go Shari!
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Thanks Pat!
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My goodness this painting is so unbelievably perfect!!!
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So many generous comments on this post. Many thanks Hill.
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From someone that grew up near outdoor and indoor skating rinks this painting is just to die for. You you really captured something so beautiful and fleeting. I love it so much.
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Ooohh – I LOVE this one! 🙂
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Thanks Nan!
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Snow makes beautiful paintings. Much more that sun in Mexico! WoW! I just love it! By the way are you doing workshops in Montréal next summer as you did last year?
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Bonjour Nicole. Thanks so much! I am not sure yet about workshops in Montreal. I still have a few things to finalize for my summer plans and then I will decide about Montreal. I hope to do a few just like I did last year. I will let you know because you’re on my mailing list.
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I love this painting ! You have captured the sun on the ice so beautifully!
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Many thanks Theresa.
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wow wish i was there right now
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Really?? It’s -18C!
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That ice / water… just perfect!!!
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thanks Heidi!
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Oh my goodness I thought that was the photo of the park when I saw your painting this morning, wow beautiful work!!
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Thanks Tami!
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Takes me back a few years, I just want to ice skate on that pond with my 60 year old skates. It’s so beautiful.
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Thanks Carol!
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awesome, love the light play. looks as cold there as it is here, in northern arizona. thanks for sharing your amazing talent, beautiful!
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And thank you for writing Diane!
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Nice painting, I really like your reflections on the ice.
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Thanks Shawn.
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PERFECT!
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Thanks!
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I love the brushy trees and the reflection on the ice. The swirling patterns on the ice make it sing. And what a song. Welcome back to winter!
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Thanks Jeff. It was cold in Mexico — cold enough for a down jacket — but not as cold as Montreal, that’s for sure. Hope you are staying warm.
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Whoa, I wasn’t sure if that was a photo! I know art isn’t supposed to look like a photo necessarily, but it took me by surprise and I had to look twice.
Very beautiful and skilled, but looks effortless. I’ll be studying this one as I work on my own attempts to portray reflections.
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Thanks Betsy. It wasn’t supposed to look like a photo but sometimes paintings viewed on a small screen are deceptive. When you enlarge them you see the brushstrokes, but at first glance you might be fooled. Thanks for writing.
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Good Morning dear Shari,
The highlight of your sketch is the circular waves in the water with the reflection of the background surroundings.
I really loved this sketch and amazing.
Regards and blessings,
Uma
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Many thanks Uma!
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This is wonderful! I love the warm and cool colours together, makes it quite dramatic. Your rendition of the ice is amazing – and inspiring. I appreciate how you said that you test ideas out with a study first, as you did with the ice. By the way, your book is great, so easy to use and understand. Thank you!
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That’s photo-realistic and beautiful.
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