View from the Mountain

Camels" Hump from Stowe, VT pastel 4' X 6"

New England is filled with numerous mountain ranges, seperated by spectacular valleys. Eventually my hiking explorations lead me west into New Hampshire and Vermont. I stayed in Vermont for two years working at the ski resorts in the winter and on a farm during the summertime. Both occupations were good for taking a little time to view and study the mountains. However, if I wanted time to explore the surrounding countryside, I had to wait for my day off, when I could take my pastels and watercolors and head out into the forests.

View from the Long Trail pastel 10" X 12"

In my opinion painting from the mountaintop is a worthwhile investment of time.
All you need is a backpack, some good hiking boots, lots of drinking water and whatever art supplies that you deem necessary for the excursion. I prefer the pastels such as oil pastels or soft pastels, as you can work directly into your sketchbook without having to use water or any other medium for that matter.

Once you have made it to your lofty perch, the main obstacle you will have is to begin work on your drawing or painting. It is best to allow for a lot of time on the summit, so you can spend ample time taking in the view. Upon commencement of the actual piece, there will be many interesting aspects of painting that one will encounter. The most noticeable are the changing color hues of the distant landscape and getting the proportions correct on the landforms.

View from Pleasant Mtn. oil pastel 8" X 10"

Once you have launched yourself headway into the painting process, the challenges and rewards will be many. Most noticeable will be the wide range of color changes that the image goes through as your eye progresses from the brilliant greens and yellows of the foreground to the the deep blues and purples of the background. The result is definately worth the effort.