The Magic of the Lamp

"Evening Tulips"
16 x 12, oil on linen
(c) Lesley Powell 2015

Following my struggles of the winter with paintings in the lamplight, I have continued to work on the subject. Something about the magic of the lamplight won't let me go. It's actually sort of fun to come across a challenge like this--one that that intrigues you and makes you want to work harder and learn more. This particular challenge has definitely sent me scurrying through my reference books to see how the great masters solved the problems involved. I think I am making progress in portraying the lamplit subject in a believable way--but there is more to learn!

"Inside, Outside"
12 x 12, oil on linen
(c) Lesley Powell 2015

I'm illustrating this post with some recent paintings in my lamplight series. I have been especially fascinated by the challenge of
painting a scene with two sources of light--both natural light from the outside, and indoor light from a lamp. The painting immediately above is an example of one subject with with two sources of light. 

"Reading Lamp"
14 x 11, oil on canvas
(c) Lesley Powell 2015

Wouldn't you know--just as we head into the longest days of the year, and Daylight Saving Time makes daylight hours even longer, I find myself drawn to paint indoor, lamplit subjects! Go figure.