Thursday 13 October 2011

A moon halo and brown clouds

moon halo and brown cloud
watercolour double page spread sketchbook page 13x26cm
©2011 Lisa Le Quelenec 

Coming home last night from a trip to the supermarket and looking up I saw the most beautiful sight. The sky was an aqua/purple/blue with a full moon that had a many ringed and coloured halo. The most unusual thing, to me, was the edges of the clouds were burnt sienna with the main body a warm chocolatey brown/purple. It looked amazing, I don't think that I have seen  a night sky with so much colour in. By the time I had got home the sky had cleared of cloud and everything was back to normal colours.

It had been raining a very fine misty drizzle earlier and the evening was damp. I'm wondering if some of the warm colours could be explained by the light pollution of orange coloured street lights tinting the moisture in the air? I don't know the science of it but I can really appreciate the beauty, my poor little sketch doesn't come close.

6 comments:

Bruce Sherman said...

Hi there Lisa!... What a wonder-filled post!

Your combination of rich artistic expression and thoughtful insights and impressions make this post a rewarding look... and informative read!

When I "biggened" (HAHA! love that word)... your moon halo really had an ethereal and mysterious feel. I think it captured a feeling of wonder... your own, at least which moved you to share it with us.

Thanks for sharing... your wonderous moment!

Good Painting!
Warmest regards,
Bruce

Caroline Simmill said...

Wow Lisa your sketches remind me of a Turner! lovely washes and that burnt sienna is very Turnerish!

Lisa Le Quelenec said...

Hi Bruce thank you. It stopped me in my tracks, I'm glad that came across as wonder. I thought I might just sound like a crazy lady ;o) Have a great weekend.

Blushes... thank you so much Caroline... Turner is one of my heroes.

Anonymous said...

Hi Lisa, It was a glorious moon down here in Somerset the other evening too....also some amazing very early morning skies! Love your interpretation of this one. Lots of interesting granulation etc...is it smooth paper in your sketchbook or watercolour paper?

Unknown said...

Hi Lisa. I love the granulation in the washes too, and you've captured the halo superbly. Yes, we've had some fabulous moonlit nights recently haven't we? I just wish I could paint in the dark lol.

Lisa Le Quelenec said...

Hi Maggie, thank you. This was done in a cartridge paper sketchbook very quickly. I wanted to get down the impression it had made before I lost it. I think I might do a version on hot press watercolour paper just to see what happens. We've been so lucky lately with the glorious skies we have been having.

Hello Michael, thank you. I know I might sound like a loony but it's not as hard to paint at night as you would think when the moon is full. It will be a bit chipper now the temperatures are dropping at night but try it in the summer.