Friday, June 28, 2013

Yellowstone Yellow Bus

While on my photography excursion to Yellowstone a couple of weeks ago, I crossed paths with a vintage yellow tour bus - so I snapped a couple of photos.  These buses, 8 of them, have been restored.  They originally ran in the park from the 1930's to the 1950's.  The White Motor Company created these buses originally modeled after their 1936 convertible limousine.  Yes, the buses are convertible. 

Anyhow, because I think these are very cool looking, and are such a great contrast to the beauty that surrounds them, they have to be painted.  So, here you go....some of the background is complete, and you'll notice I have penciled in the bus.  I don't like where I have located the bus, so check back in a few days to see where I slightly move it....
Thanks for checking in...Mark

Monday, June 17, 2013

Yellowstone National Park

Who out there has been to Yellowstone Park?  I hadn't been since I was about 8 years old...I remembered nothing.  So last week I flew to Montana to spend the week taking photos in both Yellowstone and also down to Grand Teton National Park.  My hope was to get some painting worthy photos.  Yellowstone is one of those places where if you trip and trigger your camera you'll still get a great photo.

For me, since I'm not a big fan of crowds, I got up real early each day and drove to my photography locations arriving before sunrise.  The idea being to give myself the best chance at seeing wildlife at the breakfast hour.  It worked.  When I arrived home a few days ago and uploaded my photos one of the first photos I took was in the Hayden Valley in Yellowstone at about 5am.  The sun was about a half hour from showing up, but the light was fantastic, and everything was in silhouette.  So, it's my first painting from the trip.  This painting is about as simple as a painting gets for me.  Again because the landscape and trees were in silhouette there is very little minute detail.  Basically the sky was the tricky part.  So, here you go....

Up next...another Yellowstone / Teton subject.  Thanks for checking in....if you have the time - go see Yellowstone!  Mark