“Working en plein air, I painted this bay in Bermuda near where we stay every year,” says William Rogers. “I go out with artist friends to various locations around the island to paint. I liked the rock formations here in Tobacco Bay and found a place to stand that gave me the best composition. I always modify the reality to make the best design and capitalize on the effect of the light to give my work a real presence.
“My usual method of painting landscapes outdoors is to take time to decide what to paint and how to design it in simplest form, sometimes using a sketchbook. I use a pencil to sketch in the composition outline and make a mental plan for the order of painting. I work light to dark but often, as I did here, I place a dark value early in the process to help establish my range of values. I used drybrush scumbling to create the sparkle on the water.”
“Mid-Day at Tobacco Bay” was awarded Best Plein Air Watercolor & Gouache in the September 2022 PleinAir Salon competition.
