Arctic Day Trip Inspiration | Oil Painting Process
I visited Sommarøy in early March on an Arctic Fjords and Sommarøy Scenic Tour — a seven-hour day trip with plenty of photo stops along the way. We had lunch at the Sommarøy Arctic Hotel, where I had a delicious fish soup. This hotel would be a lovely place to stay and watch the Northern Lights.
We stopped at the beach before the hotel. It was still cold, windy, and the air was crisp. There was a small dusting of snow in places. Normally at this time of year, it’s usually a “snow on the beach” kind of experience. It was still a beautiful place.
Looking over the beach and seeing classic red buildings, listening to the gentle waves coming in — I knew I’d want to paint this once I was home.
I’ve always gravitated towards hyper-realism naturally. But something I’ve taken from working with watercolor, is to simply let go and express what I feel.
Now when I start a painting, I’m not trying to recreate the scene exactly as it was. It’s more about translating what I remember about it — the atmosphere, the color, and the overall feeling of being there. Some elements of realism naturally influence me, still.
This was one of the paintings that came easily to me. I mapped out a sketch with a blue ultramarine underpainting to get a feel for the composition. I knew that the red buildings and the trees were areas where I’d want the eye to land.
At this point, the colors start popping for me. I’m happy with the overall composition and feel of the painting. Everything feels natural, except for the cluster of buildings. I work on building depth in other areas, knowing it’ll come to me eventually.
Sommarøy was one of those places that stayed with me. I think that’s usually a sign it was worth painting.