Series - Locomotive - UP 2464 Fire Hydrant

"UP 2464 Fire Hydrant"
oil on panel, 2013
5" x 7" (12.7cm x 17.78)

Number nine in my New Locomotive Series.

For this series, at least early on, my aim is to feature the locomotive in its entirety, in profile and in its environment.
The challenge with that is its horizontal format. That means I have to find ways to counter the side to side emphasis by using verticals and diagonals.
The hydrant was used as a compositional device. It helps break up the foreground horizontal sweep of the otherwise simple vacate street. This is part of my experimenting with the series.

Lighting is another element I am experimenting with. Here I backlit the subject as I did in "UP 4343". The difference in this one as opposed to UP 4343 is the locomotive is under a subtle undefined shadow consistent with the windy, cloudy spring day and not receiving a direct hit of sunlight.
So while UP 4343 has a diagonal streak of sunlight to break up the simplified foreground this one has a strong vertical to accomplish the same.
The same can be said of the clouds in each. It is not by accident but by design. In UP 4343 I designed the light streaking through the atmosphere to echo the foreground diagonal. Here I dragged nearly vertical streaks to break up the horizontal band of clouds and make a better composition.

I have some others in progress for this series that are different formats and views and will begin posting those in the near future.285

Click the 'SERIES-locomotive' label to see all.

Series - Locomotive - UPY 2760

"UPY 2760"
oil on panel, 2013
5" x 7" (12.7cm x 17.78cm)

Number five in my New Locomotive Series.

This is a Union Pacific yard or a switcher locomotive on a bright sunny day.
These locomotives are used for breaking down trains, assembling trains or moving trains around, generally within a rail yard.

They are the railroads' version of a tugboat so they are built for their job; low-powered, low speed, high tractive effort, high torque. You can also see how its cab allows for 360 degrees of visibility to suit its tasks.
Not the romantic vision of streamlined trains whooshing through panoramic vistas.
They are strictly working class and get the job done with grunts and groans.(5)238

Series-Locomotive-UP 4343

"UP 4343"
oil on panel, 2013
5" x 7" (12.7cm x 17.78cm)

This painting marks the beginning of my new Locomotive Series available on DAILY PAINTWORKS.

Here are a couple of UP's in the light-filled late afternoon chugging through the Alameda Corridor.
The 4343 displays the earlier graphics before Union Pacific changed to the flag.
The characteristic cad red lightening bolt still remains.
So cool.(1)234

*Has anyone else noticed problems with the way images are now showing up on Blogger?
I drafted this post a couple weeks ago and noticed a decidedly poor image that uploaded to Blogger.
It used to be I had no problem with the image I photographed, adjusted when needed, and uploaded.
In fact it became routine.
I have adjusted this one three times, uploading different versions, and it still looks washed out and the colors are off, I still can't get a good QUALITY image!
I have some other posts drafted and they all look the same.


**I have updated this post with a 'fixed' photo. This is how it should have looked in the first place.

UP Yellow

"Union Pacific Yard"

"Union Pacific 8381"

 "Union Pacific Yard"

watercolor on paper, 2011

6" x 8" (15.24cm x 20.32cm)

For Sale at Daily Paintworks, CLICK HERE

"Union Pacific 8381"

watercolor on paper, 2011

6" x 8" (15.24cm x 20.32cm)

For Sale at Daily Paintworks, CLICK HERE

"Union Pacific Yard"  A simple watercolor broadly painted, large shapes. This view from across the street gave me the compositional device of framing the rail yard with fence, tree, pole and ground plane shadows, highlighting the bright yellow locomotives.

The "Union Pacific 8381" in the heart of the LA Harbor passing an industrial plant. Here is a great example of how the UP bright yellow locomotives stand out against the blues, silvers and grays of the harbor industry landscape as well as showing the gritty unglorified nature of industry without apology.

This is not a painting where the medium, in all its transparency, is celebrated. It is not flashy brush work. It is not pure vibrant colors that sing like a songbird.
It is the subject first. The medium takes a back seat. That inspiration comes from studying (and reading about) the watercolors of Edward Hopper who did not want the medium to overcome the subject, which he felt was more important and a notion I agree with.

This was done by applying the watercolor in repeated washes, more than is typical of the medium, and by scrubbing out then reapplying more washes, building a dense, solid almost inpenetrable wall behind the locomotive, which is placed low in the composition and establishes its place in the greater picture of industry. It is the engine in its environment, working, in the same way wildlife  artists might show a bull, an elk or a bear in its own harsh but true surroundings.146,147

Click on image for larger view

...Port in a Storm

"Union Pacific 4259"   SOLD
oil on panel, 2011
6" x 8" (15.24cm x 20.32cm)
Randy Higbee Gallery, randyhigbeegallery.com 

The 4259 headed into the port and right into an approaching storm, the last bit of sunlight illuminating the well worn bright yellow locomotive. I like the lightening bolt red stripe of the Union Pacific and that is what inspired me to portray the locomotive charging head-on into a storm.117

Click on image for larger view

Workhorse

"Union Pacific 8518"

oil on panel, 2009

5 x 7 (12.7cm x 17.78cm)

private collection

This first painting is one subject you will be seeing more of. A great subject, trains are still the workhorse of commerce even in this modern age of information. And of course trains can still be seen against virtually every landscape imaginable. Most of mine will be seen with industrial and the desert backdrops of southern California.1

Click image for larger view