Elles Tobacco Planter

"This is an old 2-man tobacco planter. I love the rusted metal, peeling paint, and the faded lettering "Elles" on the boxes which held the tobacco plants. The owner, my friend Mitch, has this parked alongside the long driveway into his farm. He checked the records of his father-in-law, who had purchased this equipment used many years ago, and learned that it was re-painted after he bought it. However, when the name was stenciled on, it was misspelled as "Elles" instead of the original manufacturer's name "Ellis." I love those little details which make certain subjects so unique.

I struggled with how to compose this painting; the actual setting is very busy visually - piles of leaves and lots of trees. I wanted the machinery to be the focal point, not to be lost in the woods. Finally it occurred to me that by creating a winter scene, with a bit of snow on the ground, I could use the white areas to contrast with my main character. Also, by inventing a landscape with a distant mountain view and just a few trees, I could create more of a story.

For this painting, I wanted to do a lot of blending of colors, much of it right on the paper, and I chose a rainbow palette of eight watercolor paints: Winsor Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Yellow Deep, Vermillion, Permanent Red, Burnt Sienna, Cerulean, and Indigo. Note there were no green paints in my chosen palette, even though the main subject, the tobacco planter, is green. I wanted to mix all my greens, and create variety and interest this way."