John Molnar Website

Starting with Photo Reference

Brebeuf Island is quintessential
Georgian Bay - weather-worn rock, erratic
boulders and windswept trees. Its lighthouse,
which is now a private cottage, was built in
1878 and once stood guard at the entrance to
the 30,000 islands. Unlike the Georgian Bay
of today, which is dotted with summer cottages,
the island was a place of hardship, loneliness
and isolation for the lighthouse keeper and
his wife. It was this sense of isolation that
sparked my imagination and drew
me to the subject matter. As a first step,
I flopped the photo because I wanted the
lighthouse to look out onto the Bay.
I then did a preliminary graphite drawing
and adjusted the perspective of the light beacon
to make it more prominent. I also moved the
outer islands back from the Brebeuf shoreline
to create a greater sense of isolation.

Intermediate Stage

After masking off the lighthouse and the
foreground, I laid in the sky with thin washes
of Ultramarine and Cobalt Blue. Then I
unmasked the lighthouse and applied
transparent washes of Phthalo Blue for the
water and rock, all the while continuing to
add detail with graphite.

Next, I built up different areas with
transparent glazes so I could retain some of
my underdrawing and graphite shading.
By applying thin washes of Zinc White over the
clouds and along the horizon, I was able to create
the illusion of atmospheric prospective.

Adding Texture and Detail

To add texture and detail to the painting and
to give it life, I scratched in the highlights for
the water, windows and the rivet seams on
the beacon with an x-acto knife until I got
down to the whites of the gessoed board.

The Finished Painting

Finally, I pushed back the horizon to establish
an even more remote feeling and emphasize
the harsh, yet beautiful reality of the Bay.
I lightened the sky area with Zinc White to
make it recede and seem more believable.
As a final step, I rubbed the whole painting
with a soft cloth to give it a sheen. Then
I airbrushed it lightly with an acrylic varnish
to bring out the water and even out the sheen.

Brebeuf Island Lighthouse
Casein on Masonite (24" x 48")


	Starting with Photo Reference Brebeuf Island is quintessential Georgian Bay - weather-worn rock, erratic boulders and windswept trees. Its lighthouse, which is now a private cottage, was built in 1878 and once stood guard at the entrance to the 30,000 islands. Unlike the Georgian Bay of today, which is dotted with summer cottages, the island was a place of hardship, loneliness and isolation for the lighthouse keeper and his wife. It was this sense of isolation that sparked my imagination and drew me to the subject matter. As a first step, I flopped the photo because I wanted the lighthouse to look out onto the Bay. I then did a preliminary graphite drawing and adjusted the perspective of the light beacon to make it more prominent. I also moved the outer islands back from the Brebeuf shoreline to create a greater sense of isolation. Intermediate Stage After masking off the lighthouse and the foreground, I laid in the sky with thin washes of Ultramarine and Cobalt Blue. Then I unmasked the lighthouse and applied transparent washes of Phthalo Blue for the water and rock, all the while continuing to add detail with graphite. Next, I built up different areas with transparent glazes so I could retain some of my underdrawing and graphite shading. By applying thin washes of Zinc White over the clouds and along the horizon, I was able to create the illusion of atmospheric prospective. Adding Texture and Detail To add texture and detail to the painting and to give it life, I scratched in the highlights for the water, windows and the rivet seams on the beacon with an x-acto knife until I got down to the whites of the gessoed board. The Finished Painting Finally, I pushed back the horizon to establish an even more remote feeling and emphasize the harsh, yet beautiful reality of the Bay. I lightened the sky area with Zinc White to make it recede and seem more believable. As a final step, I rubbed the whole painting with a soft cloth to give it a sheen. Then I airbrushed it lightly with an acrylic varnish to bring out the water and even out the sheen. Brebeuf Island Lighthouse Casein on Masonite (24" x 48")