Marlene Steele paints in and around Cincinnati, Ohio, where industrial pollution and constant construction create a distinct atmospheric condition — particulate accumulation in the air that affects light and color in ways most landscape painters never contend with. “One realizes that western and northwestern weather patterns begin to impact the light late in the morning,” she says, “and definitely by noon.” Skies shift from robin’s egg blue to overcast with regularity, making it essential to establish significant color notes early in the painting process.
Her Go-To Pastel Stick: For the sky transitions that define this urban landscape — deeper overhead, lighter and more brilliant in the distance — Steele favors Rembrandt Ultramarine Light 505 to capture the distant chip of sky in her compositions (seen in AirWorx as the deepest piece of sky lower right). “I always select the ‘almost’ perfect value or shade in the early stages,” she explains, “giving me value adjustment options for the largest shapes and a high-value range for the lightest lights.”
Her Surprising Color: Industrial scenes demand a particular kind of accent: the safety vests and helmets worn by workers on construction sites. “They need that special pop of candy color that brings the compositional focus together,” she says. For this, she keeps Jaune Citron [lemon yellow] and a variety of bright oranges close at hand.
