We are officially in Spring (Late March). However, the transition from dead mud to new growth is bearing upon us. For many weeks new colourful growth in the trees has been evolving. The dogwoods have been bursting with reds and oranges. However, the fields overwhelm those colours now that the snow has all but disappeared.
Scotsdale Farm, Overcast and .......
Although this overcast condition is a challenge (to make interesting) I prefer to avoid that situation when outside. Now tomorrow, it will be a sun situation. The local colours will be that same dreary mud, but one can work with the light effects of the sun on those local colours given the seeing lessons learned from block studies. I'll do that in the morning. This is very different from tonal painting which most people do. In the mean time, I recently avoided the mud by using reference from the Fall and working in the studio.
Searching for Trout, 42x42, Oil on Canvas
Last November a group of us painted on a sun lit day in the Hockley. The land owner took us through a stand of bush to his pet trout pond. You would never know it is there. I did a small (12x12) of this painting and I also had the painting done of the valley in front of the pond for colour and time reference. This larger version was done from those references. The challenge was to catch the light effects on the local colour while not fussing over the detail of the ground cover. The detail is inferred as opposed to rendered.
The painting was done with #14 and #20 bristle filbert, and a #16 bristle flat. The six sides of the brush were used for the thin lines as well as negative carving. I use the biggest tools for the job in most situations.
The palette consisted of Ultramarine Blue, Viridian, Mineral Violet, Alizarin, Cadmium Yellow Light, Cadmium Yellow Deep, and Titanium White.
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