Latest Painting

"New Life" 

                                      

 

This painting focuses on a late afternoon  scene in which the light is rich in warm colors. The sky is dramatic with clouds reflecting the glow of a setting sun. The key elements in the scene are the  mother cow and her new calf. The scene illustrates the peace and quiet nature that I really like to capture in my work. Colors are luminous to depict the suns dwindling light at days end. Below are a few steps in the development.     

 

 

 

Very early stage sketched in placement of the dominant elements and added raw umber color to the foreground.

 

I created a small study as you can see here prior to beginning the larger painting you see in the background. The size proportions are different because after I completed the study I thought I needed a more panoramic scale to convey a more dramatic sky.  

 

The first layering of background colors are painted in loosely. The cows are added in as well to begin getting a sense of scale. 

 

In this stage the painting is near completion. The primary area of work is the foreground. The detail in the foreground must be rich in color and detail to bring the viewers eyes into the painting and maintain a strong interest with the composition. Textures are being applied through the brush strokes to add interest and depth.