Photo

This is the inspiration for the painting. The shadows are magnificent in the low winter sun. The following is a recreation of the steps used to create the painting which was originally painted plein air.

I've set up my palette and I am ready to paint.

Step One

I start by working in the background, keeping the paper damp. The sky is a mixture of cerulean blue at the base, cobalt blue at the top edge on a light wash of yellow ochre. The background trees are painted in between the foreground tree trunks. I use hookers green, balanced with alizarin crimson, as well as some raw umber in the dark spots.

Step Two

I work in the tree trunks with yellow ochre and cerulean blue. I edge the dark-left side with some cobalt blue, and wipe out some of the right-light side. I add touches of burnt sienna and raw umber.

Step Three

This is perhaps the most important part of the painting…the shadows. I work in darks near the base of the background trees. The foreground shadows are pure cobalt and violet, with some areas of alizarin crimson and yellow ochre nearest to us, for interest. At the same time I paint and wipe out the additional trees.

Step Four

Finally, I add in details, some burnt sienna shrubbery in the foreground, branches with some wipe outs, and more darks between the trees just above the snow. I also add more color to parts of the shadows. I add gestural brush strokes in both dark colors as well as Chinese white.

Final Work

This is the original work painted from my driver's seat studio in Brookdale Park.