EVOLUTION OF A PAINTING

This is the beginning when you place that panel on the easel for the first time. I like to paint on a masonite board that has been prepared with 3 coats of Gesso (primer). This gives the painting a strong base for the oil paints to bond to. It also is the type of surface I prefer to paint on. This panel is 24" x 30".

This image shows the "block in" stage. Here you rough in the big areas on the panel. You then review the piece for composition, design, and adjust the values (lights and darks) before you proceed. I prefer to paint this in with the Yellow Ochre color. The luxury of painting versus photography is it allows you to "move that tree" to improve the layout of the piece. I have never had a problem with a power line or a house in a painting.

You then start putting in the general areas of color, with special emphasis to your "lightest lights and darkest darks". This allows you to focus on your range of colors within the piece. I also start from the background of the painting and work forward.

After the big areas of color are added, I start adding the detail to the trees and brush in the area of the trees.

After the basic images of the trees are done, I then rough in the water color to be assured that the color harmony remains in the piece. You will notice that the closer the object is, the more detailed and straight edged it becomes.

I continue by adding color to the water. I also begin muting the trees, as the leaves would hide a portion of them. It also gives the piece more of an impressionistic feel. I enjoy making the eye of the viewer adapt as it looks at and through the painting.

Here I have added some rocks to the water to break up the vast area within the painting. I also added blue to the water to allow the eye to travel back into the painting. I added a yellow cloud over the hill in the background to break up that hillside area.


After many hours - the finished painting and a happy collector, which is always the goal.