Landscape Study: 2

Newest landscape study. This was based on a photograph that I took when we were on vacation at Webster Lake, New Hampshire.

Man! Do my trees need work. So, do the foliage in the front. I was having trouble with this due to the fact that I laid on too much paint for the underlying structure. Once that is done, alla-prima is difficult to get the bright lights and dark-darks placed on the painting.

The part that I do like about this is that you get the feel of the water moving and the distance is definitely apparent. Also, there is a sense of "energy" with the painting. In my eyes, I can see the movement of the water (which is the main goal that I was trying to create). Also, the shapes for each section are interesting and non-static.

Another fun part of this painting was that I tried painting with my palette knife. This was done to lay down some textured areas in the trees and to smooth out the water (before laying in the ripples). It was fun to do. It's kind of neat "swishing" the paint around to see what happens.

Since this is only a study and not for sale, there is a sense of freedom to just play around and not worry about the results.