From this stage I started to paint in the background sky and cliffs. The paint was still a little tacky but I was able to lay the paint down on top without it scraping up the layer below.
It's a little slow going trying to copy down all the small angles in the sandstone wall, so much of it I simplified and tried to capture that bathed setting sunlight. It was just barely hitting some of the rocks as the cliff turned away from the light on the left side. As it stands now it will need some more work tomorrow; after I can see how the rest of the painting will affect it.
I then started to paint in the foreground sage and grasses, making sure to keep the tones dark and in the blue shades. This does seem to set off the background cliffs better with the contrast.
Next I made sure to keep the foreground grasses loose as possible with some pallet knife work. After looking at the sage I can tell I'll need to mass some of them together to form a darker element in the work. I do like the old pioneer cross there catching the last rays of light. If I were James Reynolds I would put in a cowboy with a horse paying his last respects. That would mean contacting some friends with horses and doing a photo session. That would change the entire painting with the human element in there and I'm not sure if I want that. Right now there is a solitary feel about it.
Richard Boyer
No comments:
Post a Comment