Sunday 6 May 2012

A winter scene in Samoens

Skiing Samoens Stage 1
 Here is what's been keeping me busy over the last ten days. You may think a snowy landscape in May is a little unseasonal to paint?  Let me tell you there was fresh snow on the tops of the fells today, the weather is certainly unseasonable! so painting this scene from my recent trip to Samoens is fine.
It's been a challenging view to paint, I was so struck with the sheer beauty, trying to capture it has not been easy and I'm not finished yet! But I do feel it's starting to get there! You may wonder how I know that?
Well I keep peaking at it and placing it in places where I can see where it's going! When it's not happening, it gets put to the back of the pile!
Starting with Stage 1 I blocked in lots of shapes and tried to get a rough composition, I laid in more dark colours, realising that I would paint more lighter shades on top. I also wanted to use negative shapes in the front trees.
Stage 2 
I struggled getting the distant tree shapes and the correct hue, but feel they look more realistic now.
Next came the trees in the foreground, I wanted to give the illusion of snow laden trees, I thought it would be easy using the palette knife, which was ok but didn't quite pull it together. What did help was using my colour shaper, this little piece of equipment was wonderful to help shape the Spruce.

With a four day course starting tomorrow in Grasmere I am hoping for none of the white stuff and certainly more of the Cobalt Blue!


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