More tree fun with oils

Tree Paintings

Notes From my Tree Journal

I've been enjoying painting the fields with new color and tiny wildflowers blooming everywhere. it is the perfect time to be out studying trees. The color is that impossible shrieking green that is so beautiful on site, but so deadly for a painting. It looks fake and unnatural if you try to duplicate it. I have learned to be judicious about overdoing the intensity of color in the spring.

I like to use the following to neutralize greens:

cad orange

yellow ochre

Naples yellow

ivory black

cad red light

raw umber

red oxide

Just a touch of the above will tone it down a bit and make it more manageable. Here is to spring and green!!

A commission

Painting Commissions

Notes From My Tree Painting Journal

I finished this 40x60 commission this week. It was a good challenge for me because the palette is not what I usually do for tree work. The client has teal colored leather sofas and wanted the painting to be in harmony with their furniture. The challenge was coming up with the right mixtures to give it the colors that would create interest but not stray too far from the initial ideas for teal. The clouds were very important to the client as well as the teal color. They wanted a subtle, soft painting so I did not get caught up in a lot of detail in the grasses. I kept them soft and cool in temperature, using the trees for the most interest and texture. I moved the larger tree down forward into the field to create another interval and heightened its color and values slightly to create depth..