The spring landscape inspires me with its ever-changing swaths of color.
Every shade of green from chartreuse to seafoam, to deepest pine green fills the landscape. Verdant new grass sweeps in to replace the old, dead meadow plants.
On walks, I snap photos like this one.
Then I take them back to my studio to paint my version of the scene. I think it's important in art, to give ourselves the freedom to create our version of reality. When I started painting, I thought I should re-created every twig and pine needle in a scene.
Folly!
But that lesson showed me that I am at liberty to play with any element of the scene I wish! I have simplified this landscape, and I have used purple lavishly where it might not be evident in the photo above. Why not? I love purple and green together.
I began by making a simple pencil sketch. With a kneaded eraser, I lightened the darker lines to keep the pencil marks from showing through the paint.
I mixed different colors -- Phthalo blue with a touch of Hooker's green for the apple blossoms in the center of the scene, sap green with Winsor yellow for the yellowy greens, dioxazine purple with a touch of Phthalo blue for the distant hills and shadows, and Phthalo blue and burnt sienna for the spruces.
What would your version of this scene look like?
I hope you paint or draw it!
Happy Creating!
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