A New Work in Progress

I've started a new oil painting on canvas. It is the first canvas painting I have done in quite awhile. I forgot how much the canvas can bounce, especially since the canvas is quite large . . . 30" x 48"! I have been painting on panels and birch boards, so it is really a different feeling. I tend to be an energetic painter and so sometimes the canvas is not in the spot I want a brushstroke because I am rapidly putting strokes down. I guess I need to slow down a bit.

Here are four shots of what I have done so far from the first strokes to what I have done up through the latter part of today. There is a bright spot on the upper left because of the lighting in my studio -- but be assured it is not quite that white looking. So here is the beginning:

I toned the canvas with some red and wiped it down with a cloth so it would not be too bright. I paint thinly so don't worry too much about how things are a little messy looking in the beginning. I just want to get some colors on the canvas -- mainly because in the late stages I love going into those thin areas and doing some negative painting to create the trees, limbs and trunks. You never know what accidental things can happen on the original lay-in that might be a beauty spot later! Here is the second photo:

Here you can see that I have continued across the canvas laying in something to look like background tree shapes. I have also straightened up the cabin posts and porch (I'm not sure I don't like the original look where it was a little skewed!) -- and added a few of the larger tree trunks on the left. Also beginning to put just a little into the river. At this point I am playing with color combinations. Also I have the light coming from the left side and am keeping the right side somewhat darker because of the tall trees. And, on to image number three of this process:

Here I have added more to some of the tree and foliage colors -- along with the obvious addition of some colors for the water. So far there are no reflections, but you just wait to see later. But, the water does flow quite swiftly and the reflections will be pretty distorted. Okay, the last image for this post -- even though I did a bit more before I left the studio today. . . I did not take the last shot as the light was really getting darker:

Here you can see I have started adding some rocks along the edge of the river -- these have been placed there by the owners of the cabin. Also I have added some of the skimpy limbs we so often see on those tall pine trees. There are also some limbs that have no pine needles, just the myriad of small  branches. I like them so far, but we shall see if they detract from the painting. I have also started adding some of the little things the owners have hanging from the porch. We shall see what makes the final cut!

One more word about the colors -- the left side looks quite light blue and it is somewhat . . . but not to the extent my lightening shows in this photograph. There is a spot there that reflects from the lighting fixture in the room. Apologies for that. Ask any questions you wish . . . would love to hear your thoughts.

So, until next photos, Happy Painting!