Transparents in the Landscape

New Mexico Light

8x6" oil on Linen Panel $140. SOLD

Artist Note.
I belong to a group of
painters who issue a
Challenge to paint from
a photo of New Mexico

This is Challenge #10 for 2016

So beautiful and typical of NM.

At the Guild this month

we are learning the joys of using
a transparent color foundation
so I thought I would demo this
image to one of the classes.

Transparent colors used:
Indian Yellow
Alizarin Perm.
Ultramarine Blue.

Starting with very thin
coat of  IY
all over and
lifting off cleanly with rag and Gamsol
where I will place the
blue of the mountain
(don't want it green!)
T
Add a touch of Aliz
to the IY for the
warm ground, etc.
Aliz and UB for the purple
Adding UB and IY with hint
the purple for the Green.
Simple shapes of value and color
at this stage.

I moved the peak of the mountain
slightly to the side to avoid
having it directly
over the featured bush. 

All transparent colors for block in.

Starting to add opaques on sky, 

mountain and top area of ground

It could be considered finished

at this point but

 nearly all the

transparent areas 

have been covered and 

it is looking too heavy.

for my taste.

Not sure I liked seeing so much of the 

warmer colors behind the featured bush

so below you can see changes 

I made to that area area

 Choice to be made

I decide on this one.

Now to tackle the other

changes

 I have some major issues 

with the front bushes 

competing with the focal area. 

Also all the transparent glow 

has been lost,

I decided to test what it 

would look like if I removed 

 the front bushes. 

I placed a piece of glass 

over and painted on it first.

Yep - I can see it opened it up.

Then I restored all the 

golden transparent color with 

IY and Aliz. making the foreground

rich and glowing...once again.

Not shown on the one above.

Next - 

I lowered the big bush at its base

and add another bush to balance 

it over on the left. I added a strip 

of light behind the 

large bush area to 

set back the mountain even more

and bring the bush forward.

I placed a strip of fence in 

front of the left bush

to add to the feeling of distance.

Finally getting to where I feel

I have made the painting my own.

I admire the way each artist 

in Lets Paint New Mexico

has a different viewpoint 

from the same image.

Scroll though the link 

below

and look at all the great paintings. 

Some fun challenges are on there.

Lets Paint New Mexico