 |
| Winter pond and tree 20" X 16", Oil on linen canvas, Sold |
When you paint from nature, i.e. en plein air, you can observe many more details than a photograph. I have learnt to see so much more.
In this painting, the foreground snow and tree, middle ground lake and background trees are clearly defined.
The foreground is defined by the use of thick paint for the snowy ground, and the tree trunks.
The lake and accompanying slope of the land in middle ground is depicted by the flatness of water and diagonals of banks of melting snow.
The hugeness of the tree is contrasted by the smaller distant trees.
The subtle color of the tree trunk in the foreground, which is not too dark and not too light, was the trickiest for me. I had to show the tree both in light and shadow. I did not want the main trunk too dark, but also I wanted it to stand out from the background landscape.
In the photograph, the tree looks very dark and sky looks too blue
 |
| Painting in the snow |
 |
| Painting in progress |
 |
| A photograph of the scene |
