Week 3-Be Patient and Paint the Plan

My oil painting is progressing along nicely and I'm pleased at the progress.  I knew that I would learn a lot by taking one on one lessons but I find myself struggling at my home easel now.  I'm trying to incorporate the things I have leaned these past 3 lessons into my own works at home and I feel a bit lost.  I think this is normal and I just have to keep working at it until I break free of old habits and take my time staying with the plan.  Painting TOP to BOTTOM, BACK to FRONT.  No cheating even if I can't wait to see how that bright yellow foliage of the Aspen trees are going to pop against those dark green pines.

For the past two years that I have returned to my childhood passion,  I have been committed to practicing and have painted nearly 100 pieces.  Some of course better than others.  I have sold about 8 pieces in that time but have many stacked around the house.  I believe I have shown my dedication and have reached that point of taking my art to the next level.  Private lessons are what I feel is needed for me to advance to the next level. 

I think there are plenty of other new, struggling artists that must feel the same way that I do.  At 51 years old, do I have enough time to progress my talent to where I want it to be?  Only God knows that answer,but in the mean time I want to either be painting, teaching or sharing what I am learning with others by blogging about my experiences.

Original Photo that I chose to use as the inspiration for my first oil painting

WK 1- Laying out the composition by sketching the main details using a neutral colored paint

WK 1- blocking in the main base colors that will eventually be the mountains, sky and foreground

WK 1- Stopping the first lessons with my canvas covered in a layer of acrylic paints.

WK 2- Here I am painting my canvas top to bottom and back to front.  Most of this background area will be covered up with my foreground details but you have to give the viewer that distance to create interest

WK 3-  Here I have changed the mountain color from purple to more blue.  Blue gives a better feeling of distance because of the haze created in the atmosphere that gives a blue tint to objects in the distance.  I have focused on my areas of light and shadow and developed the path way.  The view's eye is drawn to both areas in the distance that reflect the sunlight.  It makes you feel that the path continue down over the hill and there must be something interesting there.