I’m starting a new series of studies with the same subject, Mt Shuksan. Eventually I hope to turn what I learn into a large painting.
For this first study I had some basic ideas of what I wanted to achieve.
- A beginning composition that I can improve with each study
- Colors similar to the photo but I’m sure to improve
- Keep it simple
- Learn what I can improve upon
What I can improve for the next painting.
- Better value range between foreground, middle distance, background and sky
- Use much less paint when applying the initial drawing and first layer of paint
- Use gessoed paper that doesn’t have lines all over it
- Simplify the shapes more, don’t work so hard on the details
- Less hard edges
- Try a canvas size a bit wider or a little less height
Here is what I like about the first study
- Nice gradation of sky color, especially when using a little lemon yellow in the sky closest to the ground
- The road next to the building and the building itself
- Leading the eye to the point of interest
- The blue used for the shadow on the bottom left of the mountain
