Work In Progress: Seven Sisters Inn, Update 2

After completing the preliminary pencil drawing, the next step in this process was to determine the tonal layout and color combinations that I would be pleased with. I already had some ideas based on previous experience, so I worked up a few simple sketches. First I worked out the tonal layout. The House is, of course, the focal point, and because of its size it can’t be missed in the painting, but I still wanted to make it stand out more. I placed it at a sweet spot in the lower right part of the picture and decided to encircle it with a dark frame that would contrast with the lighter colors of the House. I did two tonal sketches using 3 markers to keep it simple. One sketch left a light area near the bottom and the other continued darker objects – shrubs, sidewalk in shadow – around the bottom. I liked the encircling arrangements and decided on it as the basis for my tones.

            Next, I worked out some color sketches with different greens. Some were a bit to limy, and I rejected those. I settled on two that had more olive green to cool green in them and chose the one with a little brighter green, especially in the lawn grass.

            The sky was to be simple, especially since it is broken up by quite a bit by the foliage of the live oak tree. A graded wash would work well. No distraction with clouds.

            One image shows the tonal and color sketches I worked out and shown also are the two images I chose for the tone and color.

            After working out the tones and colors I was ready to paint. First order of things was to paint the sky in. I had a couple of choices here in laying in the wash. Since the Live Oak tree was dark I could just put the graded wash in, then later paint the tree and foliage over it. I decided on the second option and that was to mask the tree and foliage, and tops of the House, as well as the trees on the left. It took longer, maybe wasn’t necessary but it allowed me to keep the tree and foliage right there in front of me as I painted in the House. Once the liquid masking was applied, I did a graded wash of cobalt blue. I did a number of layers until I was satisfied with the intensity. I removed the masking when the sky was dry.