I started with a simple wash of colors. Yes, I said wash (not stain) since I use Hobein's Duo Water Soluble Oil paints. Love them!
The whole approach to this painting was to concentrate on the elements of design with a focus on value contrast and line.
I then started blocking in the values. The dark values were developed using purple, green, and dark blue. The warm brown tones were created by combining the complimentary colors, yellow and purple. I find this a much more luminous approach to color rather than relying on tube browns and neutrals.
Once the shapes were in, it was time to start focusing on the lines, and more lines, and more lines, varying the values, the colors, the intensity etc. It was playful slashing the the brush randomly across the surface trying to achieve the chaos of the growth around the pond.
