Plein Air - Bird House out Back

Today was a beautiful day. Cool, but with plenty of sunshine and no wind. That inspired us to go play golf. There were few golfers so it was enjoyable, just like our private course. Our play was not inspired, but the sunshine and being out in the beautiful pines and oaks made up for it. The grounds people were working on bunkers so there was activity in that way. We did not see any wild life other than some buzzards and a mocking bird, which by the way is the State Bird of Texas. I left the camera in the car. That would have been more irritating if one of us had made a hole in one!

When we got home, I did not want to stay in and waste such a wonderful afternoon. I got out my plein air easel and a panel I had painted on before. I brushed on some gesso to cover the old painting, then did a quick under paintng with some crimson and burnt umber. I laid out my pallette with titanium white, cadmium yellow light, yellow ochre, cadmium red, crimson, burnt umber, Hookers green and ultramarine blue. The light was pretty good, I started about 3:30 p.m. Because we live in the trees, the light faded quickly.





I attempted to get in a background and remember the light. I started with a mixture of red, blue and burnt umber with white to lighten areas. No sketching as I didn't want to get into any detail.


Using the same mixtures and varying with a little ocher in places I developed the background trees. I started to add the trees in the foreground and started the birdhouse.



I continued to develope the pine and oak trees. Added a little hint of the small green cedars and the fallen leaves.




It started getting colder, so I quit and brought my gear in. I looked over the painting and added a little more blue to the sky and darkened the upper left corner hoping to stop the eye from following the tree out of the painting. I covered the bottom edge and top where it was fastened to the easel, signed it and called it finished. No "piddling" around with this. About two hours total.

It was too late to get the final photo, will add that tomorrow. It is supposed to rain so no golf, I should be able to finish the doggie painting.