Ch-ch-ch-changes

Well, the background hills are, for the most part, finished. I'm satisfied with the background, although I reserve the option of going back and adjusting things later. This is not unusual with me (sigh) It is just difficult to judge how much detail is correct until the whole painting is done. Too much detail and I lose the feeling of distance, too little and I lose the reality.

I was thinking about the rock island while I was finishing the hills, excited to start it. But once I did, something kept nagging at me that there was something wrong. I heeded the little voice and quit working on the wall until I could figure out what was the problem.

When in doubt, I go thru my reference photos to "plug in" to the overall scene again. These photos are a combination of one's I work directly from (the one's I've taken myself) and ones that I've accumulated that describe or illustrate what something looks like; these I use to educate myself before I start drawing. At any rate, looking thru the photos, I began to realize the rocky island I'd added to the lake was more like a rock formation that you would find in Wisconsin Dells, not in our area. So, I studied the photos of the Mississippi River more and intend to change that hill into more of a marshy peninsula of land, probably more than one. I think I will also soften the cliff on the left, which wasn't finished yet either (did my subconscious notice the wrongness of that too?)

Another change I want to make is on the right side of the bump out. This will improve the area where the bear will be drinking from a stream and hopefully show a sunlight slope. I went photographing with my Dad the last time he was up and we took some roads I've never been on. I can't seem to pass a rocky outcrop without stopping to take even more reference photos. I ran across this beautiful slope of land and the sun was hitting it just right and I realized it would look better than the trees I had previously painted on the far right side of the mural.

I believe I will work on that side next time.