Tree time…again.

Got a slow start on Saturday, as I had to print out new reference and mix up various shades of green in good sized quantities for the tree. Roughed in the trunk and started the leaves on Saturday. On Sunday, I decided to make some changes and reduce the trunk size so it better fit the size of the canopy. Trees are difficult for me in some ways. The balance between the amount of leaves vs. amount of trunk is only one thing. The trunk can quite easily look too stiff and unreal if painted too straight; which sounds strange since a tree is wood after all and is stiff. But a tree is also alive and nature very seldom does straight lines. Trunks curve and bend and it’s tricky to get the right amount of curve in limbs so that they actually look as though they have sprouted from the trunk. The one area I love to paint is the surface; the bark of a tree. At any rate, I finished the tree and adjusted the platform one level down and began working on the cliffs on the far left. These I had loved in the smaller painting and looked forward to painting on the wall at one time. When I did reach them a month or so ago, I was less than pleased with the result. I think because they do not look like cliffs around here. Although I have a free hand in this creation, I want to create a background that resembles one that could have existed here, in our area, before cities and farms and telephone lines. So, probably more work later on the cliff. On this side also, I have roughed in almost to where I can lose the scaffolding and work from the ground. Exciting stuff! I believe I will be able to make my deadline of finishing the mural before school starts. Keep your fingers crossed. Next painting session will be to finish the lake, which right now is only a base color. I’ve been studying my reference and need to make some small studies of this area before tackling that large of an item.