Hot Fields and Farm Roads

Our group visited a very rural site with gravel roads and old barns. It was windy and very sunny. I did several value paintings of the barns and hills but couldn't put together a painting. When I got home I painted from my sketches and added some additional trees and trucks to fill in a rather bleak landscape. The barns were right on the crest of the hill and the land was just dried yellow grasses.

Shady River Spot

. We all knew that the day would be hot. Our group traveled to Winters and Putah Creek where there was shade and a river running by. It was hot and as soon as you sweat the flies and bugs zero in. I did a couple of sketches and a value study and then settled in and painted this scene. The hills are very high and my focus was on the rocks. I left the background a mix of greens without boning out anything definitive. I think that it worked.

Country Road

. The days are hot and on Wed. we were all looking for shade. I did a number of value studies and then this quick sketch and painting in a wet into wet technique. It was dry very quickly so I could add the detail in a darker value. I wanted the mail box to be a focus and now see that it needs more contrast to make it pop.