Inside looking out

As you may have noticed, I really like trees and gloomy winter landscapes. A recent trip to Newtonmore in the Highlands of Scotland, provided plenty of both. This acrylic on canvas was taken from a sketch done from the comfort of the sitting room of my accommodation,as dusk started to fall.
Using a muted, and very limited palette of greys and browns over a grey gesso base, I have tried to capture the very somber landscape outside. The trees are dark silhouettes against the sky and merge into the background.

I have experimented with the application of the medium applying a relatively dry pigment in thin layers, on the landscape and window frame. Several pairs of binoculars and guide books on mountain walks can be seen on the window ledge, suggesting the possibility of outdoor expeditions in the days to come.

These images demonstrate the process I went through in developing the piece. I chose to omit the pine tree, toward the left of the image, from the painted version as I felt it created a cluttered skyline. The finished work is also much darker than either the photograph or the sketch, which gives the piece a moodiness reflective of the weather at the time.

Visit my gallery page for a closer look at this painting.