Behind the Scenes: Creating My New Artwork

I’ve been working on this piece in my studio for a while and I think it is almost finished but I can’t quite decide to leave it alone.

I started with a photograph and, as I’ve got into the habit of doing, produce a chalk drawing to work from. This helps me to simplify an image so that I don’t get bogged down in the finer details.

I’ve chosen a colour palette of browns, pinks ochres and greens with some cobalt blue for the sky and reflections in the water. Although I’m happy with large areas of this piece I’m not quite sure that, overall, it hangs together. I like the colour, and the way I’ve handled the trees and the hills beyond but am struggling with the clouds: I think they need to be flattened somehow to be in keeping with the rest of the work.

This painting of Gadden Loch in Fife has been executed in oils on panel board and measures 12” x 16”. It will be available for sale in the coming weeks so contact me at artbysmart4@gmail.com if interested.

The process of creating a painting.