4
Over the dry paint, draw in some grasses
by using masking fluid applied with a
mapping pen or colour shaper. Also reserve
a fewareasofhighlightsacrossthepainting
byapplyingmaskingfluidtothoseregions,
usingthephotographasreferenceforthe
placementofthesehighlights.
Paintinthegrassesunderthetrees,using
a verypointedbrushsuchasa swordlineror
smallrigger.Usea mixofMayGreen,Winsor
Blue(GreenShade)andCobaltBlue.The
paintfortheshadowsontherightofthe
imagemayhavea touchofthePermanent
Mauveaddedtothemix.Keeptoneslight.5
Apply a second layer of paint to begin building up the foliage, making adjustments as
necessary to both tone and colour. Tone will deepen with a second layer of paint, so be
careful not to lose highlights. Use a mix of yellow-greens to depict where the light peeps
through, as indicated by the photograph. Use a mix of blue-greens in the more shaded areas;
including Cobalt Blue will give a soft haziness. Work in smaller patches than were covered in
step 3, still working wet-in-wet and dropping colours in according to the colour placement of
the reference photograph. Use brush techniques that will begin to hint at the shapes and
textures of foliage and leaves. Do not rush working this layer. Work quickly enough to avoid
tightening up and including too much detail but slowly enough to make deliberate choices.6
In the photograph, the lightest grasses
under the trees are set against a bush
that is mid-tone, which defines the edge of
the grasses. In bright sunlight, detail is often
bleached out. By keeping this bush of a paler
tone within the painting, softening the detail
(compared to that visible in the photograph)
and blurring the boundary between the
grasses and the bush, the viewer’s eye
continues to move along the path, and the
impression of the scene occurring on a hot,
sunny day is increased. Keep the texture of
the bush very subtle by applying a little more
colour (pale blue-greens and yellow-greens)
to this area, adding just enough paint so that
the masked grasses will show up.7
Begin to build up the mid-tones and
textures across the lower part of the
painting, by applying a layer (a glaze) of
slightly thicker paint.
Add a layer of colour to the region of shade
under the trees. Use a mix of Permanent
Mauve and blue-browns, allowing the colours
to blend on the paper. Use browner hues
where the path is sunlit and bluer colours
where the shadow is deep and rich, under
the trees. Again, take care to allow patches
of the first layer of lighter tones to show
through, to negatively paint the dappled
light coming through the trees.8
This step requires you to have a degree
of boldness, to apply a rich glaze of
strong colour. Using mid-tones to dark tones
of a purple-blue-grey mix, paint in strong
shadows under the trees. Work slowly,
negatively painting patches of sunlight by
allowing some of the paler layers underneath
to show through. Do not rush this layer,
otherwise you risk losing the depiction of
the dappled patches of sunlight. Continue
working up the right-hand side of the image,
adding some green to the mix. This will be
the final layer in this area, but keep the mark-
making quite loose, as detail here will draw
the viewer’s eye awayfromthemainfocal
point of the painting. >