Sometimes I’m so eager to start painting that I skip the preliminary thumbnail sketches and dive straight into small color studies instead. In these studies, I focus on one specific area of the composition or landscape to better understand the color relationships and key elements of the scene. That was the case with Stream Bank.
In “Rocks Study,” my first color study for Stream Bank, I took a close-up view in a square format, focusing on the prominent rocks in the foreground. I paid special attention to the way light played across their surfaces, capturing the highlights and the cast shadows created by the surrounding grass.
In the plein air study “Along the Edge,” I expanded the shoreline view slightly, opting for a rectangular format and including more of the shallow water. I focused on capturing the subtle details of the rocks just beneath the surface.
I used both of the color studies above as references for the studio painting Stream Bank [at top]. By elongating the rectangular format, I could extend the view of the shoreline to include even more of the rocky riverbank. I concentrated on the interplay of light and shadow in the scene, particularly the way sunlight filtered through the foliage.
