The Dodder at Bushy Park

I've been trying to paint this view for years now. Often with a lot of frustration. I haven't managed to create the image I have in my mind, yet! And this time is probably not the one either. I haven't really painted in months (I can't even use the kitten as an excuse, though I'm writing this with him in my lap, so no chance of going back to the metaphorical easel for the next while!). So, lots of excuses.

First attempt didn't work out at all. I did colour swatches and I even did a value thumbnail (a really quick one). But the colours didn't work out for me. I should really stick to the colours I know and trust. For instance, I found that Perylene Green is lovely on its own, but it goes all muddy when applied over golden colours (a mix of Nickel Azo Yellow and Quinacridone Magenta). So I got very frustrated and the whole painting went very blocky. Probably too much contrast between the light and dark. The view is a river in woodlands, so the light is dappled. Which clearly didn't work out here!! It will have to go under the shower, or at least I'll use the back for colour testing!

So I decided to try another version. Just one. I used good old reliable pigments, nothing fancy - Hansa Yellow Medium, Quinacridone Gold, PV19, Cobalt Blue and Indigo. It's still not what I have in mind, but it's an improvement on the one above. What's bothering me is the strong orange on the right. But I'm going to leave it for now. Time to move on.