"Mossy Birch"
5x7, oil
We've have two hard frosts in the past two nights, but the afternoons have been pleasant and sunny. I took the opportunity to head into the thicket that borders our property. The thicket is home to a number of fantastically-shaped birches and maples and, right now, piles of golden leaves. I decided to focus in on one birch with a mossy patch. The sun was hitting it just right.
I'm still using my limited palette of alkyds (one yellow, two reds, one blue, one green plus black). Today I worked on a sheet of Ampersand Hardbord on which I'd slathered two coats of Golden Acrylic Gel Medium. This ground is transparent, so I was working against the dark, warm tones of the hardboard. I had to do my initial sketch in a light color and then work out from there, going darker and lighter. It was a fun little piece!
