Turning Autumn

What a wonderful day to paint out. Bright sun, a little breeze. Four of us went to the Gorman Nature Center and set up at the pond.

First II changed my Turning Autumn painting on the recommendation of my critique group. That is now uploaded. The background hills were the same color as a bush in the middle ground. I attempted to gray it down but then it looked like snow covered mountains. I then greened it up to bring it closer. That worked better. I will frame it today with a silver 3 in plein air frame. This painting will be hung today at a local restaurant, the Upper Crust, for a Harvest show for the month by the Brush and Palette Club.

That accomplished, I drew on my canvas what I wanted to paint. I usually work on a toned canvas but this one was left white. I found when putting out my colors that I couldn't get my new tube of white opened and my pliers had been taken out of my kit for framing purposes. They are now back in my painting box! Judi was closest to me but was painting in acrylic and I in oils. The other two artist were hard at work so I didn't want to bother them for white paint. Besides the light changes so fast outside that you need every minute to capture what impressed you.

So I had to use Portland gray light to lighten my colors. It is easy to gray down when you mix a tube gray. I put in the background trees with ochre and sap green then used a muted purple for the background shadows. Then for the darkened reeds I used magenta and violet. I added a few accents for color as I will finish it at home. I put in a few main trees and reflections so as not to lose my place. I tend to put trees in the wrong place if I don't mark my place. My center of interest is the lily pads in the lower left so I darkened the water there and put the pine trees in for reflections. I tend to change positions of the trees, eliminate or add to make the composition more pleasing. Just because there is a telephone pole there, you don't have to paint it!

So, that is as far as I got as it was 4pm, the air was getting colder, and trick or treat night was waiting. All the little ghosts, goblins, chicks, Harry Potters flocked up and down our closely packed houses. I had 200 pieces of tootsie roll candy and it was gone in a half an hour! I had to turn the lights out and go inside. The parents bring them in cars to our street. I just wish the teenagers would stay home and just let the little ones enjoy trick or treat. So now I better get to painting and framing.

I will walk the dogs this morning as I need the exercise as I AM losing weight. If I tell you, then maybe I will stick to it. If I could paint all day, I would forget about eating!