Painters Online

Start Art 8 38 www.painters-online.co.uk SUMMER This is my favourite season; warm summer days are perfect for the fair-weather artist, a real feel- good time of year.The trees are much fuller now and in many ways easier to paint, with a lot less detail as the branches are obscured. STAGE 1 Draw the basic tree shapes.Then wet the sky area with clean water using the large detail brush down to the base of the background trees. Using the same brush and ultramarine, paint the sky onto the still wet surface, painting over the trees so that the blue sky is visible through the branches. Whilst this is still wet, use the fan stippler and begin by stroking in a light wash of ultramarine into the centre of the picture, then add a little sunlit green. Then, for the darker areas, use midnight green along the base of the background trees. Leave to dry. STAGE 2 Start to paint the foliage on the sunlit side of the tree using the foliage brush and sunlit green. On the shady side use a mix of country olive and midnight green. Leave some gaps for the sky to show through and some of the branches. Using the medium detail brush with sunlit green and country olive, paint the roadside grasses, and add a little burnt sienna to break up the green a little whilst this is still wet. Use raw sienna to paint the road, adding the shadow colour to the wet paper to create the tracks. STAGE 3 Next, paint the tree trunks and branches using the medium detail brush and a dark blend of country olive and burnt umber. Some of the branches are lost behind the foliage. Use the half rigger to add some smaller branches and the fence.At the base of the trees use the same dark green for the shadows. t t t