TM8180 August Morning at the Quarry Pool 22x22 oil on panel

By mid-August, the morning light is beginning to have an autumn slant, a few leaves are hinting at colors to come, and the air is getting more comfortable – a perfect time to roam the woods in search of old quarries. The water was particularly lovely on this morning – emerald and deeply dark, with a slight riffle caressing the surface. Enjoy!

Technical painting notes: When painting foliage, it is important to mix a range of greens using warm and cool yellows and blues, plus a touch of their complementary color to tone them down. I used indigo, ultramarine, cerulean and Prussian for my blues, and transparent gold ochre and lemon yellow for my yellows. Adding a slight touch of something warm and reddish (such as transparent red oxide or burnt sienna) will tone down the intensity of a green and nudge it toward olive, depending on the amount used. Adding a touch of violet to a cool green will gray the color – very useful in shadows. Speaking of shadows, pale transparent glazes of blue violet can be used to “sink” the shadows. An alkyd medium works well for this purpose, and has the benefit of speeding the time it takes oil paints to dry.