Fairy Ring Painting in the works!

Almost done

So I've been playing with my paints after taking the Jan Schmuckal course. I love her style, and she makes it look easy, but she's had lots of practice. This is my first one. It will be done in a few days, with final touches and refinement.

Here's how it started out.

First stain attempt

The premise of this "tonalist" style of painting is that you stain the canvas with a rich cherry-wood or mahogany colored stain made up of a selection of colors mixed with Liquin. Then you wipe out the light areas.

Same canvas, same pic, more wiping.

My picture is metamorphosing each time I work on it and I have no idea what I'm doing - just learning.

Final Stain updated

With a few changes to the background hill, I decided it was time to let it dry overnight and play with color the next day.

First attempt at color blocking

So here's what it looked like after I got half the color blocked in. I knew I still had a long way to go.

Still have no idea what I'm doing but it's fun!

And here I've loosely blocked in leaf masses, ground masses, sky masses, etc.

Starting to pull in clouds.

My photo reference didn't have any clouds that day, it was just a clump of trees, and I decided to go ahead and start using my imagination, so I started playing with sun and clouds.

Photo reference in color

Photo reference black and white

Dark, but starting to come together.

I played and played and got most of the leaf masses accounted for and some of the imaginary sun and clouds. Played with the fields and bushes a bit, and the foreground.

Here's where we are now.

Next steps are to pull out a bit more color in the clouds, a bit more around the base of the tree, and the fairy circle happening in the middle of the field at twilight between the tree and the hill. 

My style is not realistic, obviously, I am staying true to the world of my fairies, but I am also working towards the glow - the beautiful light that happens as the sun sets and the fairies begin to dance. Will post the finished picture and can't wait to start another. With this first one I've learned so much!

All comments most welcome! Does it speak to you in any way?

Namaste,

Jen