Capturing Sunlight

This painting was done several years ago in Steamboat Springs Colorado and looking at it again brings back some wonderful memories. The cattle were curious as I walked up to take their pictures and I had a good time recreating their expressions. One of my main concerns was capturing the sunlight as it filtered through the treetops. I used warmer yellow greens for the leaves with a few cool accents of blue green. In the foreground grasses I used cooler colors with a few warm accents. The aspens are a combination of white paper, yellow ocher, warm gray, violet, and cerulean blue. When I first painted this I was not satisfied with the foreground so I wiped it out with a wet sponge and then scraped off the colors with a razor blade. This left lighter bits of color which I incorporated into the final version. In my second attempt I was able to simplify this area with bolder washes and fewer details. The warm colors in the cow hides are a combination of yellow ochre and burnt sienna and their faces are a combination of white paper, yellow ochre, cerulean blue, and cobalt violet. I am teaching a plein air workshop in Steamboat Springs on August 15, 16 & 17 so if you are interested send me an email to pendletonstudio@gmail.com or contact the Steamboat Art Museum. Also there is still time to join my Denver Botanic Gardens Workshop on August 2, 3 & 4. and the price is $90 for one day, $160 for two days and $210 for all three days. To join or get more information on the Botanic Gardens Workshop send me an email to pendletonstudio@gmail.com. Happy Painting!

Dennis Pendleton