Quick Version

Sorry for all the different angles and lighting, but I think it's still pretty cool to see the progression from blank canvas to a finished picture.

Finished

Finally done now, I might play with the river a bit more, but probably not. 

So Close!

Close to done now, just little things here and there. And I'd like to see if a windmill would work somewhere, I'll play around with that in photoshop first. 

unfinished, but almost there.

Front cliffs detailed and signed.

Right side of river, with fence. 

I reshaped the banks here, have to let the paint dry and then add in more vegetation.

End of July

Flowers in the front left corner.

The fence sketched in.

7/20/14

Getting Closer

Flowers

Some rocks added in, and some shading on the grasses.

Yellow and red flowers added in, the red is too bright, but I'll tone it down with bluebonnets and grasses. 

River and Yuccas

The river is taking some experimenting to get right, but it's coming along. I added the trunks for the big oak tree on the left, and the yuccas on the right side. 

Next I'll add grasses and greens all over to tie things together and increase the sense of distance. Then I can add red and yellow flowers, and keep adding layers to the river. Also need some mesquite trees, probably on the right side.

Cactus and River

Cactus added on the left side and river rocks sketched in. You can see how the water is going to be shiny.  

Starting to add detail to the rocks.

Detail of the front rocks. 

Bluebonnet Underlayer

Added some patches of blue for where the bluebonnets will generally be. Also added a few layers of paint and medium on the river, I want it to be glassy, so I'm building up layers to fill in the canvas weave. Up next I'll add in the cactus and yuccas, and work on the river.

Grass and River Underlayers

Basic shapes added for grass and colors added for the river.

Painting with drawing below it, and little practice painting at the bottom. I'm using the little one to test out the colors before I add them to the big canvas. 

Filling Things In

Under layers added for the trees in the background.

Green added to the background trees, and under layers for the front oak filled in.

Yellow underpainting for the foreground. 

Clouds!

Clouds added in.

Clouds with the hills darkened.

Detail of horizon.

Painting Away

Underpainting for the hills and beginning of the cliff face.

Sky filled in, clouds to be added later. The sky came out looking a little too late for the time of day I was going for, so I'll lighten the bottom a bit when I add the clouds. It should be dry enough this weekend to finish the sky.

Detail of cliff and sky.

Hills filled in. I'll add some details and probably change the color of the hills after the sky is done. 

Sample of the clouds,  made with leftover paint to see how the colors look together. 

Starting the Big Painting

Drawing started on the canvas.

Little sketch, big drawing, big painting, and little painting with yellow first layer. I'm trying things out on the big charcoal drawing before adding them to the painting, it's much easier to make changes that way. The cactus and flowers and river will be filled in later. I also haven't decided on the clouds, going to keep thinking about that for a while. 

Edge of the canvas taped off and covered to keep it clean, with string used to make guidelines.

Little sketch of the tree line and cliffs.