Darby Creek 4

Artist's Gallery

Almost Done

Now it is time for the finishing detail on the painting. Small brushstrokes give the trees, branches, and shoreline their final shape. A white glaze over the Darby Creek’s surface gave it a really watery feeling. The wood grain on the bridge rail was kind of tricky but I love how it came out. During this final stage it feels like the picture is coming into focus, shapes getting sharper and colors brighter.

The finishing highlights really pulled the picture together. I started with the bright white sky, spilling over the rail and trees, into fluorescent greens and blues in the treetops. For the sun’s reflections off the horizontal bridge railings, I realized that the colors underneath would darken and muddy the highlights. I had to first put on a layer of pure white paint (see the close-up of my painting below); then the highlight colors came out very bright and sharp.

White Paint Under Highlights