Darby Creek Bridge

Artist's Gallery

Darby Creek Bridge at Prairie Oaks

Well, I must tell you, from the beginning I planned to donate this painting to the fundraising silent auction at our local arts guild. It kept me motivated anyway—in the end I was painting several hours a day to try and get it done in time. We searched our local craft store for a suitable frame, and settled on this simple black one. I think it compliments the painting well. As it turned out, my wonderful sister bought the picture at the auction, and it now hangs in our living room!

New! You can now purchase this painting as a greeting card here at my Countrygirl Art shop on Etsy.com!

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

Darby Creek 3

Artist's Gallery

Adding the Bridge

After doing some more work on trees, I carefully pulled all that tape off the bridge. Then I brushed on a base coat of rusty red—almost brown—and light brown on the wood. It was easy to get it straight, as long as I stayed in the lines! This picture’s composition is proving to be quite attention-getting. This is because the focal point (where the creek disappears on the horizon) is a “sweet spot” in the picture. (The sweet spots in any picture are where the lines cross when you divide it in thirds both ways. These are the most pleasing places for focal points.) The trees along the bank and the triangular rail both lead the eye to the focal point as well.

Darby Creek 2

Artist's Gallery

Second Layer

Now I am adding some more darks to build up those base colors. The reflection is very brown because of the muddy water, and the strokes go straight down, even though the creek is angled. That somehow gives it a wonderful flowing feeling. And it's a breeze to just paint over that tape! It's funny, several people who saw me painting thought at first I had painted the railing blue!! I’m also really working up the range on the trees, from fluorescent yellows to black greens and turquoise and sea green in between. The most important thing you can do for trees is to have definite darks and lights—and in well-shaped clumps, not little dabbles. I discovered that fact on this picture—and stopped hating painting trees so much!