Day Eighteen - Top of the World

After a marathon session yesterday,  I wanted to do something simpler today.  I thought I would work on getting a sense of depth in receding mountains.  After looking at the colors for a while I realized that the problem was value again.  So I did decided to use black and white.

I pulled out the gray scale and starting looking at the reference photo. The painting nazi took over and mixed nine shades.  She even made a painted scale, since the printed gray scale is violety

and driving her crazy.

I am still having difficulty making the foreground mountains as dark as they should be, but this study is an improvement.

In addition to depth, the forms of mountains are difficult to paint, just when you think the you've got the it, it turns into something else.  And this isn't even plein air. 

Top of the World
5 x 7 Oil on Canvas Panel

 

 

Good night all, see you tomorrow,