Tree on a Hill Top
10 by 8 acrylic on canvas panel
Buy it at: https://www.dailypaintworks.com/artists/gregory-cross-8940/artwork

I tried a new technique with this painting. New to me, though this technique has been around as long as painting. It is known as indirect painting. I did an underpainting in greyscale. or grisaille as it is called, to establish the proper values of light and dark. Essentially, I did the whole scene in black, white and grey in great detail. Once that was done to my satisfaction, I did washes of color to slowly build up the colors of the scene.. Quite a long process but it came out really nice. Unfortunately, the glazing medium is glossy, so it is hard to get a good photo because the light keeps reflecting off of it. Did my best so you could see it, anyway. The composition idea is that your eye, attracted by the light color on the rocks, will be lead to the tree then up the valley. Don't know if I quite pulled it off, but I am happy with the outcome.

I actually like this technique even though it is a bit tedious and time consuming. I put in about 20 hours of actual brush time on this small painting (about 4 times longer than my average for a painting of this size). Now, I won't post a painting in progress nor will I post without a new painting (unless something earth shattering occurs). So, when there is a gap of several days in my posting, know that I am painting but have nothing new to show yet.