REDISCOVERING PAINTING!

I've had a long dry spell from painting, just too darn much going on with the 'liquidation' of our home.  Getting into Canyon Country really gets my juices flowing & I finally dug out the little traveling studio I put together, got set up in the rear window of the trailer, and started a 30" X 10" X 8" trapezoidal piece that will go above our dining table on the section of wall where the roof slopes.

This scene is a canyon wall a few miles from the RV park where we're currently staying -- love the panorama!  I'll be posting PIPs (painting in progress) as I work my way to the finish.  I printed out a full-size reference, sketched in the large shapes, dropped in the sky, and am working on the deep shadows in the cliffs.  I like to use a rich purple for these shadows, as it enhances the warm reds, oranges, and golds of the rock.  It seems that everything 'pops' so beautifully using this approach rather than painting shadows over a painted background. Let me know what you think.

Capitol Reef National Park, canyon wall