(in my friend Jodi's back yard)
I've been wanting to paint shadows in the grass so today was my first attempt. Half-way through I was disheartened: felt like once again I'd taken on too much with this composition, trying to cram it all onto a tiny canvas with a big gloppy brush. But I didn't have any good excuse to quit (like rain or other time constraints...) so I kept at it and actually ended up pleased with how it came out.
• wish I'd shown leafy branches of the foreground tree instead of only it's brown trunk and branches
• the maple tree behind it (left, mid-ground) was difficult to define as it's own entity
• a little less sky and more definition to the shady wooded area in the background
Overall, it has much room for improvement - but I'm happy I stuck it out.
Towards the end of the 2.5 hours I was painting, the moving sun cast a shadow from my wide-brimmed straw hat that introduced more pretty dappled patterns to my canvas and paint palette:
