The Road Goes On Forever, 8 x 10, oil on panel
Today's painting title comes from a song of the same name by Texas singer-songwriter, Robert Earl Keen. It's fun to be in a concert when he sings the chorus, "the road goes on forever and the party never ends!", because EVERYONE joyfully jumps in. It's contagious!! Robert Earl announced his retirement last week... but I have to say, it's for all the right reasons. He wants to go out while he still LOVES what he is doing (not because he is sick or tired or bored). Good for him!!
This painting is a demo from my last workshop. Throughout the painting session we all kept singing that song's refrain (well, some did, and you Texans know who you are), so I had to use it for the title. An homage.
And below... process shots... the road goes on forever...
1) Sketched outlines of big shapes for placement, size and composition.
2) Blocked in masses of value, to indicate the planes of the landscape:
Upright plane, distant upright plane (or slant), ground plane, and sky plane.
3) Massed in best average value of greens for the uprights.
Distant uprights are cooler and more muted than foreground uprights.
4) Massed in ground plane observing color changes within the overall value.
5) Added sky plane, and included a variety of temperatures at the horizon.
Broke up masses in each plane with highlights and lowlights.
... and the party never ends!!!
Thank you, Robert Earl Keen!