This is part 3 of explaining my thoughts and techniques during the creation of this painting, "Ethereal".

Click here for part one and two or they are listed on the right

STEP 7
Well, I avoided painting in the bird for about a week. I was just not excited about it because I had no idea how to approach it. I finally bit the bullet (that's what it felt like!) and had a go at it today. I have just got the basics down using grays and even some 'mud' (dirty neutrals or grays you can get when too many colors are mixed and which comes in useful sometimes).

As I continuted the bird at different times I saw different colors: yellows, then greens, then blue grays and it was hard to define, just like everything else with ...

Steps 4 - 6

STEP 4
I am not sure how much detail to put into the leaves. I usually plan a painting and know what I am going to do. I am actually going to paint without really knowing where I am going. Usually a plan for disaster -- what makes me think it will work this time??
Anyway, this is how I started; I mixed two greens, a lighter with more yellow and a medium dark with more blue. Colors used; ultramarine blue, Winsor and Newton cadmium yellow hue (an almost orange yellow, for a more muted green) and for the lighter green some Winsor yellow or cadmium yellow light would also work. To mute the greens added a little red.
Brushed in some dark and light areas of the greenery in very loose brush strokes. I was hoping it would become ...