A WIP. With OP's

[Mo.]

It's been many years since I tackled a landscape, so thought it time I did another.
This is Oil pastels Caran D'ache and a few Senneliers. The mountains of Cumbria are magnificent and I'm fortunate in that I have a good source of ref pics. When painting this one It reminded me somewhat of the LOTR's movies, good to know we have such awesome scenery in this country too. A lot of imagination as regards colour has been applied here, as I wanted to really make it spectacular.
The first pic shows the initial laying out of the comp which I drew freehand with a coloured pencil. Then some rough filling in of colour.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Mar-2004/5154-mountains_wip01.jpg

The second stage shows how I've defined and built up the colour in layers, the foreground at this stage still to be developed.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Mar-2004/5154-mountains02.jpg

On to the penultimate stage now, adding the craggy rock formation in the foreground and still building up the colours in the background at the same time. Craggy jagged rocks are a very much a feature in the Cumbria district, so I emphasised these just because I like them.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Mar-2004/5154-mountains_03.jpg

I'm now a the final stage, which I hope to complete over the weekend, I'll carry on defining and adding colour until I'm satisfied it's complete.

I'm not sure what pastel paper this is, size is 22" x 14" , a long time since I painted this big too.

Comments welcome.
Mo.:)

[SweetBabyJ]

Oh hey- not bad, Mo! Nice distance, good distinct foreground and some luscious colours. Sometimes, bigger is better, eh?

[Mo.]

Thankyou Julie.:)
Mo.:)

[eileenclaire]

The sky color is just gorgeous! Do you blend the op's at all? Or are you just layering?

[Kathryn Wilson]

Wonderful sky you got going there Mo.! Hope you have a fun weekend working on this - it's so nice when everything is going good and you are getting into it!

[gr8pets]

I know next to nothing about landscapes but I do know that the colors you used here are wonderful! Looking forward to the finished product...and thanks for sharing it as a WIP!!!

Christi

[Artaholic]

Oh Mo, this is wonderful. Such a beautiful and intrigueing landscape :clap: :clap:

[Dyin]

Hey, Dundy...those are some awesome craggy mountains...love the sky colors too...but all the colors combined in the middle ground is my favorite part....can't wait to see the final!!! :clap:

[E-J]

Mo, now you've gone and got me all excited about my upcoming trip to Cumbria in May! We'll be staying on Ullswater for a week in May.

Love your craggy foreground rocks, and that sky. The dominant blue in your mountains is very strong and vibrant so I'll be interested to see if you can achieve a feeling of aerial perspective and to what extent all the other yummy colours you're putting in will be visible in the finished piece ... I'm sure it'll be great :)

[skintone]

Hey Mo great job. Don't wait so long to do the next landscape. I have to hand it to you, I don't know how you get your ops to handle like that. If you hadn't said it was op, then I would have sworn this was done with softies.

I like the moodiness of the most.

[meowmeow]

Very nice, Mo. I don't konw why you don't do landscapes...you obviously have a knack for them.
THis has lovely colors and depth to it. Nice rocks! The WIP is helpful.


Sandy

[bnoonan]

Hi Mo,


Hurrah - a return to a successful subject I see. congratulations on taking the plunge and doing this excellent work. Thank you too for doing a WIP.

Even from the first step there is a strong sense of dimension and texture on each ridge and mountain. And that sky is magnificent!!!

I love the rocks too - great power and detail in that contrast.

Keep them coming - we need to see more.

I have to admit - I had no idea of this type of terrain so I'm also getting a geography lesson too.

Barb :clap:

[binkie]

You don't do landscapes?! You do them beautifully. The colors gives it a lot of drama, and those rocks gives the landscape so much drama.

binkie

[hamsterdance]

I especially like the color scheme chosen. Let's see more. :)

[Anneke Kaufmann]

Hello,

Very good work. I've been last year in Cumbria and recognize the feeling I had there in your painting. I like your colorchoose.

Greetings harm

[Mo.]

Many thanks everyone for looking and for the lovely comments.
You are all so complimentary al I hope now is that I don't mess it up.:)

Why don't I do landscapes? Well it hasn't been a favourite subject of mine since I stopped painting with oil paints, preferring wildlife and portraits, can't explain why, but I am enjoying this one, hopefully the start of many more.

E-J, you will love where you are going and I envy you, so many wonderful opportunities for painting there, it really is awesome country. We were there many years ago at Windermere, don't forget to take your walking boots, wet gear and extra warm clothing, it can get very chilly there.

Harm. I feel so chuffed that it brought back memories for you, thankyou.:)

No update as yet, darn computer played up yesterday so had to give it a severe talking to and clear out some clutter, think all is well now though.
I'm re- thinking the sky, I think it's a bit overbearing and I'll probably fade it back a bit, at the moment it's competing with the mountains I feel.

Thanks again everyone for all the great support and interest.

Mo.:)

[Mo.]

Finally finished. The craggy rocks in the foreground were the most enjoyable part to do, the back mountains were bugging me so was the sky, after playing around with the colours a bit more and lightening up the sky, I think it now works.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/08-Mar-2004/5154-mountain_final.jpg

Closer view.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/08-Mar-2004/5154-mountains_close01.jpg

Thanks for looking.

Mo.:)

[Kathryn Wilson]

Wow Mo - this is an awesome scene! A very soft light that glows over those mountains - :clap:

Hope you do more landscapes - you've been holding out on us - :D

[Khadres]

I once read a series of fantasy books about a culture of moles (yes, moles!) that lived throughout the West Country and up into Wales. Their enemies who were trying to destroy their worship of the stones (ancient heel stones and stone circles held great spiritual meaning for them) and take them over retreated to these mountains (I think it's them) for the final big battle. Your painting brings back those scenes to me big time. Really rugged territory! Is that area also called Snowdonia sometimes or is that somewhere else?

At any rate, this is a lovely painting and you seem to have enjoyed your change of pace. I agree....this doesn't LOOK like OPs at all! I'd have guessed Schminkes and Uni softies, too.

Do some more landscapes....you're good at it!

[Dyin]

very beautiful vista you have there, Mo...like how all the colors meet in the midground. :clap:

[meowmeow]

Wonderful, rocky scene Mo! YOu did a super job. The colors are wonderful and the whole effect is super...rocky, craggy. Lovely to look at but I don't think I would want to be stranded there!

Sandy

[Duende]

I have come in a bit late here Mo, (as usual,) however I just wanted to say this is beautiful!
Paddy

[sassybird]

I can sense a lot of buried energy in this piece. I live in the mountain desert, and some places just make you feel insignificant in the grand scheme of things. That is what this piece makes me feel, insignificant and at peace. Good job!

[Mo.]

My thanks again to you all, I was so unsure of this piece, still am, being so long since I tackled anything like this I suppose made me so.

Kat Thankyou, the soft glow effect was what I was aiming here, you saying that has made me more sure of this now.

Sooz Love that story, reminds me of the one about the rabbits Watership Down. This is Cumbria the Lakeland/fells district Sooz, Snowdonia is in Wales, rugged country there too though. thanks for the comments, I'm trying all the time to get these OP's to appear softer in look, as the colours are very saturated, not easy, I've taken a long spell away from soft pastels now, may take a chance and try them again, especially now I've bought an air filter.

Sue Thankyou, I kept remembering I think it was you who said to have a path of light in the scene, not sure it's quite that but it seems to work.

Paddy. thankyou, you can be late any time with lovely comments, I welcome them.:)

Sassy Mountains have that affect on me too. Thankyou.:)

Now what to do next? I may try a seascape, something I'm not good at all, any tips anyone?

Mo.:)

[soap]

Hi Mo! sorry for not being around lately.
I love this! Can't wait to get my boots out and go for a hike when I see this! Really great colours, craggy rocks and endless skylines. Wonderful.

A seascape.......brrr.....scary.......I did one once.....very difficult but it made a nice change. My dad liked it thankfully so I gave it to him for his birthday recently. Looking forward to yours!

[Mo.]

Hey Sophie! No need for apologies girl, I've not been around myself much lately either.;) Don't you hold me to doing a seascape, it's only an idea, yeah a scarey one too. :D Thanks for stopping by.

Mo.:)