Creek in the Smokey Mountains, NC

[artistinmemphis]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/18-Sep-2010/101210-372.jpg
View from one of the highest peaks in the park.



http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/18-Sep-2010/101210-395.jpg
I set up to paint this scene in a quiet spot, and about a half hour into my painting a couple with their small child set up just to the right of this waterfall, across the creek to go fishing. They made a fair amount of noise and were casting their poles my direction. :( I sped up my painting as much as possible to keep from being distracted. My trusty dog barked at them some.... I got rather irritated... but didn't say anything, as the park is public. My wife says it improved my painting, haha.


http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/18-Sep-2010/101210-397.jpg
Start. Sketch in pencil, then brushed most of it off. I pretinted the canvas panel with a homemade umberish color. These are linen panels primed with Alkyd, purchased from windriverarts.com. They are more absorbent than normal acrylic primed canvas.




http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/18-Sep-2010/101210-399.jpg
The challenge for me here was the light kept moving across the rocks, and portraying the lively water. I found myself getting caught up in details of the rocks, they are so varied. I filled in the background really quickly when I ran short of time.


http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/18-Sep-2010/101210-405.jpg http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/18-Sep-2010/101210-402.jpg
9x12 oils

I'd appreciate any comments or critique.

[creatividee]

You were able to capture the light and movement of the water despite the distractions. Wow there were many types of and textures associated with the rocks and you handled them well through your brushwork and color placement. Thanks for sharing your pics of the area and the WIP. Beautiful location...I'm sure it's difficult to decide what to paint! I'm sure it will be quite colorful here soon as our leaves here in nw PA are starting to change.

[artc]

A very,very nice painting.
I really like it.
Good luck.....Art

[priyaa]

Very nice indeed ! Thank you for sharing the photos and WIP with us.
Priya

[artistinmemphis]

Thanks Dee and Art. I've driven through nw PA, its lovely there. There were some leaves changing in the park already, labor day weekend. I saw some wild elk, one came running out of the woods as I was walking my dog. His back was about 6ft tall.

[winecountry]

the rocks look nice and solid, the water tho looks polluted and a bit sluggish, maybe the photo? but notice on your ref the water has really bright whites and blues....I struggle to keep my whites bright too, only thing I know right now is to put it on heavier, than the darks...

[jumpingbean]

I am so glad to see all the moss in your painting. I did some rocks this summer and thought because there was so much moss and algae in the water, that my painting was uninteresting. But you have changed my mind with this one. Well done.