Birch Trees

This was so fun to paint. I started with a canvas I keep in my studio to try colours on, use up the paint on my palette and just play on, no plans, just play! I had been working in my sketch book and doing studies on canvas paper of birch trees. When I looked at my play canvas, I thought WOW, that would make great trees if I can tame the rest.

"Birch Trees" 
30" x 15" Acrylic on gallery wrap canvas with painted sides
​#20029122 On hold, sale pending
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I wish I had taken a photo of my play canvas before I started! The photo on the top left (below) has the birch trees taped out and the background painted over top. I tried to use dull colours but for me that is really hard. The top right is with the tape pulled off to see what I had. On the bottom left  I am trying to define and dull the colours so they drop into the background. I had the painting against the window in my studio and the sun was shining through it. The colours don't really show in the photo but the trees were in brilliant jewel tones and I thought, thank you nature for showing me just what my vision was, now to paint it....!

I came into my studio and my painting was against a window. The sun was shining through it and the trees looked like jewelled stained glass, just what I wanted! Okay how to make that happen...I need to dull the background further and add more light to the trees (easier said than done). Loved working on this one and the final result!