Let's start at the Beginning.....

Planning.... 

Yes,  even for the artist - a well thought out plan for a painting is vital.
For me, it starts with a reference picture - and imagination.... what could this be?  

I think about color schemes and the basic warmth or coolness I want to portray - even in something as basic as a landscape picture.  The reference picture is only that - a reference... it doesn't dictate the final work. 

Before getting out a canvas to begin, I do thumbnail sketches to be sure of my composition and I do value studies to compare various values within the composition.  These are done in my sketchbook - as well as notes about what I'm imagining.   And for me, I pray... for added insight, for guidance, for the ability to give this idea and painting more than what might be obvious.   

In my plans for this new painting - which will be a beautifully sculptural overhanging tree, greens are predominant.  So I've done a brightly colored underpainting in magenta, purples, and peaches. 

 

 With a thinned down purple, I've sketched in the basic shape of the tree - it has a graceful arch to the left.  There will be the suggestion of woods behind it, but the main idea is the tree, in all its abundance. 

 The sky holes in this foliage of the tree are very light.  They range from peach to lavender.  I've created the general area for them, but will go back with additional color before I'm done. 

 I've added some shadows in cooler tones, and started putting in some foliage.  But I'm thinking about the kinds of greens I want to add, and how to make them more interesting - how can I juxtapose them with other colors to make them sparkle or tone them down?  

After this step - I felt I needed to understand my green possibilities more completely.  I made some color studies of the various greens that I have and mixed with the various yellows - I was able to see my range of colors from a very blue-green through a very gray green with all the stops in between. 

Color studies take some time to do... but it's valuable time.  Time spent  that will give me complete understanding and control over the range of this color, green.  

My work on this painting, which measures 20x 16" continues....  planning creates a strong start. 
As I get further on, I will pay close attention to values as well as colors... values are even more important than actual color!  

As this painting comes together, I'll post more!  Keep watching to see it unfold.  Even though I have an idea of it's outcome - it's final form will be something I do not yet totally envision.   I mentioned above that I pray - and I do... it may sound crazy - we don't often think of it this way, but the Creator of all is the Greatest Artist - and has a great delight in the creation of art, lending guidance and help all along the way when we ask.