Cedar Cove - Reference Phot & Introduction

Welcome to Cedar Cove. This six-part tutorial is based on a scene Jenny and I discovered while exploring the country around Canyonlands National Park in Utah with our Tacoma and Little Ruby, our teardrop trailer. What first caught my attention was the dramatic pattern of sunlight and shadow across the rock walls, an effect that was already changing as I photographed it. In the foreground, the dry creek bed, cedars, and reddish rock create another important part of the composition, particularly where the complementary reds and greens work against one another. As we work through the painting, I’ll show you how I used these large patterns of light and dark, color relationships, and foreground shapes to create depth and organize the composition. If you’d like to paint along with me, you can download the reference photograph below and keep it open on your screen or print a copy to use while you paint.