Well, I've been tackling a few of the snow studies and hope to get them wrapped up soon. I don't find the rural landscape so interesting at this time of year (lots of dreary browns) so it's nice to have all the light and colour to work with.

I've tried my best to keep things loose and fresh but I find it quite tricky. I'm determined to persevere because I don't want to be a slave to detail and have to 'render' everything. It's not that I'm lazy...it's just that I don't think it's so important anymore. Proof will be in the pudding I guess!



This was a cloudier day but I stumbled across this little scene and enjoyed the more subdued light. The sheep made a little cameo at the top of the hill for a nice ending touch! The original location study is shown below and hopefully you'll agree the studio piece (above) has ironed out a few of the compositional creases (in my defence it was so cold I didn't have much time to think about the composition on the day!)



Here's the frozen river scene reversioned (but not yet finished)



and this one is still in progress....



and finally for now, a scene with light through the trees by the river. I did another location study of these trees before the snow arrived and thought it would be interestng to contrast the two. I'm hoping to work up both pieces into more resolved pieces at some point but hopefully you can get an idea from these pieces..