Leaves

I am going to take you through a step by step process of how I created this painting. This was done in the very early spring of 2008

I wet sponged yellow oxide on a gessoed canvas and left it to dry. I think about what the canvas looks like while I walk in the woods. It has been a long hard winter and I see the forest floor for the first time in a long time. Now I know what I want for this painting. 

Using a leaf stencil I've made I lay out a pattern of leaves and splatter and sponge around the outline of each leaf. I want this to be a quiet painting so I help set my mood with some peaceful music. 

I get where I want to go very quickly with this piece. Now I need to be careful not to over do it by reminding myself of the effect I intend to create, that of a dank forest floor. I decide to work on the push and pull of the painting using dark and light colors. 

I sketch out a few more objects you might find on a forest floor. I'm not working towards realism but continuing to maintain the mood I've set. So I keep things vague. 

I've been rotating the painting as I work on it, studying it from all sides. One of my goals with a painting like this is to have it work from as many angles as possible. I'm satisfied now. The painting is complete.