Encapsulated In Love Painted In Acrylics

In a world that is grey and begging for conformity, it takes a strong person to stick to their principles of being true to themselves. It is only when we truly love ourselves that we can dare to live true to our own selves in this uniform world. In today's painting I reflect these sentiments by using trees in my illustration. I use acrylics as medium.

I start on a a deep-frame masonite box.

I prepare the surface by giving it two coats of gesso.

Once the gesso is completely dry, I can start my drawing.

I use black and semi-transparent mixing white to start with.

I grab a long-stemmed paint brush by its far end and paint very wavering lines to represent tree trunks and branches. I ground these with roots.

Once the black is dry, I clad these trunks in the mist, by painting them over with mixing white.

Progress.

I now paint the foreground with uneven heaps of soil and growth.

I once again paint over the background with the mixing white.

I now use a darker black to paint the trees in my foreground.

These trees are more defined and have thicker stems as well.

I dab at the trees with a dry brush to create the illusion of leaves.

Make sure to create darker and lighter shades in the leaves. Leave the focal tree unpainted.

If need be, greater contrast can be created by adding mixing white to the wet paint. Slightly brush over the trunks of the trees, but only haphazardly.

Paint red leaves on the focal tree.

Add this colour to the ground where some leaves would have fallen.

Add some dark shadowed leaves with black.

Add an even brighter red for more contrast in the leaves.

The finished painting.

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
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