High Bush Blueberry, Spring

Worked more on the bottom portion.  Don't want to distract from the bush, but need to bring the eye into the plane.  Everything seems scattered and no focal point.  

High Bush Blueberry, Spring

Began work on the lower edge with some small blueberry and dead branches.  Still not satisfied with the leaves in the upper left.

High Bush Blueberry, Spring

I laid in some of the blueberry leaves.  They may be too heavy or patterned in the upper left.  The eye gets held there.  

High Bush Blueberry, Spring

Short working time today.  Glazed over the pine and softened it a bit. Added a couple of trees  in the foreground.

High Bush Blueberry, Spring

Today I worked on adding values to the branches.  The pine was too wet to work.  

High Bush Blueberry, Spring

I darkened the pine in the middle ground today thinking it would be a better contrast to the eventual spring green of the bush.  But the intensity brings it forward too much.   And it creates too great a distance between the middle and far grounds.  Two ideas:  glaze the pine with a light tint or put in a transition between two grounds, perhaps both.  

High Bush Blueberry, Spring

Today I tried another approach at the pines in the far ground.  I won't really know what's best until I put in the bush's spring leaves.

High Bush Blueberry, Spring

Today I worked the middle ground trying to get the green to look low growing and to recede into the far ground.  It's getting there on the left, I think.

High Bush Blueberry, Spring

I've intensified the blue of the sky.  I'm trying to foresee how a the spring bright green leaves of the bush will contrast and stand visually free of the ground.  The low blueberries in the middle ground need some dark hues add to create a more open look.  Currently, they are too hedge like.  

High Bush Blueberry, Spring

High Bush Blueberry, Spring
34"x24", Oil on Board

Just a little progress today on the positioning of the limbs and considering the dark color.  Should it be cool or warm?  Right now it is a cool mixture of prussian blue and lamp black.  This may work against the warm ground.

High Bush Blue Berry, Spring

High Bush Blueberry, Spring
34"x24", Oil on Board

After setting this painting aside for almost 16 months, I took it up again this week.  It's been hanging in the studio and always in my considerations.  I've been frustrated with a small painting that is just not coming together.  Now, I am working on details of the small painting for a few minutes.  Then, I move on to this painting which allows me more expressive use of the brush.