Challenge Completed! 5 Days of Painting!

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Today's painting is of a scene in Rocky Mountain National Park in the Kawuneechee Valley.  It's the headwaters of the Colorado River.  One of my favorite places in the park.  It's changed a lot since I took this picture sometime about 10-15 years ago.  First the pine beetles came in and ravaged the trees, and then this past summer, this area was burned in the huge fires here.  One day it will regrow, but it won't look like this again in my lifetime.  Loved painting this beautiful memory! 

Like the other studies this week, I hope to do a much larger painting in the future of this scene.  

I did a value sketch, but I think I actually captured the values better in the painting for once! 

This was at 20 minutes.  I needed less than 10 minutes more to get the finished result I showed above.  

Here is the completed study with the reference photo (Modified as usual to simplify things and make it easier for me to paint and not get caught up in details).  

In all, I was able to complete 6 paintings this week!  All are 7"x5".  The top three are on old canvas boards I had.  I'm glad to say I've used all of them up that I had in this size - finally!  The bottom three are on my favorite surface, Ampersand Gessoboard.  I used Winsor & Newton Artisan Water Mixable oils on these.  They took a bit of getting used to, but I love not having to use solvents or oils in the painting process.  For brushes, I order mine from Rosemary & Co Brushes in England.  I used Rosemary Shiraz in short flat #6 and a #2 filbert.  

At the end of this coming week, I'm participating in "Plein Air Live".  I did it last year and learned so much!  Hoping this year is just as good!  

#ArtWorkLifeChallenge