Color study - pastel

Finally getting around to posting this painting I did on Thursday, I think.  Given the mini rut I was in, I thought returning to some color studies based on the "paint the same scene" concept I'd done back in October might be helpful.  I still ended up fighting with that a bit, and even though I took a photo of the other piece I did in the same sitting, it's just something I think I'll toss instead...not worth posting.

For these, I like to convert my reference photo to a black/white image; that way, I'm free to choose whatever colors I wish.

I chose a photo I took out near Coronado National Monument, south of the Huachuca Mtns., back in March.  I decided to try a square composition just for something different and so that I could alter sizes if I wanted.

Nice range of values, a foreground, middle ground and distal horizon.  Some interesting stuff .  I didn't do thumbnail sketches prior to beginning the first painting, which probably would have been a good idea.  I altered the composition a bit as I went.  

For this, I decided to stick with Unison pastels and went with an orange-yellow-purple palette, sort of a split compliment, and going strictly on values vs. colors.  It's kinda fun, color-wise.  If I can settle on a compositional arrangement I am happy with, I'll probably whip out a bunch of smaller studies in between other pieces.

Trees with grass and wash

9x9" 320-grit sandpaper