An Early Start

Today's painting is another small 4x6, entitled 
"An Early Start". I wanted to capture the feeling of that sparkling morning light, as these riders head out for what looks like an especially pleasant ride. I wish I was right there, but instead, am looking out the window at about a foot and a half of new snow, with wind chills below zero.

This little painting demonstrates a compositional

format known as the 

 "O" format. The dark shaded foreground with the trees on both left and ride sides form an opening shaped like an "O". Beyond this dark encircling foreground is the center of attention, and your eyes immediately travel INTO the painting.  That's the genius of this particular format - it really pulls the viewer into the "world" of the painting, and creates a real sense of distance and depth. The somewhat dazzling morning light (created by using a whisper of cadmium orange in every sunlit surface) helps to focus the eyes immediately on those riders... Oh how I wish I was right there with them!