Reversed the process slightly

As most artists do, I regularly make bigger shapes by defining/refining shadow(negative) shapes. But this time, since I've been too busy in day job and didn't have time to even stand in front of canvas for last three weeks, I needed to do something differently to regain confidence and remember what I was up to. So, I decided to define highlighted(positive) shapes at this early stage. The effect was immediate as you can see in this small photo.

A bit different landscape

After last two, or three, workshops, I started feeling I have to change the way to pick the composition and paint en plein air. Now I feel none of my recent trials outside are not good enough to make studio paintings from. As the result, I needed to find something from photos I took instead. And I started looking closer subjects than before. Then picked this one I took near North Bend very recently.

The title would be "summer shade". There is no "back ground (farground) in this. Only nearground and mid ground. I covered the shadow area with dark cool green. The size is 14"x18".

Base values are filled

To me this is a little surprise but the bigger shapes (horses) are good already. Darkest dark and lightest light are filled by now. The background green should be much lighter in the photo but for the contrast, I might make it darker. We'll see.

White Horse is the next

In this composition, the horses stay a little higher on the canvas because a band of daisies is at the bottom. The key shapes are mostly whitish. Transferring subtle color changes to other colors would be the key of this painting. The size is 14"x20".

Yet another update

Well, I didn't plan to update for this piece any more. But I had to. Because this is the first time curving background sky into trees worked as I intended. I've probably overdone that though. I realized I spent more than an hour forgetting how much time has passed tonight. Originally it was too dark. I made the trees much lighter because they're further back. I think the values are about right now.

I'll work on the foreground further and enhance cow's bodies a little bit then call it done.

Filling out foreground

 This would be the last update before finishing this piece. Spent some time to fill foreground. I wanted to show spiky frozen grass stems. I haven't decided what to do with the background sky. Currently the sky colors are smeared with reddish tree colors, which was done at a very early stage. But at the same time, I don't want to eliminate soft edges between trees and sky.

 I also want to put some more highlight colors on the cows as the final touches. But otherwise I'm so far satisfied with this painting.

Sun has almost set

This would be the last update of this painting before finishing. I started working on highlighted areas and cutting into rock shapes. I need to be careful not to make too light for too much areas. I think I need to make three color values 1) light snow area, 2) dark shadowed snow area, and 3) rocks. And gradually reduce the value range among them while I work from top of the mountains toward the bottom. Then it would be done.