Final update for Burrows Bay

Started finalizing this piece. Boldly changing colors of water to be lighter for lighter part. Also defining edges of tree top lines of the island. It shouldn't take long to finish this from here.

Bleachers are roughly in

Although steps are not even, I put all levels of benches into the background bleachers. When I adjust values in the area, I can also adjust steps so I can forget about them a while. Instead, put my focus back on the horse and the rider.

Back-to-back-to-back update

I kept working on this painting tonight. And suddenly I felt it's almost done. Although each individual part is rough and unfinished. Instead of digging each individual part and making each precise, I'll pick some annoying parts and put thicker paint & bolder marks on those parts. That could make damages to this but could potential make this very interesting.
Let's try...

back to back update

After I went to SAM with my friends to see European Masters exhibit again, I got motivated well tonight. Then worked on the unfilled part of water surface and log fence in foreground. Since I made a good batch of color for the log fence, I continued to the dead standing tree.

Some progress on the island

Not much but some progress was made on Burrows Island. I'm still not satisfied with the outcome but I'll move on to foreground next.

Finally got back to painting

After long absence, I finally got back to this painting by putting bold values&marks on the trees on the island.The colors are a little off but I'll refine them again and again anyway. So I don't worry much. I'm more concering about the value&color balance/contrast with the other parts. The green must be much deeper and highlight should be lighter than the background hills.
By the way I figured the name of the high hill in the background is called Mt. Erie.

Plein air at Bowman Bay

The weather/temperature was too good not to go out for painting over Easter weekend. Unfortunately my motorcycle has been broken down since Nov, I drove my car and stayed at a motel in Mount Vernon last night then went to Rosario Beach/Bowman Bay this morning. I took a lot of photos from the trail from the parking lot at Rosario Bay to Bowman Bay. Then set up my easel on the trail. I still don't have enough skills to make the color of distant mountains and dark colored see in background, and obviously don't know how to paint madrona trees. Also the rocks in the foreground is not realistic enough. I couldn't get  shapes, values, and colors right. But this is the first of this year. I just need to keep trying.
One thing I've learned with this plain air session was how to color the canvas with paints more effectively. I need to mix with more paints with a palette knife. Although the color is not quite right for Olympic mountains, it has consistently thick enough because I mixed a batch of the color.