Land of Contrasts: Artists Diary of Dixie National Forest. Step by step painting of Pine Valley Reservoir

I am Getting ready for "Land of Contrasts: Dixie National Forest" to be exhibited at the Eccles Art Museum November 16, 2012 through January 22, 2013. I turned to one of my favorite local spots in the Dixie Forest -- Pine Valley Reservoir for this new painting. Based on my plein air studies, I thought you'd enjoy seeing the three main steps in the production of this piece. Using Arches 140 lb paper mounted on "Incredible Art Board" I begin by laying down most of the basic glazes with very little detail. In the next image I begin adding darks as I delineate some of the major features. In the final painting I have added foreground details and refined the edges.