Summer Hay Bales

There are cut fields in Tuscany with round hay bales everywhere this summer.  The fields have a different color depending on the moisture and type of hay.  We are lucky to be living near several fields with beautiful hills in the background.  I managed to get a few photos of this first painting in different stages.  To arrive at this beginning point it did take quite a bit of walking around in morning and afternoon light trying to find the right angle.  Below is the view I chose. 

Starting point

The drawing

Blue hills

I usually put down some white on the horizon as a sort of value check, I know that I will have to keep that area extremely light.  This works for me because I usually don't have time to labor over the sky when I am in the field, at least on the first day.  Later when I do my tweaking at home I mix some patchy light color spots into that white zone.

almost there

Below is the finished painting.  Other than the biting gnats, the afternoon was peaceful.

Rotoballe Sulla Collina  o/c  40 x 50cm   available at the Stage Door Gallery