Sunshine....I'm off to paint!

The calm before the storm, bad weather is forecast so when I saw the sunshine this morning I took my opportunity to go back to the allotments and complete the painting I began a few days ago.
This can be risky, you need to go back at the same time of day and who is to say things haven't changed? Especially on an allotment! It seems to look different every time I go, buckets moved, plastic sheeting put up, lovely coloured plastic bottles have appeared this time (but that must be another painting)

So working on my tonal base, I begin by adding the brightest colours I see, this is going to change, especially as the light changes but I need to establish these now.

This may not look too different, but I was aware that I needed to take photos and once I start painting it can sometimes be hard to remember to stop and take them. 
The lights go in next, the sky and anywhere the light hits, incase the sun goes in (which it will)

Now I start to work on the background area, focussing on the canopy of branches and twigs. This is when I need to stop myself from over doing things.... time just flies by when you start to add twigs!
Next its blocking in the mid ground.

The sunlight is quite bright on the right and its filtering through the trees, so I want to get that diffused light, those sumptuous mauves. In go the branches and twigs as well as more darks, warms and background bits.

Now I got a bit carried away at this point and concentration was total, so I forgot to take any more stages. Each time I stop I have to put the painting on the ground to take a photo because the easel gets in the way. It breaks up my concentration so I am afraid before I know it, Ive finished.

So this is the finished painting, you can see how the shadows have changed from the start of the painting, there is now light on the side of the shed and the lights have gone from the left of the water butts, but once those first tones are in I don't chase the sun, I stick with what I've got.

I also realised, I have no photo yet of the finished painting, I was so keen to get home and have a cuppa! It was surprisingly warm and I had such a nice morning, so this little painting is another lovely memory banked.

My walk home takes me along the river Windrush, you can see how the footpath is now totally under water today and we are due for storms over the week end.