A Lovely Summer

This last few weeks has been wonderful for painting, we have enjoyed such glorious sunshine and high temperatures that there has been no reason not to go out and paint, especially with these lovely light evenings. I have also enjoyed lots of family get togethers and am working on a series of studies and paintings since the arrival of the newest little family member (who has just started walking) its now not so easy to draw her as she moves about much more quickly these days. 
I know some of you have asked to see some photos and I may post some sketches or paintings in the future, but for the time being I am sticking to less personal subjects here on my blog.

This is the most recent painting I have done. Its done plein air in my local allotments, I particularly like this one, I think its the lighting I like so much, it has been on my mantle piece for the last few days and although I could add more details to the foreground I feel that would spoil the simplicity and economy of strokes.
Its a funny thing painting, sometimes you paint something that really 'sings' this is one of those for me.

I began with my canvas already prepared with a sort of ochre, warm beige ground. I like to have a colour all over it before I begin, I would never take a white canvas with me to paint on, it would always have a base colour of some sort on it.

So this is how it all started.

Perhaps I should say, this is when I remembered to take the first photo!
I try and place everything I want to include in my composition, scrunching up my eyes so I see blocks of colour and tone. I sometimes get carried away in some parts and have to stop myself before I become too engrossed in 'part' of the painting rather than looking at it as a 'whole' so the painting slowly emerges out of the canvas.
That way I can alter the compositing as I go.
I always find it amazing when I see people working on a tiny section of a much bigger painting, all in splendid detail and the rest left white. I can't think like that, I need to see how the whole things will look rather then just a tiny bit at a time.

This was the middle stage, before I added any details.

I can now add things like posts, grasses, flowers, any clutter I see... the tricky part is knowing when to stop.
I really think I will leave it alone and not be tempted to fiddle!!