My artist friend Catherine generously gave me a few tips on painting deserts. This is what she said "...it is the density of the dark shadows that define the reds - think abstract shapes for the shadows. I think you've got alizarin crimson and pthalo blue in the shadows - more intensity." With her advice in mind, I decided to have another go at the King's Canyon painting. Here is what it looked like before I started experimenting.
It was fine but lacking in impact. Not memorable as the desert is in reality. I re-coloured the rocks to pure pigment and resisted adding white. That was quite a discipline for me! I added pthalo blue to the shadows which immediately darkened them.
And here is the result after. As Catherine said, it packs more of a punch. It captures more of the harshness and vitality of the desert.
