Natural Avenue- final outcome by Ian Ridley

Very interesting Ian as I am not a landscape painter but do admire the work of others, backgrounds are my worst enemy. I did go to a class on backgrounds which helped, but I don't paint enough of them for them to work naturally for me. Your actual finished painting is of course superb with the light coming through and the trees,well they are always good. Thank you.

Superb rendering

Excellent painting of trees, and beautiful colours.

It certainly has been of interest, and as with your other recent posting, I admire the depth of tone you achieve - do you start all of your paintings this way, allowing the way the colours mix and granulate to determine the final result (with a bit of help from you, obviously!) - or do you sometimes plan and map everything out, as watercolourists tend to be told to do?

Robert. Most of the atmospheric landscapes are started this way although if I have something in mind the wash can be manipulated . Once completed I still have to work back to front tonally as you suggest although I dont usually plan the whole thing from the start. Hope this helps. I could do a series of photos for a similar painting showing the intermediate stages if you think it might generate interest.

I really like this beautiful painting Ian, so atmospheric.

Really beautiful and magical.