First, prepare the surface by giving the board three generous coats of acrylic gesso primer.  Allow time for each layer to dry before applying the next.  A worn flat bristle brush is ideal for this task, as it creates a rough, random texture, which is ready for the painting.

Using the same brush, start to paint the sky using white with a hint of Naples yellow for the lower areas and applying a greater amount of yellow to the left-hand side.

Before this has time to dry fully, work in white with a small amount of cobalt blue into the upper part.

To create a satisfactory sky shape, add more of the same colour combinations to the surface, but in a much more diluted fashion. By diluting the acrylic, drying time is extended and more subtle effects can be achieved.

Continue usingthe bristle brush to blend, drying it on kitchen towel after each application of wet colour.

Using more diluted paint and the Round No 14, begin to block in the foreground.

Continuing with diluted paint and the side of the No 8 Round, scumble a diluted blue/grey mix made from cobalt blue, yellow ochre and a touch of red across the middle ground.

Work back in slightly stiffer mixes of sky colour to shape the trees and add the sky holes.  Repeat this process as many times as is necessary to build up a subtle patina of colour and tone in the distant trees.

Begin to form figures walking along the footpath on the far bank.  At this stage, just a little diluted white starts off the head and shoulders.

To bring the left-hand tree nearer to the viewer, add a little cadmium yellow to the blue/grey mix.

Imply the branches by using raw umber.  Add similar colours to bulk out the right-hand bush and foreground.

Return to the left bank and develop the figures by working darks into the negative spaces surrounding them. This method is more successful for a lifelike effect, rather than painting positive shapes that look as if they were pasted on. Add burnt sienna to the face of the person the left, and give the figure on the right a cadmium red jacket. Continue to use diluted paint to take advantage of transparency and so that the red is not too bright.

Add a single stroke on the left, which becomes a white parson russell terrier!

Increase the tone and colour on the left-hand tree using the No 14 Round. Try not to flood the brush so that the bristles break up, and roll the brush over the tree area.

Using the same brush, with its disrupted tip, create fine leaves on the edge of the tree.

Paint neater sky colour back into the tree gaps. As with the background, repeat this process several times over dry paint to build up many subtle layers.
 

Add more definition to the right-hand bank and bush. As this side is catching a little more light, make the greens slightly brighter by adding more cadmium yellow. For the darks, add raw umber to the green mix.

Paint the river using horizontal directional strokes. The colour of water varies enormously depending on weather conditions, but it is seldom pure blue. Add raw umber into cobalt blue to grey it off and use it to soften the bank edges.

Brush diluted white over the surface using the damaged bristle brush while the paint is still damp. Rework this several times until the misty effect is achieved.

The final stage is to balance the tones throughout the painting and to introduce a little fine detail into the foreground.  An effective way of creating fine grass is to spread the Round brush at the ferrule with your thumb then brush diluted paint in the direction of growth (see below).

Add other fine details, such as foreground reeds and fencing, with diluted paint and the tip of a fine brush.

To finish, soften the edge of the right-hand bank by scumbling white undiluted paint over the surface with a bristle brush.

FINISHED PAINTING

Rising Mists on the Wreake, acrylic on MDF board, (26.5x33cm)