At Water's Edge

At Water's Edge
Acrylic on masonite, 5x5

This is my first block in and color wash in acrylic using this particular limited palette.  I used a limited palette in acrylic for years, and found it so helpful in mixing colors on the fly - especially in the field.  The colors used here are yellow oxide, cad red light, cad red medium, red oxide, alizarin crimson and indanthrene blue, along with white and black.  That makes four different reds, a muddy yellow and a blue I have never heard of - but is somewhat like prussian, only cooler.  After blocking in the masses, I was ready to throw in the towel, I was so disappointed in the direction of the portrait!  I let it dry, as recommended, so that future strokes could be added or wiped off with a damp paper towel until the desired effect was achieved.  I did a different block in, and then returned to this.  As I started laying on strokes with a dry brush method, the painting started to come to life.  I’m a little unsure if this is where I will leave this painting, but for now - I am so much happier with it than I was earlier!  My new brushes came in - so I am getting to know them as well here.  Perhaps that was also some of the initial frustration.  New tools, new color combination, and new technique - no wonder I feel COMPLETELY out of my box!  Another difficulty - I painted this from the tiny photo on my phone, which was from a distance, and the clarity is not great.  A funny thing happened as I painted....I made this woman look more like myself!  Crazy.  Probably because I had trouble seeing the planes.  I also added more light, which I really thought it needed.  This painting makes 1040 in 1040 days.