Oaks on the Hill

I'm still playing around with pastels. This is my second study in this difficult medium.

This time I thought I would change things around a bit by including a couple of my preliminary sketches. I should document each step but sometimes I get swept into the little rectangle of paper or canvas and forget about most everything else.

This is from a photo of some middle-aged oak trees on the low hills surrounding Lake Dixon here in Escondido. I took this picture last spring during that too-short time when things are very green here in Southern California.

 
9 x 12 pastel on Wallis paper

 
First rough sketches

 
Pencil sketch washed with alcohol

 
First underpainting wash