Just occasionally we have a period of days in England where you can trust that the sun will shine and your outdoor plans will be safe. On one such day I headed out to Richmond Park to take advantage of the fine weather and broad blue skies pleasantly dotted with gorgeous billowing clouds.
Finding the welcome shade of one of the many large oak trees within the park, the heat of the day which was now approaching 30°C was bearing down on the scene in front of my chosen spot. This view is all about the richness of the blue sky, the heat and sense of summer so prevalent at the time. The vertical composition allowed me to emphasise these elements from the dried grasses to the simmering low clouds and chalky blue overhead.
Walking onwards around the Lower Pond and up towards Pembroke Lodge, the clouds to the north began to take on wonderful subtle colours from the afternoon sun. Setting up in the shade of a woodland edge, the deep greens of distant trees provided a strong base for the star of the show above.
With the wind picking up a ceaseless array of form and colour shifted above the scene. Deep blue-grey to violet colours in gentle shifting tones punctuated the sky with softer greys and warm whites spilling over the tops of the clouds.
Choosing the best form to suit the composition can be a tricky task, and after some carefully selected combinations of various shapes above were combined, the rich blue of the sky could be painted in and the painting complete.
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