Azalea Park, Step 2

 

Reference Photos

 

These are three of the photos I took that day.  You can see how I took liberties with the scene, especially showing more of the water than I could really see.  I also accentuated the light on the path and the way it turned behind the azalea bushes. 

The painting will be based on the plein air sketch but I will use these photos as reference information.

Azalea Park, Step 1

 

The Plein Air Sketch



 

Brighton Dam Azalea Gardens is one of my favorite places to paint in the spring.  These azaleas have been there for years and in the latter part of April and the first part of May the blooms are magnificent.  I try to go there every year .The gardens are adjacent to a reservoir which adds color and counterpoint to the many-colored flowers. 

This is a recent plein air sketch and I thought it would blow up nicely into a larger painting.  The frustrating thing about painting azaleas (and perhaps most flowers) is that the tube colors will never match the vibrancy and intensity of the real colors.  I am going to make it a 24 x 30.  This sketch is 11 x 14.