The trees… The spring trees, especially this year after so much rain, are so lush and such varied greens. This is a great time to take reference photos. Noticing the shapes, lights and darks, and how the trunk and branches peaking through the foliage help us to understand the structure and how to portray this in our artwork. See how the line of trees catch the light, how the shadows give shape, volume, and depth to the grouping of trees.
Down the street
What greens are we seeing? What colors do we see in the lights and the darks? Could we use colors other than greens to create our trees?
I took photos outside my studio in Raleigh so you can find trees willing to pose for you most anywhere.
The forest and the lake view were from my recent trip to PA to teach for a wonderful group of painters. 
What a terrific opportunity to see lots and lots of beautiful trees while traveling by car through WVa, Va, and NC.
Summersville Lake, W Va
Get your camera out and do some seeing.
Outside the Sawmill Studio
