Another Sketch~Yup, More Birch

I've painted more birch landscapes these last few weeks than I care to count. All hit the bin. I felt my confidence begin to fade and when that happens nothing I paint seems to work. Yesterday I was browsing on Facebook and found the oil paintings of Michael Godfrey. He's done a series of winter landscapes, none with birch that I saw, but I was entranced with the way he handled the snow and that winter woodsy atmosphere. This has been my main issue...how to make a white landscape with white trees sing and not look terribly stark and boring. Also I had certain colors that needed to be incorporated(and more to be left out) to make this painting work with it's companion. Commissions can be tricky.

There's a certain freedom with oils that's not enjoyed when working in watercolor, at least for me. How to achieve the same look as Godfrey's work with watercolor was now the issue. I decided to use gesso as a painting medium, something I've never done before and it worked pretty well. It's great for hazy backgrounds. I also switched to 300# CP paper for texture.

BTW, if you're a member of Facebook please take the time to look up Michael Godfrey's work. You won't be sorry. If you do check out his gallery you'll spot which painting I took my inspiration from easily.