In The Studio: Number 81 of 90 Paintings in 90 Days, “Found Them Sam”

This is a painting that tells a story, and I find that kind of fun.  I originally finished the painting as it is shown below and felt it needed something so I looked over saw my dog Sam and he became the missing piece.  I have to admit I never really painted cows, horses or dogs until I began this painting series but after a while I needed to broaden my horizons and now I have a whole new avenue of interest.Painting before Sam was put in, I do think he improves the composition.I used a really simple composition with the landscape just a series of triangular shapes.  I kept the horse and the rider as one shape, I don’t want the rider to feel separate from the horse.  In reality they form such a team that they are one.  I started the painting on dry paper and used a nice warm color for the horse new gamboge, burnt sienna, cobalt blue and a little violet.A mix of cobalt blue and olive green for the horizon, just indicating the suggestion of trees, hills and contours.  Nothing too much or it will lose its’ sparse feeling.I was going to leave the sky white but I felt it need a feeling of light and the end of the day.  So a ran a nice cool blue, cobalt, ultramarine and cerulean and left some light areas for the raw sienna pieces. I darken the figure and the horse giving a better interpretation of the late afternoon light.  I really am trying to stay away from the adding of too many details and separating the rider from the horse.  Add the distant cows, some fine weed marks and the dog.  After I painted the dog I needed to put a few more dark accents on the horse.  Fun!