First layers of rock and grass
Building grass and lichen
In the studio I’m working on building layers and layers of paint to make the flat slab of weathered granite in the foreground appear real. I put down a dark blue-grey, then used a sea sponge to create the particles that emerge in granite, softening  the grain of the stone with a rag. Next I used a white to create areas of lichen, let it dry then added light colours (a pale green grey and a dirty and light raw sienna). Once that dried I glazed areas with a patchy white, then began working on building leaves and foliage at the edges of the stone, using a Raw umber to create areas of deep shadow that will end up behind the stems and leaves, then adding the first rough shapes of grass leaves.
I tried taking photos of the steps in between, but failed to get pictures of decent quality – my phone isn’t working so well these days. I’ll start using my little camera again.
