before snow glow and upcoming pastel workshop

pastel and watercolor on Uart 8x10

The challenge today was to make the glow on the water. There was very overcast sky since there is snow on the way. (sidebar- we have had spring up to now-cherry blossoms in bloom, every the creeping flocks and quince have flowers!) Snow sounds exciting to see again.

I have been asked many times to talk about the process of my  paintings. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera, but still I will provide a written account. 
Since all landscapes have a warm undertone I used quid burnt sienna and quid burnt gold watercolor paint to paint the value in the large masses.  Very simplified.
 Observing and not painting I watch. Finally, I take off the gloves and settle down with my precious pastels.
My thinking :When you look at water it has a color of its own that is more prominent in the foreground and reflections. This water had a greenish tone. The sky color effects the whole tenor of everything and that was a pink gray violet.  That determined, almost all my selected pastels came from the gray section of the palette. The purer tones were added at the very end. The pastel is thicker in the sky thus more matte. The water has thin rubbed applications.
The main dance (the diva) has more marks and more contrast in  color. I hold back mark making in other areas.
It is an intuitive thing that is good to sometimes put in words.

I will be teaching a workshop this summer. Email me to let me know if you are interested. I like to teach small groups so the class size is limited to 5. Toodles for now......