Getting Close

This is the Zen part of painting. This is where you ask yourself is it done yet. I am happy with the journey that has gotten me here and the question is whether there is further to go without having pushed too far.

I added the water because that has almost become a signature item for me. And the rain in the distance would flood the valley floors and the narrow canyons and turn the thirsty plants green and give flower to the desert wild poppies and other flowers. And I added the crows because that is a signature for me.

I did a lavender glaze over the clouds and the sky and a white glaze over the monuments and the land before them to give a sense of distance. I then went back and added some definition to the shadows on the towers.

The question remains as to whether to add details in line to the arch itself, and whether I need additional glazes to the horizon to push it further back.

I generally at this point live with the painting for several days. I set it up where I can see it when I enter the studio. It is often the little thing you catch out of the corner of your eye that needs fixed or added to. With all the labor expended to this point it is best not to rush. And I have found the bigger a canvas is the more this part has to be considered. It is easy to spot a mistake or omission in a small painting but big and complex ones hide their secrets well.