Lastly I add the foreground and finishing touches to the water.

Now the real work begins, putting in the bush detail.

I use the base colour and add naples yellow, yellow ochre and sap green progressivly as I move towards the foreground of the painting. Beginning at the most distant point I follow down ridges and in doing so form valleys.

I have taken this photo under lights so the colours are not true.

Here I have underpainted with a base colour establishing distance and light source.

This is a painting I did before I started my blog.

Stage one as usual is going over my drawing in Alizarin and turps.

I have had time to paint again so an update at last.

Worked on detail of the Earnslaw today and started the foreground.

I have started blocking in some background colour.

This was  an opportunity too good to miss – The historic Earnslaw of Queenstown and the Arrowtown Miners band together on the steamer warf.It will be a challenge.

The drawing and wash of alizarin crimson has been done.

I have added warmth to the sky and highlights on the mountains and worked on the foreground rocks and water.

The black background has been good for this area however I think I will stick to white canvas in future.

Starting to get some detail into the painting .

Painting in the rocks – some of which will be covered with a blue wash later

to look as though they are under the water.