The Country Gate

I recently visited the wonderful Westonbirt National Arboretum here in the UK to find some fresh inspiration. While walking through the grounds, I came across this simple wooden gate overlooking a wide, green field. The way the bright sunlight hit the meadow behind the dark fence really caught my eye. It felt like a perfect scene to capture in watercolour because of the lovely layers of trees and the soft summer light.

To get those vibrant greens in the field and the bushes, I used a mix of cad yellow and viridian green. I wanted the grass to look like it was glowing in the sun. For the large, dark purple tree in the background, I used a mix of ultramarine blue and alizarin crimson. This creates a nice deep shadow that stands out against the lighter sky and the bright green leaves. It adds a bit of drama to the middle of the painting.

The foreground path has a lot of texture and earthy tones. I used burnt umber and neutral tint to create the muddy look of the track leading up to the gate. I also added some figures leaning on the fence to give the painting a story. They help to show how big the trees are and give the viewer a place to rest their eyes. I used cobalt blue for their clothes to make them pop against the green background.

This original painting is for sale.