Sunlit Coconuts Lesson 10

I want to develop more of the darker values now. I have used VanDyke Brown under some of the vines. I washed a stroke of medium value VanDyke Brown under the vine, then immediately softened the lower edge of the wash with a clean, damp brush. This wash flows over several of the vines below and creates the illusion that some of the vines are behind others and in the shadows of the coconuts. Subtle shadows are worked into the vines throughout the piece using VanDyke Brown, Prussian Blue, and French Ultramarine Blue individually.

Again, remember when you are glazing, don't brush too much! Use a light touch on your brush and use very wet pigments. Your brush should just push the puddle of pigment around. If your bristles bend you are pushing too hard.

I have also used greens in some of the vine areas. I added Hooker's Green and Perylene Green to the palette. I added some palm fronds against the sky with Hooker's Green. I also used Prussian Blue around shadows near flowers and around some of the details in the vines. Here and there I dab at the still-wet pigments with a clean, damp brush to soften edges.