Exploring Skies in Pastel

One of the best places to study skies 

(in my heavily wooded environment) 

means going to the lakeshore.

Last summer I took many photos 

of these skies 

in a variety of climate conditions.

Warm spring weather has yet to arrive 
so the spectacular sunsets 
have a special appeal for study!

  

After doing a few watercolour sketches 

I combined the brilliance of the second photo

 with the sweeping clouds of the first.

The actual composition was found

 by zooming in and then cropping the first photo.

Do feel the warmth?

Spring run off

At last... a sign of spring!

Spring Runoff  - Pastel

 

Lots of limestone out croppings on my favourite walking trail 

 force the spring melt through openings in the rocky face.

Landscape Pastel - Changing Fall Colour

Another view of that same foggy morning. 

In this experiment 

I added some bright pinks

 to the original colour scheme.

I simplified the composition 

in order to play off the wildflowers 

against the dark green trees

 while keeping the atmosphere

somewhat illusive.