Art Girls Gallery: the Arizona Landscape

Contemporary Fine Art

R o b i n A n n W a l k e r
v i s u a l a r t i s t

The Arizona Landscape
Three panels, each 3' x 6'.

	The triptych painting began as a sketch over three canvases, then color was washed over.
	More color added.
	Serious painting has begun. I have painted out some of the elements as I start adding detail. Since the painting is so large it was hard to tell what the scale of the elements should be. I would stand in front and get lost in the details and lose the overall image. Since this is an imaginary place and I had no reference photos, I struggled with this for a long time.
	This is after a serious re-work. I drastically reduced the size of the treeline at the base of the mountains, also Camelback mountain on the far right background. The right river bank changed to make a canyon, which is more interesting than the flat bank it replaced. Rocks were added on the side of the mountain (right), and also on the left river bank. I added another change in plane under the far left mountain. I have started adding details in the foreground, and color and temperature correcting the entire image.
	Different lighting - the color has not changed that much. I have added a lot of desert foliage in the bottom right corner - and that's my focus now - finishing the foreground.
	Have added foliage to the foreground, painted in the saguaro forest in the valley and up the side of the mountain. Some of the elements were painted from photos of the client's yard. Still adjusting the values.
	Brightened the sky, added more cactus in the foreground, overall touchups completed. My client and friend, Lee Ann, as she approved the final painting on her birthday 7/20/02. It will be shipped to Scottsdale for installation in her home.
	Just when you think it's finished.... As I was applying the final varnish, I took another look and decided I wasn't happy with the cactus in the middle ground. I painted them out, added rocks, and called it finished.
	August 2002 NOW it's finished - and installed in my client's home in Scottsdale, Arizona. I loved every minute of this project, even as I agonized over it.