This pastel painting was created on a beautiful sunny day on Wekiva Island, just aways downriver from the spring's head. The loud horn blew to announce the two-hour drawing time for the Quick Draw competition. I was standing on a little bridge over a branch of the creek full of moss covered turtles waiting to be fed by the staff who regularly threw in fish food.
Next to me were two other ladies, Cory, and her nice English friend, who's name I don't remember. One painted an alligator from a photo and the other a turtle.
I focused on a row of palms at the end of the waterway, and the beautiful lily pads in front of them. The painting was composed by comparing the warmth and coolness of elements, and negotiating the distance of farther-off objects. In Florida, everything is green. The trick to a successful landscape is to create distance by depicting trees behind the main subject in lighter, cooler colors. Otherwise, everything is just one big green jungle.
This being my first quick draw competition, I practiced the sketch and composition the previous day, so the drawing took me only an hour instead of two. I was pleasantly surprised to win second place and received a generous gift certificate that will allow many hours of canoeing, and too many drinks at the Without a Paddle Bar.
For more paintings see my website at www.oritreuben.com and find me on facebook.
"Wekiva Island Palms" Pastel, 12"x 9"
Wekiva Turtles
