Squishing a Meadow

How does one “squish a meadow”?

One layer at a time, with oil paint on canvas, a 6×18″ canvas to be specific. Canvases this size and shape have become popular; they seem to fit well into odd spaces for people. I can accommodate this.

This is how Crescent Meadow in Sequoia National Park looked about 2 weeks ago.

Crescent Meadow

The proportions are different in this photo than on a 6×18″ canvas. Can I squish this into a horizontal format? Can I stretch it out and remain believable? Sure. This is a forgiving subject, not an architectural exactitude where I have to artificially elongate things, maybe shorten the height and add a few windows. That would be neither forgiving nor believable.

This messy and sort of ugly beginning lets me know this will work.
Tucker doesn’t care, because there is something much more intriguing up the hill.
All this discussion about proportion, believability and elongating has put Scout to sleep.
Better sky (it is the farthest element), next grayish green on the trees that are farthest away.
Those distant grasses come next.
More trees, both near and far. 
Closer trees on the left.
Closer trees on the right, bright yellow ones last.

After this is dry, I will look at it with more critical eyes, add a few more details, decide if the colors are really correct, and then sign it.

And honestly, Dear Readers, my paintings look a ton better in person.

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