Tulip trees at Cylburn

Tulip trees at Cylburn, 14x14, Patricia Bennett

Today I began a painting of the flowering tulip trees at Cylburn Arboretum.  I sat in the shade, it was a lovely day.

This is my painting process:
1. chose a spot in the shade where the sun wouldn't move!
2. decided the tulip tree would be center, and decided on ratio of the tree to the foreground.
3. lightly drew outline of tree with dark color, then started from background to foreground: sky first.  The sky was greyish, so used grey.  Then the middle ground was also grey/purple, and the foreground was green.  There was a magnolia tree behind the tulip tree, so I painted that in as a dark shape.
4. painted a few tree trunks in grey color, then began filling things in.
5. finally got to paint the tulip tree!  Immediately confused b/c there are lots of individual flowers, and how to paint them as a mass, yet show their beauty.
6. created a "lead-in" with daffodils (right corner, up to tulip tree trunk).