Wood Ducks II

A Step-by-Step Oil Painting Demonstration

Painting landscape en plein air is the best way to learn about natural light and the limits of pigment in reproducing it. Plein air work is an essential practice for me and a rich source of information which I use in my studio paintings. This demonstration, Wood Ducks II, was painted in the studio from plein air reference sketches and photographs made on location. I had an idea for this painting from a moment I witnessed, but wasn’t able to paint at the time. Working in the studio environment allowed me to combine memories with those other reference sources to try to recreate that moment, right at sunset, when a flock of wood ducks swam over to a downed tree in the pond and, one by one, hopped up on it to roost safely for the night.