Summer Road 5x7
The reference for this painting was inspired by a master work—I honestly can’t remember whose painting it was, but it was a really dark, interesting piece. I didn’t keep much from it except the dark, atmospheric attitude. The original might have even featured a twilight sky with stars, but I opted for a sunset approach. The focal point is clearly the main tree, which acts as a framing device for the dramatic sky. This creates what I call a “reverse L” composition—nothing fancy, but highly effective for showcasing both the tree and the atmospheric effects.
Summer Road 5x7
Compositional Challenges
The road in this painting presents a particular challenge. Roads that come straight back from the middle are actually my least favorite type—I generally prefer roads entering from one side or the other. Centered roads can act like big arrows pointing directly through the composition, especially if the sides are too straight. To counter this potential problem, I deliberately added bumps and dips along the edges of the road, creating a more natural, less rigid feel. I also incorporated a progression from dark to light as the road recedes, which helps draw the viewer into the scene without creating that “arrow” effect. Despite my hesitation about this road placement, it felt right for this particular painting. Sometimes you can control and change elements, but most paintings have their own kind of destiny that starts with the reference image. In this case, the road works because it complements the overall dramatic quality I was aiming for.
Drama in the Sky
The sky became a perfect canvas for creating drama and mystery. I went all-in on the atmospheric effects, incorporating oranges against blues and intense yellows to create visual tension and interest. This dramatic sky pairs perfectly with the dark, silhouetted tree. When painting trees against sunset skies, I’m careful about how I handle the light. It would look strange to have too many highlights on a tree at this time of day, but I rarely paint a tree entirely dark, especially if it’s the focal point. You want some light touching the tree, but you need to be careful not to create that unrealistic HDR effect that can look fake. This approach aligns with my understanding of Tonalism—it’s not a naturalistic movement but rather a poetic, expressive approach to landscape. I sometimes call paintings like this “confections” because I’ve dialed up every element: glows, rich colors, drama in the sky, deep mysterious shadows, and an inviting path. It’s a complete package of mood and atmosphere.
The Tonalist Approach
Speaking of tonalism, my book “Landscape Painting the Tonalist Way” offers a deep dive into this painting approach. It includes demonstrations, examples of things to watch for, and techniques to implement. I’ve shipped copies all over the world (just sent out two this week), and I’m happy to send it anywhere on the planet for $60 US with international shipping included. The shipping actually costs me more than the printing these days—such is life when you’re publishing from a remote location like New Zealand!
Technical Process
My process typically begins with the sky, which establishes the dramatic foundation for the rest of the painting. One thing you’ll never see me paint, though, are those diagonal rays of light that sometimes appear in reference photos. I find them too cliché and they create diagonals that can be distracting. That said, you can see implied diagonals in the sky I painted, with a nice progression from purplish grays into yellows. After establishing the sky, I move on to the dark areas using a mixture of Mars Black and burnt umber. This creates warm shadows, which I generally prefer. While some painters, particularly those with an Impressionist influence, insist that shadows should be cool, I find warm shadows more aligned with the Tonalist aesthetic. They feel more “groovy,” as I like to say. I aim for a more neutral warm tone. Adding burnt umber to the Mars Black mixture serves two purposes: it speeds up the drying time (ivory black is much slower to dry) and it warms up the shadows nicely.
Breaking and Keeping Rules
As I often remind my viewers, most painting “rules” are really just rules of thumb that can be broken. However, there are a few that I consider truly unbreakable:
You can’t have a poor composition and make a good painting. The masses need to have an arrangement and relationship that’s harmonious and balanced, even in a painting that aims to be jarring or unsettling.
You can’t put elements in your painting that don’t make sense or don’t contribute to the whole. As Stapleton Kearns would ask, “Would this painting be better if I put a flaming phone booth in there?” Everything needs to work toward a unified message.
Don’t take too long to make your painting. I’m not advocating rushing or carelessness—every stroke should be made with attention—but not with such stiffness that particular passages call undue attention to themselves. The goal is a cohesive whole, created with freshness and immediacy.
Color and Light
This painting features a lot of reds, which is pretty typical of my work. I rarely push everything in a completely green direction with trees or foliage. The reddish undertone from the underpainting supports this approach nicely. I also incorporated cadmium orange in areas where I wanted to suggest light filtering through the foliage. Instead of adding extra tree holes, I mixed the cadmium orange into the greens to create a glow that implies light hitting the other side of the tree and trying to make itself felt. The tree shape gave me some challenges initially, but I’m happy with the final result. I even tried pulling it all the way off the edge (which would have been a total M Francis move), but that didn’t work. Instead, I kept a little bit of sky on that side. Here’s a tip for those patient enough to read this far: if you have a small slice of sky on the side of your painting, don’t make it too bright. You can see that I have some chroma there, some brightness, but it’s notably less intense than the main brightness against the other side of the tree. In my approach, I like to have the most contrast where the sky meets the tree, generally in the lower to middle part of the tree rather than at the absolute bottom. The rich greens in this painting push toward what I call “chromatic tonalism”—not as bright or chromatic as landscape painting could go, but definitely venturing into more saturated territory. I credit George Inness for this approach; he really knew how to push color and chroma while maintaining a Tonalist sensibility.
For Those Interested
For those who want to see more of my painting process in detail, including the struggles and solutions that don’t always make it into these edited videos, consider checking out the members area where I share complete painting sessions.
Until next time, take good care of yourself, your family, and all your loved ones—and as always, stay out of trouble.