The Making of “Summer Late Afternoon in the Preserve”

“Summer Late Afternoon in the Preserve” by Astrid Chevallier

“Summer Late Afternoon in the Preserve”
Acrylic on canvas by Astrid Chevallier.
30 x 48 in. (76 x 122 cm)

Session 1

Part 1 – For this large painting, I decided to work outdoors, in my backyard.
The canvas has been painted with some shimmering golden paint – so that it’s not all white – then I used some Burned Umber paint to sketch the composition – drips and all.

Summer Late Afternoon in the Preserve - Making Of - Step 1

Part 2 – I mixed some Ultramarine Blue with the Burned Umber, to create a rich dark brown, in order to add dark values to the composition.
Keep in mind that nothing is final at this stage, it’s OK to be loose and to let things happen.

"Summer Late Afternoon in the Preserve" by Astrid Chevallier - Making Of - Step 2

Session 2

Part 3 – Get some light back in!
I went back to using some golden painting to bring some light back to the picture. By layering it on top of the dark value, I started to create a rich texture.

"Summer Late Afternoon in the Preserve" by Astrid Chevallier - Making Of - Step 3

Part 4 – The grasses.
I wanted to keep layering some dark colors and golden accents, but I wasn’t sure what type of brush would best render the tall grasses.
I experimented with several techniques, and ended up using some actual grass that I would dip in paint and hit the canvas with. It made a drumming sound each time which was quite soothing.

"Summer Late Afternoon in the Preserve" by Astrid Chevallier - Making Of - Step 4

Session 3

Part 5 – The golden field.
Many layers later, I started to be feel I was going somewhere with the richness of the field’s texture.
I also painted the sky light blue, in order to create another dimension.

"Summer Late Afternoon in the Preserve" by Astrid Chevallier - Making Of - Step 5

Part 6 – In order to create more complexity to the field, I added some hints of red and white…

"Summer Late Afternoon in the Preserve" by Astrid Chevallier - Making Of - Step 6

Session 4

Part 7 – …and then some blue!
The sky got colored, the shadows got tinted, making the golden part more vibrant.

"Summer Late Afternoon in the Preserve" by Astrid Chevallier - Making Of - Step 7

Part 8 – Another layer of gold, with under tones of green made the field really come to life.
Some lighter blue-grey layers on the horse refine the reflected light and add depth to the figure.

"Summer Late Afternoon in the Preserve" by Astrid Chevallier - Making Of - Step 8

Session 5

Part 9 – It’s time to rebalance the shadows.
More blue has been added to the trees on the horizon line, the horse, and the foreground. It’s more subtle as I’m now finding some balance in the overall piece.
White accents suggest flowers and perspective.

"Summer Late Afternoon in the Preserve" by Astrid Chevallier - Making Of - Step 9

Part 10 – I added a few more layers of shadows and light, and really lightened the sky for an optimum suggestion of light.
The trees have been refined, while preserving the spontaneous original marks.
More golden slappers add a bit of magic, and a final impressionist set of brush strokes provide the final finish on the grasses.

"Summer Late Afternoon in the Preserve" by Astrid Chevallier - Making Of - Step 10

A few more details have been refined over the next few days, until I reached a point of balance.
The rich texture of the field shines differently according to the light and how you position yourself in front of the canvas.
That makes the piece truly unique and really fascinating to observe at throughout the day!

Make it yours

“Summer Late Afternoon in the Preserve” prints are available as:
– Metal Print – 20 x 30 inches (50.8 x 76.2 cm)
– Museum quality Poster Print – 12 x 18 inches and 20 x 30 inches

Other products currently available include:
– Laptop sleeve – 13 inches and 15 inches
– T-shirt – various sizes and colors
– Mug – 11 oz
– Greeting card – 4″×6″