Garden Cascade (First Stage)

Painting is a process of layering on color. As seen in the first stage of Garden Cascade, the darker tones often go first; the highlights later. So here is the very rough first layer. It shows some decisions about placement and color choice, as well as some thought about dark and light patterns that will help carry the eye around the piece. Notice there is no attempt here at a Michelangelo drawing. The first stage is often a “tryout” for testing the patterns.