In the heart of the Kruger National Park (South Africa) there are some very spectacular scenes full of colour. Sometimes you have to get closer to the edge of the hillsides to see them. 

Close to the edge:

In the afternoon of our fifth day in the park, we found ourselves travelling along a road high above valleys on both sides. And to see into the valleys below, we had to pull our car to the side of the road’s verge and look…  

Deep down in the valleys!

As we stopped this time and looked down, we saw this lovely beautiful spot: 

And moving a little forward with our car, I captured this view: 

This oil painting:

Impressed me so much, that I had to paint it; because of its: 

• Lovely atmospheric ambiance that possibly could hold unknown wildlife within its intense depths. 
• Also how the bright autumn coloured leaves dramatically framed it. 
• And how the dark colours of its depth contrasted with the sunlit tips of the valley’s inner folds. 

How I painted it:

*The first stage (after the usual undercoat of raw sienna) was mostly dark colours. I worked in dark colours so that I would build that dramatic effect. 

• I must say it looked too dark at first. Like, this painting wasn’t going to come to anything!? But in my heart I knew it had to start that way, to contrast with the lighter colours that still had to be put in the coming stages. 

**The second session of painting, I started putting in the lighter colours. That is, those sunrays subtly tipping the ridges of the folds of the valley. That was an exciting moment, as you begin to see the inner beauty of the valley come to life. 

• And then moving onto the left and bottom part of the composition, I filled in the sunlit sand and low lying undergrowth. 
• And also included: the subtle reflected light on the water below the steep hillside cliffs. Yes, there is a narrow river running deep within that valley!

***In the third session I went back and perfected the highlights and the white rock on the right/centre. It looks like a thin waterfall, but it might only be the light shining on wet rock!  

• Even so, it adds theatrical appeal to whole scene, don’t you think? Like a focal point of the composition. 

****The fourth and fifth sessions: I filled in the tree branches, twigs and autumn leaves, grass etc of the foreground that surrounds the composition.

• The bright colours lighten the dark background and give dimension to the depth of the valley. And make the effect, as if you are looking down through the leaves, into the secrecy of the valley below! 

The last valley scene:

Looking down upon this valley scene it was very pretty, but somehow it doesn’t appeal as a composition I could turn into a painting at this point. Maybe another time!

• I think we have to be in the right mood, to see how we can paint a particular scene. 
• Something must appeal to you to stir your artistic juices!  
• Your emotions must be stirred to make you want to paint it… And others to love it too, after it’s completed. 
• Perhaps what grips you, is the contrast or combination of warm and cool colours, the proper layout of forms within the scene’s composition, or the atmospheric conditions that Wows the soul!

What do you think?