Autumn Dunes

Pastel 6x9 on UArt 320

As the summer has ended and the autumn has come to the beach, the sea oats and other grasses adopt the colors of fall.  In an effort to get more vibrant color into this painting, I started with a turquoise undercoat which I have permitted to show through in places.  I was hoping that the brilliance of the underpaint would set the tone and help instruct my color choices for the rest of the painting. I chose a view at low tide with a wide beach and the surf far away.  I deliberately understated the beach and surf in the background and left the sky without clouds order to emphasize the contrast and colors of the late summer grass and bushes on the dunes.