Bridge at Lac Spruce

We hike up the mountain to Lac Spruce in southern Quebec. There isn't much time before it gets dark, and it's a rough trail back, so I allow just a half hour for a sketch.



Using transparent watercolor, my first consideration is what's lightest in the scene. In this case it's the top planes of the bridge—the top of the rails and the planks of the bridge.


They're a very light cool color. To capture the feeling of the deciduous and coniferous foliage in indirect light, I paint greenish tones across the whole area and then bring out individual tips of branches by painting the darks around them.