Caramel colours around Mount Royal

Around Mount Royal the city demolished an old concrete overpass and completely renovated the entire area with paths and new roads with plenty of green space preserved. Most of the trees that were on the overpass embankments were also saved including the one in the painting. Its shadow cast down and to the left over top of the colourful leaves. I painted this scene early in 2021 on a snowy day when the overpass was still intact.

Tree shadow Autumn, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, November 2024

 

Too exhausted to ride up the hill, I contented myself with painting the scene looking up. The cars were scaled to give a sense of distance and the road was composed on a steep diagonal. With Autumn well advanced, most of the colours were warm caramels and olive greens. I mixed them with yellow ochre, oranges, greens, and dabs of red-orange. Its easy to overdo it and get colours that are too bright, or colours that are grey and drab.

Up the hill, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, November 2024

 

In the background is the cemetery, as always I have to make the joke that people are dying to get into it. At least I wont offend anyone. This prominent tree has an incomprehensible tangle of branches emanating in every direction, its a wonder it survives the winter covered in snow. When and if it ever does snow, perhaps I will try to do a painting of it again.

Tree of Life, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, November 2024