Tunnel 3 on the first Rails To Trails conversion, and Spring Thaw On Coon Creek

Spring thaw on Coon Creek, 16x20 oil. The painting is based on a preliminary 8x10 study created on site, supported by photos and completed in studio. This is my usual technique- an 8x10 can be completed very quickly, and is helpful when dealing with a client to ensure the final piece meets expectations. My own rule with small studies is to avoid small brushes. It's easy to find yourself creating a detailed miniature, which I try to avoid.

Tunnel 3 is the depiction of a tunnel entrance on the Elroy-Sparta Bike Trail, the country's first rails to trails conversion. The location is always wet, with spring seeps coming out of the cut's rock walls. The 18x24 piece is done in oil on canvas, again using a rough preliminary 8x10 with figures added to the studio painting based on photos taken at the scene.