Looking for Deer, oil on canvas, 153⁄4X193⁄4in (40X50cm). I worked in a warm studio from my photo reference but as ever I was heavily influenced by my real memories of the place. I wanted the sense of deep, enclosed pine forest and the depth created by the winter light filtering through the trees. I’d already considered my composition with the photo, keeping the path and vanishing point to the left of centre. I warmed and darkened the foreground colours, and dulled and cooled those in the background, which really serves to pull in the eye to the end of that path
Snowy woods in the Cairngorms