Charcoal drawing - Brook reflection

The final stages of  the brook have been all about detail in the water and tree branches, and balancing tone.

The distant hill line needs some fuzzy definition and the tree needs work to build up its shape.
At this point I felt that I needed to pay closer attention to the reality of the place, so on a sunny Saturday morning a managed a plein air sketch





Being back in 'the place' showed me that the bridge and the central tree were really dark, and detail was difficult to make out. Some adjustments to the charcoal drawing will be needed. Being there for a period of concentrated looking gives me so much more confidence when I'm back in the studio. I feel more able to get the essence of the place.

Better, the spindly branches coming in from the right are now framing the central tree

Time to get to grips with the fiddly reflection, and bring some definition into the foreground

I liked the circular ripples at the front of the image, until I realised that they attract the eye too strongly, and create another focal area beneath the rail - too distracting!

The final drawing

The balance is better throughout the image. I've darkened the bridge and lowered the arch slightly too, it now feels more like the real place. The ripples went, to be replaced by flowing shapes which continue the motion of the water rather than stopping it. Leaves in the bottom left corner create a more natural scene. Altogether a good feel of this familiar place. Done. I think!