The Perennial Fountain, Winter's Promise
"When the ravages of Winter have left the trees barren and the land brown, the Perennial Fountain holds onto the memory of Spring. Here in a broken gully, green things still bud in the cold shafts of a winter sun. To the weary traveler, this small respite from the bleak land is the spark of rekindled hope, an encouragement in hard times. Spring will come again..."
The finished painting!
A tiny pencil sketch (one of many) that was the starting point.
Taking the sketch into Photoshop, adding color and thinking about fountain designs.
Adding some depth and color variation, but at this point, it doesn't feel focused enough...
... so I zoomed in. The distant trees are less important, so cropping down on them was a great way to make the fountain more prominent.
Adding warmth and contrast, really establishing the soft winter light.
Punching up the contrast a little and using spots of green and cool colors to guide the eye.