How I Paint-Challenge #7

I got in the studio at a decent hour today and produced this little painting. I don't think it is done, there are a couple of things I would like to improve upon but I had to get off of my foot. I have had it in an air cast for the last week after having the dreaded steroid shot in my heel for plantar faciitis. It was feeling pretty good but I

guess maybe I overdid it, so here I sit- blogging

with ice under it.....I thought I would show you how I sometimes paint. Often my work is straight out of my imagination

but I sometimes need a prompt or reference like I showed you in the "Can We Play More?" painting. Here I will take you through the whole process of this

painting.

This is the clip art reference I started from

I initially envisioned it as a beach scene and started laying in color for sand and sky

Then I start painting in the children

I decided that it was too flat, that there was not enough contrast, so it became a lawn game :0)

So I added a few small details, like grass and polka dots on the ball and there you have it. Like I said, I think it still needs a little work, but a good exercise nonetheless.