Blinded by the light: perplexed by the shadows, English Rd, Cambridge, NY.

56  F  Big clouds, with some sun.

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Here I am @ 5:30 or so tonight,  The sun was setting right in front of me!

Here is the scene @ 3:30. Notice where the shadows of the trees are, the sun is actually above the huge cloud that dominates the sky in my picture.

The first block in, I couldn't resist using two different darks, and I slathered them on with my pallet knife.

I swear the cloud was that dark, also slathered on with the knife.

About 1 hour into it, I've got most of the canvas covered, I've used the knife for most of it and made myself put it down (I really don't like the texture of the knife)

The sun is getting lower and lower, so there's not much I can do about it.

I put in the shadow last and well, would you look at that!  (the sun wasn't  there to cast the shadow!

With the sun blocked, here is where the shadows are and the light is on the landscape.

Here is the reality. Maybe it's better, maybe not, but it's definitely   a different painting.