Poolside II (in progress)

I began a new painting today, a very large painting. I used the smaller "Poolside" as a study for this 40 x 30 inch canvas.
I was surprised at how different painting the same image large feels. The brush strokes turn out totally different because of the relative size compared to the canvas. The amount of paint needed goes up dramatically. One surprise was how much harder it is to make a straight line. I think I am making a straight line across the canvas. Then step back, and I am two inches lower on one side. I'm still not sure the horizon is straight...
The painting also goes a lot slower when there is 8 times as much surface area. Just drawing the image on and doing so basic color blocking took over 4 hours. (Most of that was the drawing, as may be evidenced by the copious amount of smudges). But I am looking forward to my first really big landscape.

Mountainside (in progress)

I know it still doesn't look much like a scene you would find while hiking in the Alps, but I started yesterday to put the shadows and colors onto the rocks.