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Starting a painting can sometimes be the hardest part for me.  Do I put an underpainting down first?  If so, do I use cool or warm colors?Various colors or just one?  The effect of light or not?  Different values or just one?  

Well, I don't think there is only one answer to these questions.  Experimenting with a variety of ways creates an excitement and keeps me from being bored - always interesting to see what turns out from the effect of different underpaintings!  

In this painting of a cottage from Pigeon Key" in Marathon (Florida Keys), I started with a violet - putting in the dark value shadow shapes first and then the lighter ones.  Notice on the finished piece that some of this underpainting shows through!!!