Wandering through woodland yesterday the sky was about 80% open, but the lighting was flat.

The horizon where the sun was tearing away the darkness of the night was shielded by dark grey clouds, leaving the path for the light of the sun to be indirect to the ground.

When light is flat it usually leaves the colours of nature subdued.

This morning was different, the colours were bold giving the trees a more 3D appearance. What was even more intriguing was the shape of the trees being defined by colour alone to show more of a ‘shape’

Sat on a bench I was wondering how to transfer this onto watercolour paper.

Shade was minimal due to the flat light, so to get some form of ‘character’ in I considered that a very rough paper would be appropriate as it would help ‘model’ the character of the tree, similar to light.

Looking again at the colours making up the tree it seemed that there was an extreme spectrum of green interlaced with speckles of light tan to dark brown. Where normally you would consider a deep colour blue to black for the shadow, in this case it wouldn’t be right, it needed to be shown as a colour, a deep green.

The darkest of the green was where the trunk had been wetted through rain. This was deeper than the shadow effect but somehow the darker the colour of the ‘whet’ also increase the contrast of it, leaving the shadow effect to be more ‘pastel’.

The roots of the trees finger there way through the top soil as it takes a hold, as they do they contort there shape to match the subterranean ground.

Large droplets of water from the rain ballooned from the ends of the twigs waiting to drop, as they did the twig bounced back having relieved itself of the weight sending a vibration through the adjoining twigs and starting its own little shower. When the sun shines directly through the droplets the brilliance of the spectrum is there albeit in miniature, but this morning nothing shone through, it was almost as if each twig was holding a halo.

Flat light seems to lack depth of colour, contrast and lustre, and together minimalises a feel of life. This morning showed that it wasn’t a rule!

The surrounding ground had been battered by the rain, the daffodils where splayed and crocii just disappeared. The mulch making up the soil was decidedly soaked with water and the scent of the wild garlic was there in the uncultivated sections.

Rooks nesting in the treetops when not heard could be seen by the signs they left by the floor surrounding the tree being used as their ‘midden’. It also ensured that you did not dally in its vicinity in case you get the results of breakfast by the rooks.

A stream meanders through the woodland floor, the water crystal clear showing the detail that is there on a stream floor. Fallen trees criss cross the stream, as they die off they feed the surrounding land and water. Small birds flit over, under and through the trees, occasionally landing and looking, the speed in which they fly and contort through the trees makes you marvel at the computing power their brains have.

Adjoining fields had sheep with lambs that could only have been a day old at the most, seeing lambs frolicking breaks the most hardened scowl from anyone’s face making depression seem to fade away. Time spent just watching and I swear the lambs seem to be smiling,

Walking through this particular field which is full of sheep and lambs with my dog was incredible, there is an alleyway down the side of the field which has been wired/fenced off. My dog was watching the lambs and the sheep, never barking or trying to pull away after them, she was just watching, this made it a lot easier for me to do the same.

Arriving back at the start point more people were starting to come through, which is good as the visitors to the woodland ensures funding to ‘manage’ the area. Their parents pull along children large and small with their dogs straining at their leads in front leading the way. Clutching hold of brochures detailing the path and the flora and fauna they would pass through.

I wonder if they actually stop and look