Painting Progression-Between Nations-Step 5

Now I begin my finished painting, working in alkyd paint.  I usually begin this work by painting in the sky, which is the furthest away from the viewer.  I intensify and blend the deepest shades of ultramarine & cerulean blue, mixed with white and a bit of burnt umber, at the highest point in the sky, lightening the mixture and removing the burnt umber as I move down toward the horizon.  Burnt umber has a greying effect on the blue mixture which dulls the blue of the sky. 

 As I get nearer to the horizon, I want a cleaner, brighter colour, so now I reduce the ultramarine blue, keep the cerulean blue and add more white into the mixture.  The sky should normally be darkest at the zenith and lightest at the horizon, creating a "dome" effect.

While the paint is wet and workable, I paint the clouds in, blending them softly into the sky.  The lightest and brightest colour is reserved for the area about the eagle's head, where the sun is attempting to break through the overcast.  The clouds appear to be mostly white, but there is a tint of ultramarine blue and burnt umber throughout these soft masses.  Save any pure white for final highlights where needed when the painting is almost complete.