First Layers

Beginning with two coats of clear acrylic medium, I set the pencil lines with a protective layer, separating them from the color layers painted above them. Last night, I went at it for the underpainting. Throwing greens, blues, purples, even orange down in some spots, splashing my way to some idea of dimension, space, and color temperature:

I'm still not entirely sure of a few things, namely the sky. I know the setting of the piece is obviously a non-specific fjord of Norway, and I know the sun plays an important part, however I am not sure what the exact time of day will be. The sun will be casting rays to the right-side of the piece, and for some reason (and probably because I've seen too many Bierstadt pieces) I want browns to play an important role in the piece, which would likely place the time as evening. Though, from all of the photo references I've been collecting so far, I am seeing Norwegian Fjords possess mostly blues, greens, and grays, even in the evening. Usually, it is too cold for yellow haze and humidity.

Then comes the problem of subject matter. Trolls, at least in the majority of myth, turn to stone when caught in the suns light. I would follow this bit of lore... but I honestly don't care. If anything, we can logically point this as the trolls waking from their day absence... to begin roaming the mountains a little early this evening. The vikings, in my mind... accidentally happen upon the three visible trolls, while on a sail up a Fjord. What happens next is up to the viewer.