Artistic License on a Landmark

Along with doing studies before I paint the 

larger piece I have been looking at local landmarks.

The challenge is to produce a piece of art: something that looks like

the beloved spot but still has a unique flair.

Easier said than done!

This is a little 5 x 7 study of the Grandview Restaurant, a local breakfast and lunch spot that is beloved by many not just for the view of Grandfather Mountain but for the friendly waitresses who actually call you by name and remember what you like to eat.  It's an artist nightmare: long, low building (which cuts the composition right across the middle-ish) and not a lot of color variation.  Unless, like me, you enjoy red and turquoise trees and blue mountains.  Good way to get familiar with the piece.

This version is larger, 11 x 14; I had to admit that not everyone would like my previous tree color selections!  So I got a little more realistic with the exception that I "planted" an additional tree to break up the roof line.  The trees, mountains and clouds are all in the local colors.

While eating there recently (research of course) I had the idea of incorporating a menu in the the piece.

Can you see it?  This is a long way from finished but I plan to keep it lighter in coloration and try to let a little of the menu sneak through as I go along.  This is all an underpainting at this stage, just a layout to see where it all fits.  This is the largest of the three pieces.  Now the fun begins...

There will be a fourth iteration in my study of this composition...I can already see changes I want to make and experiments I want to play around with.  There is a lot to be said about doing something over several times. None of them are unacceptable renderings...I think you would recognize the landmark from any of them.  But it is a worthy challenge and certainly more artistic to see if I can find a different way to present it.  

Hopefully you smell the bacon cooking!

Colorfully yours,

Cindy