Try, Try Again

In keeping with my vow to "try" more small paintings

that are somewhat experimental in process I took one fetching scene

and executed it three times.  This is definitely

one I will look forward to painting in a much

larger format.

I was attracted to the light in this scene of a biker leaving the park one early morning (photo credit would be given to my sister).  So I challenged myself to dash it off in a 5 x 7 version:

5 x 7

"Okay" for a first pass I decided but not very dramatic.  And I did not really "dash" it off spending far too much time on the not important foreground.

Round #2:

I really didn't like the yellow in the sky, the whole thing seemed rather underwhelming so I set it aside to think about.  Later I went back and fussed with the ground trying to get a stronger contrast.

I still wasn't satisfied.  This should be a danger sign to me as I tend to start making foolish attempts right about now, self sabotage?  But it is an experiment....

5 x 7 

Teal? Really? Yep....Thought that might punch up the yellow a bit.  And notice the reddish orange swath in the trees?  It is really more dramatic in "real life," the photo washes out the contrast.  Done.

Sometimes changing up the composition provides a new insight so I readied another canvas this time 8 x 6 in vertical format.

I put down an underpainting and actually liked it in this shape, simple, rustic....but no biker so I continued on.

And here she is, the biker #3.  Believe it or not, in this size format the figure is the hardest part to paint.  I can pretty much convince you there are trees with trunk lines and green blobs but the figure is about 5 tiny spots that have to all resemble something you might not be familiar with.  

I could write pages on what I learned each step of the way, primarily that there is not a short cut to depicting that beautiful light that is not a color but a feeling...I am reminded by what my teacher Sandy Johnson used to say when I began to overthink something..."relax and just let the magic happen."  Good advice.

Now on to magical canvas #4!

In Lightened,

Cindy