Artwork in Progress 3 - Scrubbed and Ready To Go!

I’ve been doing quite a bit of painting lately so think it’s time to share another Artwork In Progress.  I did indeed try to salvage another painting from my pile of potential trash.  This is one of my winter landscapes, a subject I am pretty comfortable painting.  I became stalled with this piece because I didn’t “lay the proper foundation” before I started painting.  What I mean by that is it’s best to have a plan before you begin.  Your plan should include a value sketch and a color study before starting that final painting.  A Value Sketch is a small pencil sketch paying attention to the placement of darks and lights.   This arrangement will serve as a guide to bring your viewers eye to the center of interest.  A Color Study is a small painted sketch to determine your color scheme.  I am finding it helpful to take notes on what colors have been mixed or layered in case you want to duplicate an effect.  I tried to shorten the process here and plunged directly into the painting process.

While the colors are interesting, I now notice the perspective on the large  barn (left) is wrong and the sky washes are irregular and distracting.  I took the painting right into the sink, thoroughly wet the entire painting and attempted to scrub off as much paint as possible using my trusty Viva paper towels.  That’s what you see here.   Unfortunately, I was unable to remove a great deal of the paint as it had become embedded into the fibers of the paper.  Perhaps some of the colors I’d used were staining   I would suggest you become familiar with your paints, do test swatches so you will know which paints are staining and which ones aren’t.   I decided to plunge forward anyway, but without a value sketch and color study, I’m traveling without a map.  Come on back tomorrow for the next step in trying to salvage this painting.

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Miller's Farm, Original Watercolor, Acid Free Mat, Image Size 10 3/4 " x 5 1/2", Acid Free Mat $65.00.

I’ve decided to share the final painting with you now and not continue to struggle any longer with this piece.  Truthfully, it looks much better here online than in “real life.”   The colors became “gray,” the result of too many layered washes (wet over dry).   A dry brush technique was used to paint the field grass and trees.  At the end of the day this piece is okay, but I know it can be better.

Sometimes you can salvage pieces of a painting by cropping.  Here are a couple of ways to crop this painting and make it a bit more successful.

Miller's Farm - Crop #1

Miller's Farm - Crop #2

I’ve already begun my value sketch and color study so I’ll be really prepared to paint this subject again.   I’m determined to immortalize this scene since I found out, from Kevin Soucy (my expert framer at Country Outlet) that the Miller’s place burned.   I drove by it recently and saw that the house is no longer there.  I believe only one barn still stands.  In some ways I feel I’m a chronicler of what was.  Things are always changing and there’s no way to stop it all.  Right now we have a beautiful spot where a grocery store will be built soon.  I’m already preparing to paint that spot and have taken pics to use as photo reference.  For now, let’s paint Miller’s Farm again, this time doing our homework first.

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