http://www.outdoorpainter.com /August-September 2019 77
FinalStep
Tofinishthepiece,I broughtasmuchlifetothecolorsasI could.Thesunwasgoingdownbehindme,butit neveractuallybrokeoutfrombehindthe
cloudslikeI washopingit would.Still,therewasa glowfromtheskythatreflectedoffthewindows,thefacesofthehouses,thegrasses,trees,and
everythingelse.I justtookwhatwasthereandkickedit upa notch.Bytheveryend,thedaylightwasfadingsoI madethefinaltouchesinmystudiofrom
memory.I oftenfindthatwhetherpaintingoutsideorin,therecomesa pointinthepaintingwhereI needtoconcentrateonthequestion“Whatwill
makethispaintingasgoodasit canbe?”SometimesthismeansthatI stoplookingatthescenealtogethersoI canbefreedupfromreality.That’swhy
we’reartists,isn’tit?Weuseourimaginationandcreativity;wearen’tsimplyreproducinga scenelikea photograph. And it takes some courage to experi-
ment. Sometimes we get it right, and sometimes we fall short. But the process is where we grow and thrive.Step 5
Atthispoint,I’vestartedexaggeratinga fewcolorsI’ve
observedinthescene.Thereisa reddishtreethatI’vemade
muchbrighter.I alsonoticedvioletinthecloudyskyand
accentuatedthat.I’vemadethebluehousecoolerandlighter
invalue.I’malsorefiningandadjusting;workingonbringing
form,nuance,andtexture;andintermixingcolors all over the
canvas to bring harmony to the painting.TwoHouses
2019,acrylic, 18 x 24in.
Collectiontheartist
Plein air