Concept, Composition, Installation

Often in my excitement I fail to adequately form a concept for my painting.  The danger is that I change direction in the middle of the painting and end up with multiple paintings on the same canvas, or an unresolved painting.  Then when trying to regroup or improve there is nothing to use as a measuring stick.  This dramatically reduces your batting average and your rate of development / evolution.

Reference - Stowe Vermont

A number of elements in this reference attracted me.  My concept, in brief, was to capture the late day winter light, to rearrange the elements, to show depth while flattening the scene, to draw the overlapping construction planes and leave them in if appropriate.  Now remember, this is a photo, and I was there.  So my wee memory was brought to play as well as my considerable winter plein air experience.

Drawing From Thumbnail

The composition seemed to work on the thumbnail.  The building blocks were as envisioned but there was something out of synch.  So.... after rearranging according to my concept,

Redrawn Plus a Bit of Colour

The planes felt better and the colour helped with the concept.  How much drawing and line to leave in?

More Colour Less Line

The colour helped with the decision regarding the use of line to show different planes in keeping with the concept.  These are decisions made in implementing painting elements per the original concept.  The composition has been altered significantly.  The idea is to create a painting, not to make a copy.

Downtown Stowe 20x30 Oil on Canvas

It is against the wall awaiting final concept check.  A bonus, my wife likes it........