In developing a plein air painting you have many varied options. I choose the path of developing the plein air sketch with as much passion as I could master along with being sensitive to observed color and the visual lost and found edges that disappeared into the shadow regions. The study was completed in Richmond Indiana.
Having a second attempt back in my studio, The Creative Underground, I was able to continue my path. Things I found important where to lessen any obvious drawing problems. Provide more space around the image for proper framing. Keep the gusto of the paint application similar to the study. Add a figure to provide a Marine Outlet mechanic while hosting that beautiful orange segment and texture towards the middle of the canvas.
When you enlarge a painting from 9 x 12 to 18 x 24 you can see that the texture is not as obvious in the larger final as it was in the smaller study. I could have kept this more similar by using a larger painting knife but chose instead to focus on texture detailing in the painting.
I loved the curved rusted shapes of the building and its design contrasting the old car that seemed to be parked beside the building and resting for a long time. These lost but not forgotten items once a big part of our lives seem to always catch my interest.
Then how much did I really need to say to depict this situation in the final painting? I chose to leave out absolutely as much detailed information as I could. Including only what was itself necessary in telling the story. You can see by the car and the man that so much was left out upon studying and what where the essentials to tell the story. Even a rough swoosh of paint to represent an arm and hand for the gentleman.
