Again then again

I have been working on some studio paintings recently.  My work schedule has been crazy with the holidays.  The result has been less plein air painting.  It is hard to describe the feeling of unfulfilled creativity.  Today is different though.  Today I will paint.  I was concerned about being rusty.  I brought two boards to paint because I have less time to paint outdoors.

The light was clear, warm, and crisp.  There was a certain vibration to everything in the landscape.  I went to Home Depot, bought some boards, painted them, packed up, and headed to a place I have painted many times.

The shadows were really interesting because of the low angle of the sun.  Painting a familiar subject really helped me avoid some of the rustiness that I anticipated.  Time was short because it was the second shortest day of the year, so I went into the painting straight away.

I was happy with the colors and the mark making.  The composition could use  some reorganization of some of the elements.  I think I should have included more of the palm trees on the left hand side of the painting.

The finished painting 24"X 36"

The value shot.

The detail shot.

By the time I started the second painting, the tide and the lighting had changed significantly.  For the first time I painted the same subject back to back.  There was less time than I usually have for a painting this size, so I was thankful that the shapes had become simplified by the setting sun.

The second painting of the day was completed in much less time. There was still a lot left to be done but there was no time.  

The finished painting 24"X 36"

The value shot

The detail shot

The painting for the day finished.