Farm on location sketch

I go through periods of time when, for a variety of reasons, I am not able to spend time out on location painting.  I crave it.   I can return to on location paintings from decades ago and be just as inspired today as I was at the time I painted it.

Here is my latest on location sketch.  Last fathers day, I sneaked out in the morning and came upon this scene.  The light was very striking

I did a quick pencil sketch in a larger fomat (pictured below) and painted this on a watercolor block.

(note: The line you see on the right side of this sketch is simply the side of the paper that I'd squared out in advance... more important for works I plan to finish and frame)

I did some quick experimentation in the studio this afternoon.  I began outlining the broad strokes of a large charcoal drawing of this scene utilizing the sketches made on location.

Then I utilized tracing paper to try the placement of a tree sketched on location to this scene (The actual placement of the tree would be to the right of this painting.  The tree framed a hill covered in dandelions quite nicely) .

Just a few pencil strokes on the tracing paper indicating the tree led to four or more different compositions inspired by this scene.

A winter scene with the tree and a rock wall in the foreground.  A summer scene of the same. The rock wall though not original to this scene, none the less is a common sight throughout New England and will add some visual interest beyond the simple dirt turnaround I utilized to paint this scene.

Then separate compositions involving the tree framing the group of houses on the left and another of the group of houses on the right.  My father in law was the first to show me different ways to utilize a viewfinder to help reduce distractions in nature and to focus in on different potential subjects for painting.  Another tip of Aiden's is to examine compositions in a mirror.   I've never actually done this on location.

Another artist I quite admire, Frank W. Benson, often took larger subjects (including group portraits) and created separate compositions from the larger original.  It does require more than simply dividing up a larger subject, but I find it to be an enjoyable creative exercise from time to time.

One of Benson's more famous students, Aiden Lassell Ripley, would also experiment with various compositions from various on location sketches.  Including creating some paintings with reversed compositions.  I find it fascinating how much that switch can change the look of a painting.

I plan to begin a large charcoal of the farm in next few days.