Lessons Learned

Last summer I met up with some friends from the Salmagundi Club to paint in Greenwich Village.  We set up on McDougal Street where the facade of the Comedy Cellar/Olive Tree Cafe & Bar became my subject.  I was drawn by the lights glowing in the darkness and the architecture of the building.  A shadowy figure appeared in the doorway creating an interesting narrative... he was probably taking a break while cleaning up from the night before,  Excited about my idea for my painting, I had barely begun when a big Blue Moon truck parked right in front of my subject!  I had hoped that it wouldn't stay long, since it was a no parking zone and it was probably just making a quick delivery, so I did my best to work on the parts of my subject that were visible.  Little did I know that it would stay there for 45 minutes (I cheered when the meter maid came along and ticketed him!). Unfortunately, it wasn't the only vehicle that decided to stop there as I doggedly persisted with my painting efforts.   I was disappointed to leave with a very sketchy and incomplete start, but I felt I had captured enough information on the canvas to create a painting of this interesting subject in the studio.

When I reviewed my reference photos, I realized that my plein air composition had omitted the beautiful arched tops of the windows that I felt were so much a part of the facade.  I decided to work from the plein air study and compose a new painting, including this interesting detail, but when I was done, I realized that something wasn't right... I had inadvertently created two separate areas of interest.   The windows were beautiful, but were stealing the attention from my intended focal point!

I thought that I could create a better composition in the studio.  I thought that all the distractions and interruptions painting plein air had prevented me from creating the best composition... wrong!  I decided to cut the canvas down... a necessary task to bring the center of focus back to the dark facade, the lights and the shadowy figure in the doorway.  I re-created a composition closer to my original idea. .. the one I created plein air.  It was hard cutting off a beautiful part of the painting, but it was necessary.

My story has a happy ending... I ended up with a successful painting, and there were lessons learned.   Number one, first impressions are sometimes best when beginning paintings en plein air.  Be careful about revisions in the studio based upon photographic reference.  Number two... be clear on the main idea of your painting, your center of focus, and stay true to it throughout the painting process.