Moon, Boat, Reflections

I missed the perigee moon last month due to rain, and overcast.  I wanted very badly to see that huge moon, and I was determined to work it into a painting.  Here's the painting.

It was a bright, clear, hot day, with about 50 boats in the harbor.  The trick is to say what you want to say.  I wanted to say "Moon, Boat, Reflections", so I chose a small trawler and made up the rest.  Several tourists came by and wondered if I had been out all night, presumably painting in the dark!  I explained narrowing of intent, and artistic license.  Some did not seem convinced and gave me a wide birth!

Elimination is often the hardest choice for a plein air painter to make.  With all that "accuracy" out there, the temptation is to be "truthful" at the expense of emotional content.  Before your wet brush hits the paper, stop and think what it is you want to communicate to the viewer.  If your list is too long, reduce it to two or three ideas.  It will not only focus your attention, it will also simplify the painting process.  After all, it is easier to say one boat than fifty!