Identifying Subjects

On Wednesdays, the Plein Air Painters of Maine paint together at various locations around Boothbay Harbor.   This past week we went to a location where I often have had trouble being inspired by subject matter.  This time, however, I developed a pattern of finding a subject that revolved around elimination. 

The boats that I was attracted to were across the cove.  There were wonderful trees and rocks in the foreground, but I determined that the boats were my subjects so the problem became a situation of eliminating anything that wasn't relevant to my subject. 

Next came the problem of placement.  I chose two boats, and put the main one on the thirds.  Then my thinking shifted to how to emphasize and draw the viewer's eye to that place.  The background provided the foil for pointing to the boats via value.

Finally, I needed a few elements to point to the subject.  The major one was to paint the water leaving the lighter "z"  to lead into the area surrounding the boat.  I am very conscious of lines that point to the focal point of the subject.  Values and line accomplished that for me in this painting.