Catching Fleeting Effects

A sailboat sails on by you, and the clouds float away.  What's an artist to do?  My answer is always, Memorize it. 

The sailboat went by and I looked at it carefully and decided which details to include and which to ignore.  I liked the billowing sails and their reflection in the water.

The clouds were actually behind me, so I kept turning around to observe them.  I wet the entire area with my natural sponge, and then sailed in with some lamp black and ultramarine blue.  The far shore was just a shape that I created with gray and a touch of titanium white while it was all still wet. The island silhouetted trees were the same colors, but I just used more paint to create deeper values.

The trick is, I've found, is to go with your strongest attraction in a scene.  Then simplify everything else, eliminating any details that call your attention away from your chosen subject.  And paint fast!