The Paint Out

 

 

Giving life to a painting is something that requires some intention.  On the day that the Stroke of Art group and the Plein Air Painters of Maine joined forces to paint Grimes Cove, I saw a lot of paintings of rocks and water.  A few painters chose to paint the houses at the head of the cove.  But I wanted a bit more life in my scene.  I added a sailboat and some figures to the beach to animate the scene.  I also rounded the  cove more than it is in actuality.  I eliminated the windows in the house because I didn't want texture and details to distract the viewer and destroy the shapes.  The textures in the pine tree were also eliminated in favor of a tree shape.  Finally, the seagulls provided some life in the sky area.

  The quiet shape of the bay and the simplified shape of the cliff and the beach help concentrate the viewer's eye on the sailboat and the house. 

K.I.S.S., stupid.