Saturday, June 6, 2009

Compositional Retardation


I have tried now for two days to get a roundbale painting out of a little field in Maury County. It is the perfect little hayfield. Small with treelines behind and access. But for whatever reason I have not been able to get a nice composition with these haybales. They were crooked, too big, too small, too many, etc., etc. They were nice renderings, just not nice paintings. The painting in the post took three hours because I would start then change the layout. Start again, then change again. And I still don't like the size of them. Not sure why, just bugs me. Too small maybe. There were also two little phone poles in the back of the field that I liked and tried to put in and couldn't do anything with them that I was happy with. And have you ever painted on a pretty busy road and become so involved in your painting you couldn't even hear the traffic anymore? The sound goes away because you're so focused on your painting? Until some redneck jackass has to blow his horn. Sheesh, it took 30 minutes to get calmed back down. I know he saw me jump and I know he is at home tonight swillin' beer and telling his buds about how he made this "painter guy" on the side of the road jump out of his skin. I would have guessed by looking at his car, the horn wouldn't even have worked.
Another hazard of plein air painting. Still beats a real job.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Nothing bugs me about the hay bails. This is a very pleasing composition.

Kevin Menck said...

Thanks Jeremy. I actually added a small haybale in the back on the left that at least made me feel better about it.I may even try to frame it now.

mike rooney studios said...

know what you mean about crazy drivers and plein air painters. i was painting on a big city corner and a lady ran up on the corner and nearly took me out. Glad your redneck didnt throw a beer can at your head LOL
nice painting!

Doug said...

There is no shortage of jerks in the world. Many years ago I was jogging in my neighborhood and a vehicle went by. I could hear lots of chatter from the car as it went by... and something whizzed by me. I looked down and found what had zipped by my head... a Skoal can...

They don't only pick on painters...

DWC Project said...

Loved readingg this thank you