Susan McCullough Plein Air: Vivid Waters

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Vivid Waters

David and Coni and I decided to try painting up at the Alamosa River Canyon. I love the canyon because of the diversity of views that are available. The canyon is so steep and narrow that it is usually always shadowed on the south side which makes for great values in painting. We were lucky... there wasn't too much wind and so we were able to paint.

I originally had this view with a huge bank of snow sticking right out in the middle of the composition. And it didn't work at all. So with a few swipes of the brush - it was gone- and improved the composition greatly. Sometimes you have to sacrifice parts of the painting that you really liked for the sake of the painting as a whole.

7 comments:

William R. Moore said...: Susan.
I like your composition. One of my favorites. Nice snow banks and water. What size?; April 4, 2011 at 8:47 AM
Susan McCullough said...: Thanks William. The painting is an 11x14- I am starting to paint that size again- it's a nice relief after all of the 9x12's that I paint.; April 4, 2011 at 10:49 AM
eldonwarren said...: Nice piece Susan!! Things are changing here again so I think I'll have a little more time to paint and to get some stuff posted. Cross your fingers.; April 4, 2011 at 3:56 PM
Susan McCullough said...: I will definitely cross my fingers for you Eldon! Just in time for spring too! Nice to hear from you.; April 4, 2011 at 5:32 PM
Jo Anne Neely Gomez said...: Great decision you made Susan, very nice work. Happy painting!; April 4, 2011 at 6:31 PM
Susan McCullough said...: Thanks Jo Anne! Yes I'm glad I took that step- sometimes it's hard to commit to wiping out a large part of a painting-but it was necessary.; April 4, 2011 at 7:17 PM
Pleinview said...: "a few swipes of the brush" - ?
LOL - I bet!

but it looks great; you were right.; April 12, 2011 at 4:49 PM