Barn Door

Barn Door

plein air oil  12" x 12"

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$395.00 + $10. s/h

This painting was done the last day of the recent South Park Plein Air Arts Celebration, Fairplay, CO  during the "Quick Draw" on the final morning.  For a "quick draw" you are usually limited to an area in which to paint, in this case Front Street or the South Park City Museum.  Also, you are limited to time, we had from 10:00 a.m. to 12.  We were allowed to walk around scouting a location from 9 on.  This barn is in the museum:  a street of old western buildings from around Colorado which have been moved to this outdoor museum.

I try to do a value study before I begin a painting.  That way, as the light changes I can use my study as a reference.  Because of the 2 hour time constraints, I did a very quick study (as you can see here.) Because of the study I realized that the center of interest, the stable rails in the light, were almost right in the center of the piece.  That became noticeable when I drew in my 1/3rd lines.  So, (in my head) I cropped the door, moved the light to the right, and the center of interest was now on the 1/3rd line and not in the middle.  All of that took me about 5 minutes, but saved my painting.