Yesterday I painted this scene with a slightly different composition and with only one dog but today I wanted to play with the idea again. I did four different compositions in my sketch book changing the focus and point of view and arrived at this painting. I am not happy with the lack of color but perhaps I will get it straight when I grow up.
Sketch book with all four ideas
The one I picked and I just noticed that I really changed the idea when I painted it. I pushed the building way too high up in the painting, I didn’t even notice until right now. I like the sketch better than the painting.
I painted this on dry paper just leaving white paper and trying for a really rough textured edge. 
I put in some slight suggestions of the foreground and some simple washes for the contour of the ground. I splattered paint like crazy in the foreground blotting up the extra to keep it from being too messy.
I painted the trees with a large rigger trying for just silhouettes and very little detail.
Dark accents on the building, trees, figures and the pooches and some fine brush work for the weeks. I think it is working pretty well but wow the colors are pretty bland.I put a slight cadmium scarlet wash over the building and a little bit of green on the figure, still pretty bland. Okay maybe next time. I think I will be back in the groove when I really get some energy back. I am sure that is just around the corner.
Thanks for including all four value patterns, Steve. I kind of like the painted version, since it’s not just a straight walk in the snow for your dogs and figure.