We all have images that for various reasons, wrong time of day, overcast day, bad composition, that we want to paint but we need to make some changes to the subject in order to paint. There many things we can do like working on some better color contrast, stronger or more interesting value relationships, moving shapes around or changing the proportions of the shapes. In the demonstration I adding brighter colors but kept the feeling of overcast, low level lighting. The image is fine, I just want to create a little more colorful impact.
Watercolor on 12×16 300lb arches paper.
Original image
In the painting I lightened the values of the major shapes but kept the colors muted by mixing complementary colors. I also played up the sky to make it a more important part of the composition, and used a reddish tint for the barn to contrast against the bluish dark grey trees and green field. I also overstated the fence poles to give the impression of being down in the road looking up, this creates a nice sense of proportion and point of view.
Hi Steve. A watercolor again, wonderful!. Thank you for showing us the original photo and for explain us the why of your editing changes in the scene. You have make a great painting from this scene. Respectfully Mercedes