Acadia Workshop Center - Day 3

We're trying not to worry about the economy or the upcoming US elections this week. One thing that helps is going to a quiet location to paint. Today, we went to the public boat launch at Seal Cove. It has a few boats, a small dock and picnic tables. When they say this is the "quiet side of the island," they're not kidding! The crowds of Bar Harbor, just a few minutes away, seem to be on some distant planet.

This morning, I stressed how important it is to nail down our compositions. It's really the foundation of the painting. Those of us who have been painting for awhile tend to minimize the importance of making a game plan and often just jump right in, thinking the best possible composition will design itself. We forget that working out a simple, abstract design in advance can do so much for a painting.

Here's my sketch of two boats at Seal Cove. We had some wonderful backlighting on them, and they really drew my eye.

"Backlit Boats"
5x7, pastel