Fireboat at Jones River Landing

Little Red Fireboat Stage One

It's now mid-June and the sun is as high overhead as you'll see here in Eastern Massachusetts.   Setting out at midday on a gorgeous day means finding a shady spot for my ivory-white, never-had-a-real-tan flesh tone.   There is a picnic area at the Jones River and estuary in Kingston that has a sturdy wooden shelter right alongside the boat launch and docks.  

I've received criticism that my work is too "postcard-esque" and unoriginal.  Casting this tidbit aside, I gravitate to the cute, little, red fire boat for today's painting.   That's what is so great about painting to paint, rather than painting to sell.  Personal preference rules!



Little Red Fireboat - Stage Two

It was low tide and although this is a river, here at the mouth, the tide dictates the water level.   The fire boat was sitting directly on the wet mucky sand for the first hour.  Gradually the water rose and the water began to cover the wet sand.   It was important to stay disciplined and not chase the water level (similar principle to not chasing shadows).   Once the muck was completely covered with water, the nice reflections disappeared, so I liked the initial scene.

This painting was not working when I got it back to the studio. 

Problems:
-The distant sea grasses were the wrong green (Added more blue to push them back);
- the right foreground grasses were too muted (Added Indian Red accents against green);
- the dock that divided the painting was too sharp and white (Warm up with yellow and red and blend mottled broken color);
- the fireboat was too dark (Brightened reds and darkened boat bottom)

I'm still not crazy about this one. Maybe a reader can be more objective and tell me why.