Evolution of a work - 'Penns Creek in Sun and Shade'

I had walked in along Penns Creek near Weikert, and had that sudden feeling of connection to this spot.  As I examined that feeling, trying to pinpoint what struck me me about the scene - I organized the painting around these.  One was the sweep of the dark shaded woods in the background, an arc shape, contrasting to where the sun struck a little island on the right, where the grass was all lit up.  I was really interested in the reflections, part of them in the sun and part of them in the shade.  So I used a purpley/pink underpainting to capture the range of values out on location, and sense of motion and life.  I knew I needed a chance to unify the painting, and planned to do that back in the studio. 

As it came into the studio from working on location

I added more mid-tone subtleties, and more local color where the water in the foreground in the shade reflected the green of the tree, while still allowing some of the underpainting color to come through - this adds a quality of life and rich color.  I also added the warm colors in the area where the sun was striking the yellows of the sun-lit tree and island. 

After working on it in the studio - nearly done

I also adjusted where the riffles were located in front of the island, raising the right corner up a bit.  Even though the plein air sketch was how the scene actually was, the location of the riffles left a feeling of imbalance in the painting, of the right edge of the painting falling down. Just for the pictorial unity, I raised that up.  I really like the full of life and balanced feeling of the painting, which in the end it reflects what I connected with on location.