Painting #271 - Oct 22 - Another plein air day with my friend

It was another PAAWM paint out, that's Plein Air Painters of West Michigan, that was the organization that arranged the painting retreat last week-end, I'm now an official member, this week it's just the one day, which was at King's Mill in Leonidas, MI. So, today my painting was done on site like last week-end's was, it was a lot of fun, and I took lots of photo's so that I can finish the one that I didn't get finished today, I painted on two, my first one was of some cows that were on a farm across from Kings Mill, I was set up on the road going into the park, and I was looking over the lake, that is where the one that I finished was taken too, I just looked a bit left and this was the scene.

I always do the sky first, then the distant trees and then the weeds on the right side and the bank there, then the water, I was actually in the process of painting this when a boat full of hunters came through and scared the swans off, you can see the little boat if you really look, and the swans flying over, well, the swans leave a bit to be desired on the detail side, I added them after they were gone, but, I decided to leave them in. I had it critiqued at the paint out and Richard thought it was a competition for the focal point, he felt that the swans should go, but, since I am the captain of my own boat, I liked the idea of having them in and since this is my painting, I want them. I also rippled the water since the boat was coming in and made a wake, it did add to the effect of water, so I put that in, the water was almost totally still, actually.

It's really hard to tell all the bits of detail, and since you are getting to know how I work, you will forgive me for skipping to the end, I like this little painting and I hope you do too.