Courtyard Entrance - Demo

Courtyard Entrance, 6 x 8, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2016

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A couple of weekends ago, I taught a plein air workshop at The Contemporary Austin Art School. The focus of the class was all about working smart in the field. It's easy to get outside and flail. What works best for me is to carefully invest in my initial block-in (see below). In this block-in stage, I focus on composition and the value placement. Getting a good foundation in the first sketch has a direct impact on my happiness with the final result. I try to resolve most issues in that sketch before moving on. 

This demo shows four different ways to interpret the same subject. It helps me to consider different angles before I begin. Selection of a subject can be hard when choosing from 360 degrees in every direction! I am often surprised and delighted, by a not so obvious second or third idea. 

Composition #1 - 6x8 Block-in

I chose this one for the finished demo because I wanted to include a few more details on the building. 

Composition #2 - 6x6 Block-in

I liked this one for its simplicity, and how it worked in the square format. 

Composition #3 - 8x6 Block-in

Another angle on the courtyard - same building, opposite side. 

Please stay tuned (next post) for the finished version of this angle! 

Composition #4 - 8x4 Block-in

Another format for second angle on the courtyard.