3b. Continuing "Three Boats at Night"

Now I'm ready to start finishing this painting. This is what it looks like before I start my modifications in order for the lighting to make sense and still be dramatic. 

Its the little boat on the right that makes the least sense to me. I do think the lighting on it makes for a nice composition as is. But, I want to make a new composition, keeping the objects in the same place, but changing where the light is.

I am thinking I will have a bright light source coming from the back of the middle boat. You can't see the actual light, but only the lighting and shadow on the objects in the back of the boats; and then some light coming around and hitting the other boats just enough to get the effect of a back-lighted composition.

So, I begin with painting the boats out from the light. Then, I will make the bright light from the back and work my way forward with the light. The light in the background should give me clues as to how the light comes out. Here's a progression of painting the boats out from the light. This is still underpainting since I am switching gears with my light.

I'll paint the boats out first and then the orangish reflections. I'll give everything that moonlight blue/violet color in midtones, then give the shadows some darks. Painting will take on a dark appearance before I add the light.

Here's this little guy before I start to repaint. The windows look white because they were never painted and are raw canvas color. I'll just use different shades of Prussian Blue and Violet with White to achieve a monochromatic look overall.

I start on the left side of the cabin and work my way across the right.... as usual. I'm not being very careful at this point. A lot of this might be covered up later, and if I want to, I can tighten up the edges.

I painted the blue across and to the back. Then I took some rich blue color and painted the roof fascia and started in on the windows. This goes real fast. I painted in a darker black in the windows.

Well, there's one blue boat, and I started in on the middle one. I'm painting out the orange from the windows. Some of that may come back later. I do remember now that light was supposed to be coming from inside the cabin of the middle boat. Then, have another light too.

I think that concept would have been better if it was only one light coming from the middle boat cabin. That light would cast shadows on the third boat on the right, and just glance lightly off the first boat.

I'll have to think about that. I have to consider what will give me good reflections too. If no light can be traced to a water reflection, then there won't be any light on the water. Just the blacks and moonlight blues. Just thinking out loud here...

You can see in the photo above that the middle boat still has its scummy hull. I remember trying to work out the darks and light with underpaint back when I worked on this. I don't think I was going to keep it that way then either. I tend to not like scummy painting, also known as "dry brush." Every once in a while you will find it in my work. But, I try to avoid it.

Middle boat almost done. Studio window light is making the left side lighter.

Now the first and middle boats are toned down.  

Here is where I am today before I start painting out the third boat.

Below is the comparison between where I was when I started, and where I am today.

Next time, I will paint out the third boat and the reflections.

Then, I'll be ready to start the lighting!