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I did this on site sketch well over a year ago. There is something about this sketch that leaves me wanting to pursue it over and over. You'd think I'd have better things to do with my time. I initially did a large watercolor that was pretty faithful to this sketch. I ended up entering the painting in the Kenneth Jack watercolor show here in Australia and won a "Highly commended" which is not bad. But I was not happy about aspects of the painting. I redid it twice more, changing a few things. I was happy with both efforts and was even so bold to put one in a frame to hang in my studio, but it still wasn't right.

I decided to do a smaller painting to enter in a competition. This time I drew the image out of my head knowing what I was after and being familiar with drawing it so often. I Changed a few things and added a figure. I was trying hard to make the painting as fresh as I could and not fiddle too much. In watercolor it is best to really know what you are about to do!

I was very pleased with this version. It is less dark in mood than my original sketch and I quite like the introduced warm light. I will probably do one more version with soft light and an overall grey tone to it to see what more I can pull from my initial hour long study!