My plein air group had our last meeting of the season in November at Viansa Winery in Sonoma. I’d made a good start on the painting plein air, but it needed work. Today I got tired of looking at the unfinished painting and completed it (above), using both brushes and palette knife.
I’d set up my easel at the edge of the parking lot and had a great view of the vineyard. But there were so many interesting things to see that I included all of them in my original painting below (except maybe the cars and the birds and bees—that’s some progress I suppose).
There are some passages in the painting I liked, especially the top fourth, but there were some problems too: the strong yellow diagonal line leading you out of the painting, the bright gold triangle top right, the green line of bushes beside the purple road, both of which weren’t needed even though they were there in real life.
This is the photo I took at the beginning of the painting session. The sun and fog and clouds kept changing but the overall impression I had of the day was sunny.
A previous Viansa painting can be seen here. It’s nice to see the progress I’ve made since then.
Jana Bouc, Artist 
7 replies on “Viansa Vineyard: Final Touches on Final Plein Air 2010”
This painting shows just how with determination and careful analysis a painting has been dramatically changed – and lifted from good to great.
I love the juicy colour and movement in the vines and the way you have consolidted the composition.
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I was at Viansa many years ago. That is a very lovely location. I find vineyards tough to render. It seems like you are saying that one of the problems was that the scene was a little busy. At least that is what I thought and what I can relate to. I really like your final version though; especially the foreground which seems to fade in detail as you go back. Really nice.
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You did a nice job on this Jana. I actually like the “unfinished” version best…the colors are vivid. Our group occasionally goes to a local lavender farm. The scene is similar to this one. I find it a very difficult subject, and have yet to do something I am pleased with.
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Beautiful!!! I like them both! Thanks for letting us see both versions.
Carol C.
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I love the reworking of this, reminded me of a Van Gogh scenery. Everything harmonises now.
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Like the other commenter, I too am reminded of Van Gogh — really nice to see the reworking!
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I love it when you post these “start” “half-done” and “final version” images so we can see the development of the composition and how the painting grows and changes. It’s fascinating. Lovely final piece, too, very atmospheric…
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