One of the graphite studies I did some time ago was from memory, the memories of the old harness "bits and pieces" that hung in the hayloft of the old stone barn on the ranch where I grew up. I worked from several photos of collars and hames, simplifying the image from the collection of harness that hung there. This hangs on my wall, for me an "idealized" image and a visual reminder of many hours spent playing in that barn and hayloft as a child.
My artist's eye, however, kept insisting that this image was not ideal and during the "long, hot summer" this year I decided to see what would happen if I approached it from a more artistic point of view.This work-in-progress image shows it an an early stage, with the focal point blocked in, starting to work in the tonal values and giving me an idea of where I need to go with lights and darks.
This is the final version of the revised piece with the background both simplified and significantly darkened and it is probably, to most eyes, the more pleasing and artistic. The plainer, dark background puts the emphasis on the details of the horse collars and hames without the distraction of the stonework in the original study. The first image however is the one that is on my wall as the stonework is an integral part of my memories of the big stone barn that was my playground during my childhood.
