I almost always paint on quarter sheets. So tonight, I cut one of those quarter sheets in half, and set out to paint something little.

I�m really quite pleased with it.

The last time I painted this scene I tried about a billion different things. This time, I simplified. No surprise, simpler have better results.

Even though this is tiny, I spent as much time on it as I did on a larger painting. I think working at this small scale helped me considerably because it�s harder to get tunnel vision working small. I might be painting a line under a roof, but because it�s so little, I can still see the surroundings, and have a better, no � a more immediate idea of how that line relates to the greater whole.

Working on a small piece like this is also more intimate, and less intimidating. It�s the difference between a family dinner, and a formal party. I think that sort of relaxed atmosphere helped me to let go a bit, and enjoy the process, instead of grinding away in pursuit of a particular result.

It�s telling that I only took one process photo, and that I have little to say about technique – because this time I wasn�t thinking about specific techniques as I went, I was just kind of slowly placing marks, dragging lines, and dropping pigment in places where I thought they would fit. It was a comfortable and relaxing experience, and I think I�ll try it again, for sure. Maybe I�ll develop some good habits by working this way, and I�ll be able to carry those into larger works.

Looking at the painting, there is one glaring issue that I don�t like: the brown tree shape between the two structures. I was trying to add some interest to the wash on that hillside by mixing warm and cool neutrals, and the cool neutral wandered off on me. It created a somewhat unsightly line that splits the composition unintentionally.

As soon as I saw that happen, I knew I wasn�t going to like it. But I also knew that trying to fix it would have meant resetting the entire hillside, and there�s just no way it would have ended with a smooth graduated wash. So, I let the mistake live, and I�m glad I did. I still don�t like it, but I think the painting is strong enough on its own merits to outweigh the weakness of that mistake. Had I tried to fix it, the hill would have been ruined, and the entire painting along with it.

I like the simplicity of the foreground. I thought about spraying it with clean water to get some texture, but I�m glad I didn�t. I like how simple the foreground is.

I also like the way the shadows merge with neighboring shapes. That�s about it for tonight. I painted something little, and I�m proud of it.

The end.