Honey Dog Farm Buildings in Watercolour, Columbia County NY

I painted this rural scene because the old boards on the left hand barn caught my eye. They are sun bleached and full of lines and gaps, a perfect subject for dry brush and quick vertical strokes. The weathered wood tells a story of time and work on the farm, and watercolour is great for that soft broken texture. Simple shapes and big value changes let the red barns sit strongly against the green fields.

The road surface was another reason to stop and paint. A straight road in the reference felt a bit dull, so I curved it to lead the eye into the light and across the farm. That curve also gave me space for a small figure and a silhouetted truck, which adds scale and a little story. Small dark accents like these make the bright field look brighter and help the composition feel balanced.

For colour, I kept the barns warm with a mix of alizarin crimson and a touch of burnt sienna, then cooled the shadows with ultramarine blue and a little neutral tint. The sky is mainly cerulean blue with a soft glow of cadmium yellow near the light, which keeps it fresh. Fields are yellow ochre pushed with spring green, and deeper greens are made by adding viridian to ultramarine. The road has a gentle violet grey from ultramarine with a touch of light red or lavender, broken with dry brush to suggest gravel.

If this kind of rural subject appeals, try simplifying the shapes, vary the edges, and let the brush marks suggest detail rather than draw every plank. Keep the darks clean and in the right places, and do not be afraid to edit the scene to improve the flow. A small curve, a figure, or a parked truck can turn a plain view into a strong painting.