Bucket Hauler (6x8") underpainting study

Here is the "Bucket Hauler", (6x8") oil on wood panel underpainting study for a larger version I did as a (16x20").  Funny, I did an underpainting for the larger version and meant to color it but thought it looked just fine in it's brown and white state.  I think they look like old photos at this stage.  Very nostalgic and pulls at my memory heart strings.  For me, this little study had some breakthrough take-aways like the simple abstract shapes of the background landscape.  I was looking at the backgrounds of some master painters and seeing how they handles foreground, middle ground and background...I was smitten by some of nineteenth century figure painter, George Clausens figure works and how if you took your hand and covered the main figure, the backgrounds seem so simple and devoid of detail...adding more visual importance the figure in the foreground.  Click here to go to Mathew Innis fine blog Underpaintings post about Claussen..note how simple some of those landscapes are as peripheral elements...astonishing work!