Painting difficulties

We have an assignment for the painting class. We have to produce a painting with a citation of a recognizable famous painting. I know what I want to do, but first I have to finish the main painting. I was thinking of David Hockney when I chose to do a swimming pool scene. I can't imitate his technique, so let's just say that was my inspiration. I chose a photo that I had to start with.

I like the distribution of the kids in and around the pool, the color of the tile.... But to fit what I wanted to do, I had to modify it all, and I don't think I really like it.

The first difficulty has been the swimming pool. There's the shape of it, which I have to fix. I was encouraged to shorten it and bring the tile deck forward, but I don't like that. Then, there's the water! And the deformation of  Louis and Gwen floating in the water! And actually trying to do these portraits!

This is where I was last week. You can see here that I've got to redo the rounded end of the pool. I turned the chair around and brought it up front, but this week, I decided I really don't like that, so I got rid of it. However, I need it for the citation part of the exercise. I'm moving Emma closer to Anne in the painting and I think the chair will go there. 

Louis is pretty recognizable in the painting, but I stuck him too far to the left. Well, that's where he's going to stay and I hope I can fit the others in accordingly. I tried adding Gwen this week and am not happy with the result. I'm not looking for a detailed resemblance, but I'd like to be able to see that it's her. You can see my attempt at getting rid of the chair, changing the deck a bit and enlarging the pool. I have to work out the angles of the ends of the pool -- the rounded top and facing deep end. The more I correct, the more there is to correct and the more frustrated I get. And there is so much to correct!

More to come.