Reflecting on Reflections

Reflection, 18x36, oil on linen; After

Before

I know I have been quiet for awhile. Only because I have not had much to say. I decided to spend the summer reworking and refining those paintings that need it even if at one time I thought them "done." I have found "done" is a relative term when it comes to a painting. I have this painting facing me when I sit at our dining room table, and since I sit there at least 3 times a day, I have had a year or so to look at it. I did not make major changes to it, even though I did repaint pretty much the whole thing.
Just so you don't have to strain your eyes to figure out what is that different to warrant painting it over again...the thing that bothered me the most was the spit of sand that is the darkest near the end of the horizon line. It was too prominent and the water did not flow naturally around it. The beach did not have the cant I wanted so I redid the beach, adding more dark value in the lower left hand corner. That value needed to read as the same value as the distant hills. I am still debating whether that corner is dark enough, but I think the slope of the beach is better. After I redid the sand I lightened the sky and to both, I added texture. My new thing is to not paint so smooth. In the original I wanted it to be more glass like, but now, no. I want it to feel wet not just misty. Last, but certainly not least, I redid the figure. I started at the top and worked down; darkening his head so it doesn't disappear into the mist while the rest of him was with us; lightening his jacket, correcting some drawing along the way; then the reflection had to be touched up too. Comments are always welcome no matter if you agree with me or not!