Try, Try Again

So often with my painting I have difficulty translating what I visualize in my mind onto the paper or canvas. When I kept looking at this fallen tree trunk in the back yard, I knew I could do something with it (and that I had better do so before it rotted into the ground).

While we were having one of our unseasonable warm spells this winter, I went out to photograph and sketch. And while in the house during a more typical stretch of winter, attempted a watercolor version.

My sketch

The first one  made me wonder if I was drinking or something. Then I realized that the perspective was off, since my viewpoint while outside was looking down towards the trunk, so my background was incorrect, making the trunk look like it was floating.

(Tree trunk seems to be in style of Rene Magritte)

The second one was better, but somewhat dead looking.

At least we have the trunk back on the ground

The third one was done on a smaller scale, while trying out some new watercolor board I purchased a while back. I think this one was the most successful, due to the smaller scale fitting a simple subject, reducing the number of elements in the composition, and being a bit freer and leaving more white.

Version 3

Still not completely happy, and may return to this subject later on.