Okay, I give up...for now

Crown Memorial Beach Bathhouse4
10" x 14" watercolor
100% cotton Arches hot press paper

Dang it, anyway. I've tried three times to create a stand-alone painting of the Crown Memorial Beach bathhouse...hoping each time I might hit the flow I had with the sketchbook painting that I posted last week after watching that Richard Thorn video about creating a strong pencil drawing foundation that allows for a looser approach with the paint.  

But it just won't happen. Here are two versions; see what I mean? The top version comes closest, but it still doesn't have that free flowing look of the sketchbook version. The bottom version is just--well, stiff (though it does look better in person than on this screen). I won't even post the third version.

An artist I admire says she never tries to paint a duplicate of a painting she likes because it never comes out as well. Yet other artists say they recreate paintings all the time. 

I'm giving up on this one for now. But it's just such an iconic image of my daily walks along the Robert Crown Memorial State Beach. I'd sure like to nail it someday for a stand alone painting that I can be proud to frame. 

Crown Memorial Beach Bathhouse3
10" x 12" watercolor
100% cotton Arches hot press paper