A few weeks ago I wrote about a plein air trip to the Sacramento River Delta. I finally had a chance to touch up the painting I did that day. Usually when you bring a painting indoors, you see things in it that need to be fixed: edges not right, some area too bright—something. This one had a shadow across that tree that was too much of a stripe, and the sky showed too many streaky brushstrokes. (I like the sky to be smooth, unless I’m painting clouds.) Here’s what I think is the final piece.
Do you prefer finished-looking pieces, or the more raw look of a painting done in one outdoor session, with no touch-ups?
Stephanie Benedict's Blog 
Stephanie, I like the freshness of my first response. Most of the time. But I definitely notice that when I bring a painting back to the studio, the intensity and the values of the shadows might need to be adjusted to hang under interior lights. And sometimes I get carried away and “noodle” the painting way too much.
I am constantly trying to make deliberate strokes the first time. On location that slows the painting process down but I feel it is a worthy pursuit.
Marianne, Ah yes, the noodling problem. I know what you mean. It’s always a challenge to stay with your first response and not keep fiddling. I know I have to be very careful with the difference between “it really needs this fixed” and “well, I could do that.” The second is noodling–and can ruin paintings.