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?