A Difficult Day

It's Friday again, so in the studio. However, I was not feeling particularly sparky. Not sure why - maybe I've been too busy at work. Anyway, I was greeted by my efforts from Monday, the most startling of which was this.......

Seacliffe in progress (copyright AG)

I just couldn't decide what to do about this picture - was not in the right mood. I looks a bit Turner-esque and I did not want to lose that feeling of heat and shimmer and mystery....so I did nothing. Left it for another day.
All I could do today was drawing. So I started with a drawing of my mystery object.....

Isitabirdhaha (copyright AG)

I picked this up on the beach here in Musselburgh. It's the remnants of a brush, perhaps a sweep's brush. Great object, but difficult to draw. I used pencil, white conte stick and then some graphite powder which made it more smudgy. Then I added some white ink. What do you think? I'm not sure, but I think this drawing looks better in the flesh.  It was a good starting point for the day.
Then my next effort was to try and draw a big boat I sketched in Port Gasgow on our way back from Tighnabruaich. Well - I thought I might paint it in black and white, but I got caught up in the drawing of it. And here's a conundrum....I'm not sure that the finished drawing looks any better than my very quick starting point. What do you think?
Here's how it was at the start

Big Boat in progress (Copyright AG)

It's nice and loose and mysterious. Quite impressionistic.... And here it is when I left it

Big Boat later (copyright AG)

 Totally different feel. Have I overworked it? I shall reflect on this over the next few days. I think there is a good picture somewhere between the two extremes. Hey ho! (But very interesting to have captured images of these two extremes.)
And sadly I won't get into the studio on Monday as I need to work. And it's a busy weekend too. So I'll just have to snatch my chances for sketching until next Friday.