Thanks Wayne, Jo, Terri, Donna, Snowball - really appreciate taking the time out to comment.
I have no secrets to simplifying:
I look thru a viewfinder and establish in my mind the 4 corners of the scene I'm going to paint.
THen I sketch the
big shapes only within that area. As I paint I decide which details within those shapes I'm going to keep and which to leave out.
Bongo, good job on this one. You are brave to set your easel next to the cars passing by. Was there ppl walking on this side walk? If so were they stopping to talk to you? That's a good attitude you have

after seeing the girls working you can stay painting. I'm presently trying to cather together courage to go paint buildings in the city center. It's the ppl and tourists l'm worried about.
Did l ask you earlier how do you carry your wet painting home? I see your easel setup but does it fold somehow and you can leave the wet painting in the esel package? We probably talked about this long time ago but I can't remember.
Mo - you'll find most people are too busy going about their business to stop and watch paint dry. I would suggest for your first time you go at a time and place where there are few people then move on when you've gained a little confidence Some plein air painters like to chit-chat and meet new people. That's not me. I've developed a few stock replies and ploys to get out of conversations. But honestly, most people will just at most glance your way and move on. I've only had positive interactions.
I use a half -box French easel that folds up and can be carried on your back like a backpack. Weighs 10-11 pounds. For short distances, I just carry it by the handle. The wet painting could stay on the easel, but I prefer to use my home-made carrier.
It's made from a 16" x20" store-bought ($10.) cradled panel. I flip it over and attach an 18"x14" painting panel to the inside - any panel that size or smaller will work. I put the whole thing on the easel when I paint, cause it adds extra stability .
Nice thing about using it on the French Easel I can just lower the mast, and it makes a nice "table" to use while attaching a foam-core cover with rubber bands. With an 1/8 piece of hardboard (masonite) and 4 strips of wood and a piece of foam core you can easily make one any size you like. Happy to answer any other questions about it.
The three pieces of my kit - bag of supplies, easel, wetpanel carrier.