Rangeen worked systematically, not by checklist but by intent. He divided the canvas into zones: foreground (intimate, textured), middle ground (narrative action), and background (memory and atmosphere). For the foreground, he built texture—impasto ridges that caught the afternoon light. For the middle ground, he allowed softer edges so figures could move through the scene. For the background, he glazed multiple translucent layers that receded, implying depth and time.