Thursday, September 29, 2011

Correcting a few problems ?

I'm not really sure I've improved much on the painting, but I did eliminate "trying to capture sunlight hitting the metal roof".  I added a little bit of color to the edge closest to the trees, yes, I was nervous trying anything, but like Celeste said "go on to the next Plein Air painting".  Think thats what I'll do.

The above photo is the corrected version.  (I can never get two photo's to look the same as far as brightness, color saturation... neither one looks 'just' like the painting.


8' x 6" oil, unnamed

This was my painting from the first day of Kathleen's 3 day workshop.  Well, actually I forgot to take a photo of what it looked like after my first day, but take my word for it, it looked nothing like this, just some strange blocked in shapes. This is the painting now after I worked on it a couple of days after I got home.  Just in case you can't tell what it is,  (ahem, lie to me please, tell me you knew what it was, ok?)  it is a barn... with two roofs.  

One of Kathleen's suggestions was that after we have worked on a painting and you think it is going south, ask your self some questions like:  Is it the design? Is it the drawing?  How are your values? etc.  When I question this painting I find that the sunlight that is suppose to be on the barn, that lighter line going from left to right about in the middle of the painting, really doesn't look like sunlight on the metal roof.  I have since attempted to correct that, but it still doesn't look like light hitting the metal roof. Also, in the upper right hand corner when I used a color isolator the afternoon of the workshop I found that the hill side really WAS that value and color, but I'm not sure I've depicted what that is in the painting.  What do you think?

Even though the painting has a number of issues I don't find the whole painting bad ...some things that I do like are my trees, how the light is seen around the edges .. back lit.  .  Also I think I conveyed that it was a bright sunny day. 

What do you think, I'd love to hear your thoughts ... How would you suggest I 'fix' this painting?  Do you see some issues that I didn't?

10 comments:

  1. Nancy. it's so good to see your painting following Kathy's workshop. I think this is a lovely painting. Nothing jumps out at me. You've done a great job depicting the sunlit trees. Very nice!

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  2. Thank you so much Linda. You are too kind. I did receive a few great suggestions and will probably work a little more on it and re-post the after to this same post.......

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  3. Nancy, I think you have a captured the sunlit trees nicely. As for the roof...I think you represented the tin very well. To lighten it just slightly try taking some of the yellow green and dry brush a little of it on the roof ridges. Just enough to tie the two areas together, but not too much. Just a thought.

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  4. Thank you Gaylynn, I think i will give that a try. Love oils ... if it doesn't work just wipe it off. Yee Haa.

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  5. Nancy, you did a really good job of this--it has a "lively" feeling..I wouldn't do anything to it--I'd start a new plein air painting!

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  6. You are probably right Celeste ... I should just go do another plein air. Gee they are fun ... doing one just makes me want to do more.

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  7. I am drawn to the beautiful blues in the metal roof. Your brushwork is very soft and lovely...a very nice painting!

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  8. Thank you Linda. I'm not sure what I'm doing yet with these oils, but I'm having fun, attempting to mix paint and put it where I want it and then only to find it wasn't quite the value or color I really wanted ... wipe it off and try it again.... but gee it's fun.

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  9. Hi Nancy,

    Just wanted to add that I think you have a really nice piece here. Especially like the sunlit trees. The barn is very readable and fits beautifully in the composition! Nice blog!

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  10. I love the unusual composition. It was very fascinating. The light is very luminous and the picture is soft and airy. Beautiful work.

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