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Message
Posted
Hi, started working on this tonight and its by no.means finished. I need to look at it tomorrow again with fresh eyes but was looking for some feedback. I need to still add the tables and chairs and don't know how I'm going to do it. Also, I cant decide on what to do with the sky..ie, clouds, sunset or keep plain. Any constructive feedback will be welcomed. I'm going to a wedding in 2 weeks and I had a grand idea to paint the venue where they will be marrying. 
Posted
I think what you've done so far is a strong start, Yvette. It's lively, and the tables/chairs and some figures will give it even more life and energy.
For the sky, I would add some wispy cloud, but nothing too detailed. A common approach to skies is to look for a balance, depending on how much detail and interest there is in the scene...i.e. plain-ish sky if there's lots going on, but more detailed/textured if it not. Also consider how strong your light is...so for example if there's not many strong shadows, that suggests there is an absence of direct sun, meaning there is cloud cover...but if its a clear blue sky in the middle of the day, you'd be looking at sharp shadows and very contrasting values. Your scene does not appear to be brightly lit, so some wispy/sun-filtering clouds would appear convincing. There shape and position can also aid your composition...where do you want to lead the viewer.
May I comment on the bicycle too, please...As you've made the fence light, the bicycle contrasts strongly with the fence, and draws quite a bit of attention...so I wonder whether you wanted that or whether you wanted to avoid that, by making the bike less dark, or giving the fence more colour and value.
Hope this helps.
Posted
Thank you for your advice, Gerry - it was very much appreciated... and I have taken it on board and hopefully it works a bit better. This is the latest update - I struggled to do the tables/chairs with the perspectives... probably went over it too much and it is a bit thick in places. The picture I am working off is not very sharp. Another break is needed but wanted to share progress so far.
Edited
by Yvette Hutton
Posted
I’ve only just seen this, so I’m late coming in on it, so will be brief.
Basically, it’s flat! Both the dreadful photo and your interpretation… I’m being blunt here, because copying from photos is nearly always full of pitfalls, and no exceptions here!
You need a photo on a sunny day, and maybe different times of the day to ascertain where your light source is coming from, then study the cast shadows on the building.
It’s L shaped, so with a bit of luck you will get some strong cast shadows, which will give the building a much needed lift.
It’s actually a quick fix… nothing complicated but worth the effort! It’s not the easiest of subjects for sure, so well done for tackling it…
Posted
I didn't see it earlier either, but while it's well-drawn (and a subject I would have been nervous to tackle, because of all the detail) there is a lack of tonal contrast; - it was a good idea to tone down the starkness of the bicycle: when you have every single item in a painting depicted with the same degree of indivbidual detail, you stray towards the Grandma Moses look (which was fine for Grandma Moses, but she was a naive painter, and you're not). Alan's advice is good - stand back from your painting, right back, give it a stare - think how the direction of light and its play on the buildings could transform it: then all you've got to do is apply those lights; not so much highlights, just the natural influence of light over the whole scene: highlights are finishing touches, applying them too soon is going to leave you with finicky touches which you'll be wise to avoid.
It'd help if you could visit the scene and make a sketch, with notes, in situ: photographs may look great as photographs, but are just about the most misleading things a painter can use if employed literally: go and see how the light hits your subject and you'll have a much better painting.
Posted
Thank you, Alan & Robert... great feedback! I think I have probably chosen a very tricky one with so much detail. I find taking a photograph and looking at it later helps. I am worried that the painting is getting very dark but take on board adding the highlighs after. I'll take a break now and come back to it but I appreciate the feedback, it's great!
Posted
That’s a better photo!
It isn’t the highlights, it’s the direction of light which will determine your shadows.
Strong shadows will give the illusion of a three-dimensional image, not a flat image, which is what we have here to some extent.
It all starts off with the quality of the initial photo… if you’re using a flat image as your starting point, then your painting will probably follow that same path…
Posted
If a painting is starting to look dark, lift the sky a bit - skies are hardly ever a strong blue at the horizon, and for the purposes of a painting, the horizon stretches a long way up - looking out of the window now (it is a bit overcast, mind!) I don't see much blue - it just doesn't normally come down so far, and even if it does we don't have to paint it that way.
So lightening the sky can help, as can the aforementioned tonal differences - in part, you paint your darks to get your lights: without the darks, there's no indication of light, to put it slightly differently. Anyway, you've obviously getting there, guided by the expert ..... and me...
Posted
Thank you to everyone for all your wonderful and honest advice. I am now done! I'm much happier than I was and thanks to you, I'm ok with it so have signed it off! Not perfect but it's good enough. I've learnt so much!
ps. I've signed July as their wedding is in July and it's close enough :-)
