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Message
Posted
This is the bit I don’t like , it’s at that ugly stage and where you start thinking oops this isn’t looking that good anymore .
I need to get sone highlights on the leaves and some dark areas between them to define the shape more , its the fine tuning time the make or break where it’s so easy to overwork the who thing . I’m one of those just a little more here or just a touch there , stopping is the issue or knowing when to.
Most of the base colours now done will put it down for a few days before doing anything else with it.
Posted
Don't think I'd like to advise, since watercolour is more your schtick than mine - but... maybe strengthen that object (post?) on the left, to help balance the composition, and get some of those leaves in shadow (I know you have, but rather darker shadow, just to emphasize the tonal contrast. A touch of blue in those red-orange mixes, for instance. )
Posted
Thank you Robert and Sylvia, I did mention above Robert that I was going to put some darks between the leave to define and lift them more . I will also add highlights to the leaves once I have the darks done , as to the post it’s still a work in progress I will see what’s I need to do with it to give it more solidity. I have used Violet and indigo Sylvia but admittedly not a strong mix initially they are two colours I use quite a lot in shade, shadows and dark areas. One unfortunate thing is that the reds in the photo are coming out much more darker than they actually are. This photo was taking in brighter sunlight but it still not picked up the lighter shades .
Posted
Don't forget about the lifting- out method, Dixie. I use a very small flat head acrylic brush. Dip in water and manipulate the areas, very gently, you want to have lightened and also add more colour to blend back in, if required.
Looking at the bramble leaves, in the fields, they are quite dark and bedraggled looking, its the amount of rainfall, usually they have a lot more bright reds, almost crimson with touches of vibrant ochre. I'm assuming you are painting what you see at this moment in time. I must say your work looks good, to my eye.
Posted
Thanks Carol I was intending to do some lift out for the highlights , it’s a method I really like and I think looks more natural than touches of white but them that has its place as well . I’m happy with my colours and it’s those dark red , crimson colours I’ve worked with, what is frustrating is I can’t get a good enough colour from the cameras to show how vibrant it actually is in reality. But that’s the down side of photographing a painting in constantly changing light which is happening a lot today . They lighter darker areas are only there as a guide to where I want them I will be making them a lot darker , the background I want to be a out of focus light effect if I make sense, one of those evening where the lights is odd and seems to be very soft almost misty with the stillness. I went for the creamy yellow light as it was a colour that seemed to
work with the instal layout . Several years ago I took a series of photos of the hedgerows and quite a few picked up that sort of colour and it’s something I’ve wanted to try out for quite a long time , don’t have a clue if it will work but I need to give it a go no the less .
Posted
You have a good eye for natures colours, I'm sure you'll make a very good job of your work in progress.
Yes, the creamy yellow should work well, I did something similar for a simple illumination work. I didn't think the background colour would work but I was happy with it.
Edited
by Carol Jones
Posted
Thank you all for the kind and encouraging comments. I hadn’t planned a specific focal area Gerry I was just going to let it develop as I went along , very much like the colours I’ve put a base yellow on and then added several colours whist it’s wet so it paints it’s self so to speak. Had a good half hour this afternoon in much better light thankfully, the first large pic is in natural light and the second is in direct sunlight I hope the colour show well when I post the photos , the last is on the easel. More base colours to the leaves I decided to highlight then levels with yellow as when you work close you can moss the fine pencil lines .Great piece of work and good to see the stages in real time. At least this year the autumn colours are very vibrant!
Posted
Your later photos are much better - the tonal variations in the earlier ones were very hard to see. I contantly have problems photographing paintings, even with a better camera than I used to have - can't photograph anything indoors, the flat is too dark, so I have to toddle off outside to take photos - and then there's the wind and rain to contend with. As Winter draws on, that's not going to get any easier.
Posted
Sorry Robert…that is funny. How an earth?iassume you have done all of the turning on and off thingy ?
You are obviously on a PC so go Google it, or find the next passing child and get it to fix it…..🥕
A quick Google suggests you use it to put your iPad into recovery mode and then to reset it.
Edited
by Sylvia Evans