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Light around the corner

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Lindsey Way

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Posted
Would be grateful for comments on this , not sure about it. I wanted to capture the sun shining through the trees as I walked around a corner. 😊 

Edited
by Lindsey Way

Alan Bickley

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Hi Lindsay, you haven’t given us any medium but I’ll assume that it’s an oil painting, possibly even water miscible oils or acrylic. Whatever it is, you’ve made a rather good start, albeit you are right in saying that there’s something you aren’t sure about! We’re looking for maximum impact behind this rather nicely drawn tree… and we haven’t got maximum impact! In fact it doesn’t look any different from the rest of the landscape! This is difficult to achieve, have a look at Haidee-Jo Summers website, she’s a master at capturing ‘contre-jour’, that’s your starting point! Obviously it needs to be a touch lighter behind the tree area, verging on intense yellow. Also, the land mass on the horizon needs softening quite a bit, almost blurred out in places due to the effects of the sun. Finally, I would extend those shadows and cut out any distracting colours on the left side… we don’t want the eye to wander anywhere near that area. I’m not a great deal of help really, it’s easier to do than describe the process - I’m confident that Haidee-Jo’s wonderful work will give you more insight! Please do come back on the forum and show us your progress!

Edited
by Alan Bickley

IMG_8857

Marjorie Firth

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Alan’s right, you aren’t aware of the sun. You need to really go for it! Overdramatise it. The right hand side needs to shine out!

Collette Hughes

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Posted
If you make your photo black & white it will help you see the tonal values. What you want is a dramatic difference in value, its more important than colour. Notice how the bright area is not light. Hope this helps. 

Lindsey Way

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Thank you very much those comments are very helpful. It's a pastel painting by the way.  I can see what's wrong now. 

Lindsey Way

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I've had another go at light around the corner, I decided to add leaves, but I think I've gone too far now and I'm still not happy with the colours. I looked at Haidee Jo summers also Liz Haywood sullivan who is a pastel artist and does some beautiful sun through trees paintings.

Edited
by Lindsey Way

Alan Bickley

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That’s okay, leaves are fine! A big improvement all round…you’ve added more contrast etc! Good job done with the amendments!

Lindsey Way

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Thank you so much it's great to have feedback. It's so easy to just keep going and end up with a big mess. 

Alan Bickley

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Keep going as you are doing and posting your efforts Lindsey… either as a work in progress or for critique…there is a section for each of these. Plus, why not post your finished work on the gallery - more people will see it on there and likely to comment! Saying that… comments are a bit thin on the ground at the moment. Put it down to holidays and enjoying the sunshine!
Croft Castle drive, Autumn

Hilary Forbes

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Posted
That's so much better Lindsey! Great improvement - glad the red area on the left has gone.
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, Napa

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I rarely give advice on pastel, because I don't get on with it too well myself: to be honest, I get bored with all the powdery layers one has to deal with.  But this one has come along with a leap and a bound, with the useful advice you've received - I'd recommend you to look up Arnold Lowrey on YouTube, and DVD: I think his approach would suit and help you. 

Lindsey Way

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Thank you for all the comments and advice. I'm new to the website and just finding my way round. I didn't realise there was an area for critique.  Which, to me is most valuable. As a self taught artist it's often difficult to see a way forward.  
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