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Hang on Studio Wall
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With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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Watercolour is not my usual medium - neither is gouache.  I say this in self-protective advance!  However, rummaging through files, drawers, unlikely places, in search of sketches I can use, I came across these two paintings which, at the time, I hated.  Normally, I destroy work which I don't think works, but for some reason I hung onto these.   Anyway - I have some ideas as to what is wrong with them (too close a focus being one) but wondering whether I should have another go at them, in oil perhaps, I should be interested in the hive mind's collected thoughts.  (Actually one will do - can't find where I put the other one.)
IMG_6882

Paul (Dixie) Dean

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It would be very interesting to see the difference with it painted in oils. What will be interesting is how your style has changed and how your present skill changes it apart from the oils . Go for Robert you know your itching to take the plunge and challenge. 

Alan Bickley

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I’m not sure if you’ve asked for critique, but I’ll  put in a comment anyway...  The composition has the makings of something, perhaps raising or lowering the horizon would help, it’s split pretty much central. Perhaps a change of atmosphere, less blue and green! Make more of a single focal point, directing light and strong single highlight etc etc. It has potential - definitely worth another look I think!
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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Yes - it is split into two equal halves - which is probably why I thought it hadn't worked, without quite putting my finger on it.  The blues and greens are a bit on the coming-at-you-side, I agree: I suspect pthalo blue or pthalo turquoise got in there somewhere!  I will see if I can find the other one: annoying when you think you've saved something to one file, but then find you haven't.  (Oh, and Alan - always open to critique!)
IMG_8857

Marjorie Firth

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Well, if you’re open to critique Robert, I think you need another colour in there - orange or a splash of red to catch the eye. As it stands, there isn’t yet a point the eye goes to....there are quite a few possibilities... my choice would be on the diagonal.

Sylvia Evans

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Can I put I tupence worth as well please . I haven’t been to the IOW since I was about ten.so quite a long time since ...saw a house covered in shells that is all I remember .  Is it still there , somewhere ?    Back to task In hand. I so agree with Marjorie re the touch of red/ orange to help with a focus point and a bit of zing.  The other thing that bothers me is the colour of the sea...sky is wonderful.but is the sea  really that amazing blue ? Maybe it is , so tell me to shut up.    

Edited
by Sylvia Evans

Alan Bickley

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Couldn’t agree more, I’m thinking one or two orange yacht sails loosely dropped in.

Edited
by Alan Bickley

Moi 17

Linda Wilson

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I am in agreement with the others regarding the colours, and I really like the sky.  But I have a problem with the perspective of the path. The rate of narrowing of the path should determine where the horizon line is, but it doesn’t.   I would raise the horizon line and adjust the path accordingly, as I think the two things are currently incongruous.  Hope this helps.

Edited
by Linda Wilson

Anthony Knight

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I was going to comment that maybe you could adjust the perspective of the path so that it leads your eye into the painting more, but that would be a major overhaul and an amount of guesswork - just a thought anyway.
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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I think you've jointly identified why I considered this picture a failure - the perspective was extremely difficult: the path (which is a sea-wall) curves - but there's not enough of it to show that convincingly: and it doesn't really go anywhere, either.   The blue well I broke a rule there - one of my very own: never use Pthalo Blue or Green in the sea: from the look of it, I used something else, as well; can't remember what.  It possibly is sometimes that blue, but that doesn't mean, even if it is, that it's a good idea to paint it that way.  It would very rarely approach such a colour.   So that was useful - I'll dig the other one out when I can re-locate it: similar scene, but different place.  Thank 'ee to all who commented.  

Sara Bernardic

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