Distant Hills by SUSAN Tomlinson

Having looked at your flower painting on your gallery, which is wonderful, I would say that you should stick to doing your own thing. I have found that copying or being directed in a painting by a tutor, especially one like Keith Fenwick, who has very specific ways of painting the different areas of a scene, would not result in a spontaneous work. I can see evidence of Keith F's style of doing trees on the right of the painting - the rest is more you I think (and better for it in my opinion). This is a very nice painting, but I can see that you had a conflict over who's style to follow. Only my opinion, of course, others may take a different view.

Hi Thea, did you read the forum with my comments? Trouble is, I am still not sure what my own style is yet. That is why I am trying to get away from traditional colours, as in the Gateway and the Post box in Purple - have you found that? I have not really mastered getting paintings on the Gallery yet! Thanks for you comments.

I saw the postbox and loved it. Can't remember if I left a comment or not. If you look at what I do, I never use conventional colours. I tend to use the colours that are provoked in me by my emotional response to the subject (if that doesn't sound a bit poser-ish and daft). I love colour and with the transparency of watercolour, the effects you can get give me goosebumps. Glad to see that you are attracted this way as well.

I agree with you about the yellow, perhaps a cloudy sky would have been better. I had a similar experience to you at a workshop where I tried to work in another style. I really enjoyed it and learned a lot but my painting was just not me and I ended up painting over it and reusing the canvas!

Hi Gary, we had to do the sky as told, couldn't put clouds in! I have another effort that has a cloudy sky, will have to put that on the Gallery. Thanks for your comments.