Quinag & Stronchrubie (1)

Hi Ann, It is a pitty that I can't see both of them at the same time; It would be a lot easier to watch the difference. I like them both: this one has stronger colours but the mountains in the distance (I think!) are a bit too defined. Fading out the colours would give more depth to the view. The second one is much brighter with more transparent colours. There it is the foreground that needs a bit more details and stronger colours. The left foreground corner is a bit empty, here (the first one) there is a better balance because of the rock and fence. But that is my personal opinion. Now, I am going to have a look at the nr.2 again. :) Mia.

Hi Mia, Thank you very much for taking the trouble to compare and comment. I do in fact agree with what you say. I painted the second version before I had located the first, so it was a completely new approach. I think basically this kind of "empty" view tends to defeat me! I'll now go and look for other inspiration.

I've every sympathy for your point about empty spaces - you've got to do something with them, but what? Usually - not always - if you're actually out there on the spot the question tends to answer itself: if only because the passing clouds can leave interesting shapes; you can try to invent these from a photograph, but it's never quite the same. These are two very different paintings of the same scene: I find it hard to say which I prefer, or which is the better painting, because they both have their points - A way of getting round the problem, not necessarily THE way, is to doctor the scene a bit: put something in the foreground or near foreground, with plenty of texture; eg, a hill or hillock, with a bit of rough grass and twiggy shrubs. The difficulty then is not making that foreground detail so obvious that it competes with what was supposed to be your main point of interest! But then, no one said this was easy! Good luck with it - take a look at Alan Owen's latest mountain picture, before he whips it off the gallery again - there's variety of brush stroke, tone and colour.

Thanks Robert for taking the time to be so helpful. I do appreciate all your advice, and will make a better go of the next challenge. This one I'll just put down to experience - and tell myself yet again that what the eye sees is not necessarily what the camera does!