watercolour by Fiona Phipps

No no no! The contrast is beautiful and adds balance to the painting! It's perfect as it is, Fiona!

No, you have not spoilt it, I think Seok is right it does add to the painting - beautiful.

No, you haven't spoilt it. That's the best part of the painting. Beautifully done.

I agree with the above comments. Lovely piece

I really like this painting, Fiona, and the recession is aided by the dark tones in the foreground. You might like to try flicking through three of your pictures; this one, number 1, then 2 then 3 and then back again and watch how the horizon level changes. I am not suggesting that every picture must have the same eye level, but a lower horizon permits you a lot of freedom for these huge skies and reduces the worry over foregrounds ! Just a thought, hope you don't mind, especially as I am useless with water colours.

Great atmospheric piece!

Perfect as it is. It has the look of the morning sun over an inlet - hazy with the promise of a beautiful day. Great economy of brushstrokes and a really nice painting.

Thank you all very much for your kind words, you really do encourage me to do better next time. Lionel I did have a look through the three pics as you suggested and your right, the horizons are all at different levels. The reason I lowered it in number two is because I wanted the sky to be the biggest part because it was more interesting than the foreground. In this one I wanted the water in the foreground to be the main subject. I really don't mind your comments because truth be told I prefer to do BIG skies!! I'll let you into another secret Lionel. I'm useless at watercolours too!!!Lol

You've certainly got the hang of these quick sketches - great light and colours

Indeed you are getting better and better... great use of colours...

Sorry, Fiona, but your secret is no secret! You are developing a very beautiful water colour style and I now look out for your new postings and am quite disappointed when I can't find one. We will all soon be looking for a "Sketch of the Week". Keep up the good work.

I didn't put that very well. What I meant was, you are not useless with water colours and hence no secret exists. I really enjoy and admire your paintings.

I'm a bit late with this but I do think your painting has a lovely watery watercolour feel with beautiful colours, also i like the contrasting dark bit. Well done.

Thank you Carole, you are very kind. Lionel, I think you were right the first time, ( comment 11).....but I think I know what you mean. A 'sketch of the week'....gosh that's preasure but I'll see what I can do, only for you mind!!!Lol Thank you again for your very kind words.

You could always balance the (supposed) heaviness on the one side by increasing the depth of tone on the other ... mind you, that can be an endless process of adjustment. And anyway, I don't think you need to: the colour in the sky more than compensates for any tonal imbalance below the horizon: you don't want too much competition between sky, water and land. I think it's a very beautiful and atmospheric painting.

PS - like the way the land forms just melt into the water.

Thank you Robert for making my mind up about not going back to fiddle with the land (bottom left), or putting something else in to balance it up. Maybe a heavier cloud formation top right? No, I think I'll leave well alone. Thank you for your advise and I'm pleased you like it.

FIONA-- You can paint your eye level were ever you want. make your skies as big as want. Me I like to paint with the least sky possilble

Charles, thank you for your encouragement, to be honest I paint big skies because it saves my embarrassment on the foreground and detail....unlike yourself, I have yet to master that LARGE part of the picture!!!:)

Can't see anything spoiled here at all - lovely watercolour painting! You did the right thing and left it alone, not easy to do but invariably the best.

Lovely loose watercolour.

Nice loose sketch - good feel about it.

I really like this one Fiona.I've not looked for ages but this one really stands out for me ...love the colours,composition & drama.