Winter dog walk by Fiona Phipps

This is simply exquisite, Fiona! Love the palette and the way you painted the recession of the trees. The figure works really well - draws the eye straight into the painting, and the branches move the eye around. And I'm a sucker for winter scenes (easy to say since I don't have to endure the cold out here in Singapore!), so this one really appeals to me.

This is a very lively painting! A nice sense of distance and I think your figure works very well.

Lovely loose brushwork, good recession and just enough detail. Beautiful delicate colours Fiona.

You're getting so confident with watercolours. It's very effective and the figure works well!

Nice recession with the different layers of trees. You could intrduce some strong shadows cast by the nearer trees.

Love it, love it, love it!

Lovely light touch, Fiona, making for a very effective painting. I'm with Stephen on this one, although as you know, I had untold grief with shadows!! But properly done they really tie the elements of a picture together and contribute to depth. I, too, think your figures work well. Thanks a lot for all your recent kind comments and encouragement on my postings. All very much appreciated.

Many thanks Seok, Helen, Carole, Louise, and Hayley for your kind comments. Stephen and Lionel, thank you both, I'll see what I can do re shadows, won't re-post though don't want to take up the space on the gallery.

Lovely cold atmosphere, Fiona, beautiful colours and so well painted - it's been so interesting watching your progress with watercolours and your persistance has encouraged me to keep on practising... and practising...

It has atmosphere and I like the way it simple not over done .well done Fiona:)Linda

Thank you very much Jane, I think you are spot on about practise, that's the magic word. Many thanks Linda for your kind comment.

A lovely painting Fiona - the figure looks good to me, love the colours

So loose and spontaneous Fiona - lovely...

Brrrrrrrrilliant! Love it!

Really good atmosphere in this one Fiona, and I would tend to agree with some of the comments already made regarding shadows,they do tie the various elements of any painting to-gether and also tend to give you a sense of depth and perspective, but in saying this it is not a criticism of your painting but only an observation on my part , like the composition and tones you have used, a nice piece.

Glennis, Michael, Lesley, Graham......your comments really mean so much, coming from artists such as yourselves. The confidence gained since posting on POL is priceless. I will address the shadow issue right away, warm or cool do you think?

This picture has a lovely atmosphere, like walking through wonderland. Beautifully painted. I think the contrast on the two nearest trees is enough, more shadow would change the character of the picture too much.

Hi Fiona, regarding your query on my post about warm or cool, I tend to use a mix of rose madder and cobolt blue for cast shadows or cobolt blue with a touch of cobolt violet it all depends on the scene, in this instance I would have used the first suggestion allowing a weaker mix towards the middle distance to give the feeling of recession. Sometimes depending if my sky colours are cerulean blue and cobolt blue I will use this mix to compliment and help unify the painting colours within the piece for cast shadows. Anyway there is never a hard and fast rule about these matters, go with your initial intution, and don't mind you asking, hope this is of some help !!! so happy painting--- Graham

Wonderful feeling of distance - the figures are just right. I feel right chilly just looking at this painting, so I think your snow works!!

Thanks for the advise Graham. Thank you Thea for your comment.